Heat Cushions

Heat treatment, or the use of warmth to relieve pain, has been around for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used natural hot springs, thermal baths, and hot stones. These days it is much easier to use a heat cushion.

Many people enjoy winter because of the snow-covered sidewalks, crowded and festive shopping malls, holidays, and, of course, the cold. However, the extreme cold can also ruin your holidays. Joint pains and cramps are common during this climate. But if you use heating pads, they can help keep you warm on the coldest days while also stabilizing your blood circulation and relieving cold joints. However, you will find many of them in the market. Read this article to find out more about them. Having a better understanding of heat pads will help you make the right choices while making the purchase.

Different types of heat pads

Heat cushions or pads are widely used to relieve back pain. These pads work by dilating blood vessels and allowing more blood flow through the affected area. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes for added benefits and convenience, allowing people to choose the design that is best for them. Let’s take a closer look at the different kinds of heating pads available on the market so you can see what they’re all about and what distinguishes them from one another. The below information will help you choose the best and right one. In this article, you will also find some handy tips to follow while shopping for heated pillows.

Infrared heating pads

These pads make use of infrared rays for heating. However, don’t think of harmful radiation when you hear infrared. Infrared rays come out of all hot objects. The difference between infrared and regular heating is that the former works without physical contact. Moreover, infrared rays enable the heat to travel deeper into the skin and penetrate soft muscle tissues. It can even go as far as three inches below the muscle tissues. This can help you relieve muscle tension. And because of this, infrared pads are more effective than regular pads.

Electric heating pads

The main component of the electric pad is the heating coil. When current passes through the coil, the electrical resistance in the coil produces the heating effect. One of the most significant advantages of this technology is that the pad will heat up in seconds. Also, if you plug the pad into the supply, it will maintain a steady temperature as long as the supply is on. It is great if you want to heat using the pad for a relatively long time. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for electric pads to have built-in thermostats and temperature control features.

Moist heating pads

Moist heating pads or heat cushions work almost like wet towels. Similarly to towels, you can soak them in water before applying them to the body. Because it is water holding the heat, it doesn’t last for much longer. After a few minutes, you will have to soak it again in the water. Moist pads will also wet the surface that you are applying it on. So, you may not want to use it if you don’t want to soak your clothes. Because the heat transfer is through physical contact like electric pads, the heat does not penetrate deep inside the skin.

Microwave heating pads

These are probably the most advanced type of heating pads out there. Although this might look similar to electric pads, the heat transfer is not through physical contact. The microwave generator inside the pad is responsible for producing the heat. These pads will be filled with things like buckwheat, wheat and flax seeds. The microwave radiation will heat these grains. So, it is not the microwave itself that heats the skin. Instead, the microwave heats the grains inside the pad, and it is this heat gets transferred to your skin.