Heat Pads

What are Heat Pads and How Do They Work?

Head pads are specially designed pieces of fabric that can be wrapped around or placed on painful areas of the body. Especially effective at treating back, neck and period pains (as well as many other types of aches), heat pads provide relief for those struggling with deep-rooted muscle pain or cramps. Heat, when in contact with the body, causes blood vessels to dilate and promotes an increase in blood flow to that specific area. This causes the muscle to relax, which eases pain and can stop cramping. Heat also encourages more oxygen to flow, which helps to heal the area the heat is placed (particularly good if you’ve pulled a muscle, as it can start the healing process much quicker)!

Heat is also very soothing. Studies show that people are calmer and more relaxed when their body temperatures are at a warmer temperature, resulting in them feeling more pain when they’re cold. When people say ‘a cup of tea fixes everything!’ – they’re actually referring to the heat it brings, as it can feel very comforting after a stressful or tiresome day. In the same way, a heat pad provides that much-needed comfort to the painful area you’re suffering with, ensuring that you can relax and feel at ease whilst it starts to target the muscles or joints that are hurting.

Back Pain

It is estimated that 80% of us will suffer from back pain in our lifetime. It is the most common reason for absence from work and is the third most common reason people go to the doctor’s office. As a result, it’s easy to imagine how painful back pain can be, and with many of us having to deal with it at some stage, it’s important to know how to fight it.

Sciatica is one of the most painful (and the most common!) types of back pain. It occurs when the sciatic nerve (which leads from your hips to your feet) is irritated and causes severe discomfort to sufferers. Sciatica creates a numb, painful or tingling sensation that can hinder movement, being able to carry out everyday tasks and even sleep. However – although sciatica is most commonly known as a type of back pain, due to the nerve being so long, it can also cause pain in your bottom, the backs of your legs and even your feet! As you can imagine, this can be extremely unpleasant and therefore any hope of relieving the pain would be extremely beneficial to sciatica sufferers.

Back pain can also be caused in manual labour jobs, where you are constantly straining your lower back muscles. As a result, the overuse of these muscles can cause them to cramp and tighten which can lead to muscles being pulled or torn. As previously mentioned, heat can increase the healing process – allowing those who are keen to return back to work to do so quicker.

Our back-pain heat pads are designed to wrap around the lower back snugly, ensuring the whole area is targeted. Once secure and turned on, the pad (which is made from soft, luxurious fabric) will start to heat up immediately, spreading heat across the lower back. Designed with three heat settings, you are able to choose the temperature that suits your needs best, providing you with instant relief from the back pain you’re currently suffering with.  Designed to be secured with a Velcro strap, this back-heat pad will fit most waist sizes, allowing it to be used repeatedly on different family members, depending on who is suffering during that period of time.

Our Sweet Dreams Back and Stomach Electric Heat Pad is fitted with a 90-minute auto switch off feature, ensuring you have no need to worry if you fall asleep from the soothing relief it will provide! It is also machine washable, allowing you to use it repeatedly when your back pain occurs.

Neck Pain

Neck pain is another common complaint, as it is one of the easiest parts of your body to strain! Most of us will have experienced neck pain at some point, whether it was caused by poor sleeping positions, bad posture, or constantly hunching over your desk at work. Luckily neck pain often only lasts a few weeks, yet is very likely to return in the future.  

A pinched nerve is one of the most common and most painful types of neck pain. Nerves get trapped or pinched when too much pressure is put on them by the tissue that surrounds them. Therefore, it is very likely to happen to those with jobs which involve being constantly bent over desks due to typing or reading. Neck pain can also be the result of bad posture, as well as sleeping in a position that would put added strain on the nerves in your neck.

Applying heat to the area is something the NHS strongly suggests, as it will provide pain relief and start to loosen the muscles and tissue in the injured area. Luckily, our heat pads are designed to cover both your neck and shoulders, without having to worry about it missing any part of the painful area. Our Sweet Dreams shoulder and neck electric heat pad is designed with three settings to ensure you find the perfect one for you! It sits comfortably around your neck and shoulders without the worry of constantly having to hold it there – allowing you to go about your day as normal! This provides you with a snug and easy solution to the pain you’re experiencing – ensuring the pain is targeted straight away.

Arthritis

More than 50 million adults worldwide suffer from arthritis and it can be an extremely painful thing to have. The most common symptoms of arthritis are pain, swelling and stiffness and eventually, it can lead to the hands and feet becoming misshapen. Although there are many different types of arthritis – the most common is osteoarthritis. This occurs when the cartilage that cushions the bones is worn away, causing your bones to touch and grind against each other. As you can imagine, this is extremely painful and can cause unbearable amounts of pain for many people.

Although there is no known cure for many types of arthritis, there are ways to ease the pain to make living with the disease bearable. One way is through applying heat to the area – due to the heat releasing tension in the muscles and joints, it provides relief from the bones touching one another. It can also make the area suffering from arthritis to relax, ensuring you are able to enjoy a relaxing period without the constant pain and tension arthritis can cause. Wherever you experience your arthritis (hands, feet, neck, shoulders or back) our heat pads can be placed on the area directly – ensuring your pain is dealt with as soon as possible.

Heat Pads for Feet

Having warm feet is a comfort for those suffering from pain or not! There’s nothing worse than having cold feet while you’re trying to relax – especially if you suffer from arthritis or stiff joints in your feet! Our foot warming heat pads are specially designed to heat any size feet due to the flexible fabric, ensuring those suffering from bad circulation, arthritis or joint pain can enjoy the benefits of this comforting foot warmer! Designed with three settings, you can get your feet warmer just the way you like it – providing fast relief to any joint pains and a reliable heat source that will ensure you never sit with painfully cold feet again!

Period Pains

Around 80% of women experience period pain at some stage in their life. Caused by muscular cramps, period pain can be extremely painful for many women, which can often lead to a lack of concentration and motivation for them at work. It can also be a constant nuisance, with many women dreading this sharp pain every month and finding it unbearable during some days of their cycle.

As well as pain relief tablets, heat is known to be an extremely effective way to ease period pain naturally. Many women take a hot bath or shower when suffering from severely bad cramps, as they feel relief from the pain when the warm water comes into contact with their lower stomach and back. However, after the bath or shower has ended, the pain can come back, making this a very short-term solution! That’s why heat pads are a great alternative as they can be taken anywhere, used as often you’d like, whilst providing the same sort of relief!

Designed to be strapped around your lower stomach and back securely, our heat pads ensure every area suffering is targeted with heat (which many heat pads are unable to do)! Once fitted, you can get on with your everyday tasks, or simply lay down and relax whilst feeling instant relief from cramping and pains!

Heated Cushions

Heated cushions are perfect for those suffering from pain in a variety of places. They are smaller in size than most heat pads, allowing them to be used in any area you wish. With muscle cramps and pains being a common problem for us all - and with them often appearing in different places unexpectedly - a heated cushion is perfect to be used on whichever area you’re currently trying to relieve from pain.

Easily placed on any area, the cushions can also be laid on or squeezed for comforting purposes. This makes them ideal to use in bed when painful joints or aches are making sleeping feel extremely difficult!

Find the Heat Pad That’s Right for You

Whatever type of discomfort or ache you’re having to deal with, you shouldn’t have to live with it without a way to ease the pain! Explore our range of heat pads today to ensure your aches and pains are dealt with as soon as possible, providing you with the care you need.