The best heating pads for treating sore muscles and menstrual cramps

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As a gym-goer and former high school athlete, I’m no stranger to aches and pains. Thankfully, heating pads are a safe and easy way to soothe soreness at home. Specifically, according to the experts, heating pads reduce your body’s perception of pain and stiffness by generating heat to increase blood flow to a certain area, which helps to increase mobility and circulation, reduce inflammation, and help you feel more relaxed .

That being said, I gathered a list of expert-recommended and editor-tested heating pads to consider for treating muscle aches, menstrual cramps and more. You can find that list below along with guidance and shopping tips from Dr. Michele Christian , a physical therapist at Stroma Physical Therapy in New York City, Dr. Rolland Miro , a sports therapist, chiropractor and the owner/director of Manhattan Sports Therapy in New York, and Dr. Karena Wu, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and owner and clinical director of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in NYC.

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The best heating pads

Best overall

Walgreens Fast-Heat Heating Pad

NBC Selected senior editor Nikki Brown has had this heating pad for years and still uses it monthly when she has menstrual cramps. It’s made from a machine-washable, velveteen fabric pad and has four heat settings available on the included single-button controller. “It heats up fast and has an auto shutoff feature that comes in handy when using overnight,” says Brown. The pad also has moist heating features; to use, the brand says you should lightly mist the surface of your pad with water, or pat it gently with a wet sponge to add moisture.

Best electric heating pad

Chattanooga Theratherm Digital Moist Heating Pad

This electric option comes recommended by Chattanooga, who says it doesn’t need water to provide moist heat. The pad, which uses a flannel covering to draw moisture from the air, also includes a digital controller that lets you program and monitor the temperature and duration of your heating treatment up to 30 minutes, according to the brand. The temperature can be controlled between 88 and 166 degrees Fahrenheit, and it has a lockout mode that protects against accidental or inconsistent setting changes during the treatment.

Best microwaveable heating pad

UNCN Wide Microwave Heating Pad

This microwaveable option comes recommended by Christian because of its cordless design and washable, cotton covering. Christian also says it can be dampened with water before microwaving to provide moist heat, and that it gradually loses heat while in use, which reduces your risk of burns. The pad’s star-shaped design provides more targeted and even heating, and the millet, flaxseed and claybead filling makes it flexible enough to be used on any part of the body, according to UNCN. You can also use it as a cold compress — just stick it in the fridge or freezer to cool it down.

Best budget heating pad

Therapist’s Choice Hydroculator Heat Packs

This moist heating pad “gets very hot and maintains heat well,” says Miro. To use it, the brand recommends heating the compress to your desired temperature using a hydroculator or, for those of you using it at home, a heated pot of water, or a microwave as a last resort. Since it gets so hot, Miro recommends layering a towel or other comfortable buffer between your skin and the pad, which he does in his own practice: “We wrap these up in a towel and place a few folded towels on the person before placing this pack on them,” he says. This pad is also pliable and more flexible when it’s heated, making it easier to mold to the shape of your targeted area, according to the brand.

Best splurge

Bearaby Snuggler

This heating pad from Bearaby (who also makes the NBC Selected Wellness Award-winning Terraclay Dreamer Sleep Mask ), is both warmable and freezable, making it a versatile option for anyone in need of a dual heating pad/cold compress. Former NBC Selected editorial projects manager Rebecca Rodriguez calls it a “lifesaver” when she’s suffering from cramps, and says the weighted design gives her “the feeling of a big hug when [she] really needs one.” She also says that it stays warm the longest out of any heating pads she’s tried — after microwaving, it can stay hot for up to a full hour, according to the brand. This pad is also machine-washable.

Best large heating pad

Sunbeam XL Heating Pad

Wu recommends Sunbeam’s heating pads because they’re easy to use and budget-friendly. This model comes with a nine-foot cord, a two-hour auto shut off, and a slide-button controller with three heat settings, according to the brand. It’s also great for targeting larger areas — it has a 24-inch length that Wu says is big enough to work “pretty much everywhere you need it on the body.” It also has a machine-washable cover, and can be used with moist heat by lightly spraying the surface with water.

Best for back pain

Suzzipad Microwaveable Back Heating Pad

If you want to target your back or waist areas, Wu suggests this microwaveable heating pad from Suzzipad. It has an ergonomic design that fits around your lower waist to better localize your heat therapy session, according to the brand. It’s filled with flaxseed, millet, clay beads and sorghum, which can trap both heat and cold, making it a great dual treatment option. The pad is also double-sided, with one side made of a soft, fuzzy material and the other side made of a smooth, Dutch velvet for extra heat retention, according to the brand.

Best for travel

Slimpal Portable Heating Pad

NBC Selected editorial operations associate Jem Alabi usually opts for the traditional heated rubber water bottle, but when it comes to travel, she says it’s not feasible outside of the home. “This pad has been a miracle for me many times,” she says. She uses it not only for aches and pains, but to help with creating and preserving heat in cold airports and on planes. The pad gives up to two hours of heat on a full charge, and she loves how it’s designed to be easily portable. “You can literally walk around or sit for hours without needing your hands, and it’s small and not really noticeable under clothing,” she says.

How I picked the best heating pads

While pulling together this list, experts told me to focus mainly on the different types of heating pads.

Our list includes every type of heating pad mentioned above.

How to shop for a heating pad

When shopping for a heating pad of your own, experts recommend keeping the following factors in mind.

Frequently asked questions

The biggest danger with using a heating pad is the risk of burning yourself, says Christian. She says this can happen as a result of a number of things, including prolonged exposure to the heat, issues or malfunctions with the heating pad itself, using the heating pad in an area with decreased sensation, or a lack of layering between the pad and your skin.

To lower your risk of burns, the experts suggest trying the following:

In a word: no. All three experts advise against sleeping with a heating pad, as they say it can pose a potential burn risk if you’re not able to tell if/when the pad gets too hot. If it’s electric, there’s also an added fire risk of the pad overheating or short-circuiting while you’re asleep and unaware.

Though experts differ on the precise range, none of them advise heating a pad past 160 degrees Fahrenheit. For a minimum heat, Christian suggests nothing lower than 104 degrees Fahrenheit in order to provide the necessary amount of heat needed to soothe your pains.

Meet our physical therapy experts

At NBC Selected, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

Why trust NBC Selected?

I’m an associate SEO reporter for NBC Selected, where I cover skin care, wellness, lifestyle and more, including stories on the best ergonomic office chairs and the best kneeling chairs . For this article, I spoke to physical therapy experts about the best heating pads, including their advice on how to shop for one of your own.

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