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Chronic pain in the back can be crippling to say the least. Being able to manage pain from home is critical for frequent back pain sufferers. Relying on medication all the time is not the best solution, nor is it even possible for many people. So us sufferers turn to devices like a heating pad to treat whatever pain we can. Extra large heating pads for back pain are the best choice. But finding them, is another problem in itself.

When it comes to buying a heating pad in-store, options are often limited. Once I needed a heating pad so bad, but the store only stocked one brand. Fortunately it turned out to be a winner and all was good. But when it comes to relieving stiff aching back pain, in particular lower back pain, size matters.

A small heated pad designed for period pain is not going to be adequate in size to treat the entire back region. Nor would it likely be as good for treating larger tougher muscles. So in saying this, below you can find the largest heating pads I could find on the current market that not only dominate in size, but also in performance.

The Best Extra Large Heating Pad Goes To…

UTK Infrared Jade Stone With Negative Ions

When you talk about heat therapy and back pain, there’s simply nothing better than the UTK Infrared heating pad in my opinion. This pad is a moveable relaxation and relief station that you can tap into at any time you like. While it’s probably not the largest heating pad in the world, it does come in a full body size that is designed with pain relief in mind. But it’s not just suitable for back pain, its a gem for relieving arthritic pain that has spread throughout the body as well as during aching hung over bodies.

The only drawback is that it is rather pricey and unfortunately, not everyone will be able to afford it which kind of sad as this heat pad is simply that good.

What Makes This Full Size Heat Pad So Good?

Offers Infrared With Jade Stones

Infrared is an invisible energy from the sun. It is hotter than any visible color from the Suns spectrum. This UTK heat pad uses infrared energy to send heat into your body. What makes infrared better than your traditional electric heat pad is that it penetrates deep within joints, muscles, tissues etc. As much as 2 inches deep into your body the infrared rays can penetrate. Compare this to a traditional heat pad that just heats the surface and not too much more. So now you can see why infrared is the way forward.

But what makes this infrared heat pad even better are the roughly 1 inch embedded Jade Stones. Jade Stones have a natural healing element to them, but whats good about them in this situation is that they encourage infrared energy. The stones act as conductors of the energy waves and enhance the infrared heat into a more evenly distributed heat source. This alone makes the UTK a very good heat pad for back pain as you get heat dispersed to all corners.

Features Of The UTK

• Digital hand held controller makes adjusting the temperature (up to 159°F) easy. Also has a built in memory function that remembers your favorite settings.
• Auto shut off time of 4 hours. This is considerably long compared to other heat pads that can shut down after just 40 minutes.
• Size 70 inches long by 24 inches wide.
• Low EMF and high negative ions to provide a relaxing feeling when turned on.
• FDA audit approved. Which is a must fro an electronic device like this. Sadly, not too many heating pads have this safety certification.

Overall Opinion

I love this UTK heating pad. While it does come in a medium cheaper size for lower back pain, I love the full body size as it can relieve pain and discomfort in many areas all at once. The negative ions are simply incredible (If you don’t know what they are, imagine relaxing on the beach. That’s how you feel with negative ions). The infrared combined with Jade Stones are what make this pad so powerful and truly outstanding at relieving tense sore muscles. If I had to complain about anything, it would be that it is not cordless, which is a shame. But I imagine you would loose some of the infrared power using a battery on a pad this large. Overall, I give it a solid 9 out of 10.

 

The Largest Heating Pads I’ve Found!

Coming in at an impressive 75″ x 40″, the Healthy Line full body is the largest heating pad on the market that I could find. Another full body infrared heating pad that utilizes the healing gem tourmaline qualities to transfer the infrared energy better. This heat mat along with the above UTK are FDA certified. This one also comes with a decent warranty considering the price, it’s a good deal.

Very similar to the UTK, this Healthy Line product also has the built in Jade Stones and Tourmaline. When used in combination with the energy from infrared, they release a natural healing element. Very old school, but works nonetheless.

What I found unique about the Healthy Line heating pad was the way it’s been build. Using up to 20 layers of independent construction each with their own restorative function. So rather than working on a singular layer and if an electronic function fails, the whole pad doesn’t suffer. Very innovative and one that I haven’t seen before on a heat pad.

When comparing the UTK to the Healthyline far infrared heating pads it can be quite difficult to tell the differences. Both are rather expensive, but well worth the investment if you have serious body pain. Both come with quite handy remote controllers that are user friendly. Both heating pads comes in various sizes, but these teo are the biggest ones they currently have available. Which are very big to say the least.

Where this pad differs is that it is considerably heavier than that of the UTK. This pad weighs 17 lbs where the UTK weighs just 11 lbs. When you are already in pain, that extra 6 lbs can feel like an extra 40 lbs. So if being able to move on the go is your thing, perhaps the UTK is a better choice. The healthyline instructions are less clear as well. But other than those two small gripes, this is still a extra large heating pad that does its job very well.

 

Oversized XXL Moist Heating Pads

The above two brands cover multiple sizes in regards to infrared heating. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a UTK heating pad for any size. But if you prefer the moist sensation and want a heating pad that offers moist heat while also being XXL, then there are some option.

The heating pad on display in regards to moist heat is the Thermophore MaxHEAT Plus model. This is the largest of the moist heat pads that is very well suited to treating the entire back at once. However, if you are looking for a lower back moist pad, check out our guide on moist heat pads here.

What makes this pad such a great buy is that it is one of the few that are made in the USA. Which is quite rare in todays world of technology. Anyways, so its a extra large pad. It measures in at 14 inches wide by 27 inches long. While it’s not the widest heating pad out there, it’s the perfect size for draping on your back while also soothing the shoulder muscles. So the area that is heated focuses solely on your back region rather than being too big and wasting that precious heat on areas that don’t need it.

There are 3 heat settings you can apply the moist heat to. Low to high and from my experience, the medium level is quite warm and will suit the majority of people. However, if you like it hot, then I guess that’s why they call this model the MaxHEAT Plus because it offers maximum heat.

Can you add moisture to this heat pad?. Yes, but the heating pad naturally absorbs the moisture in the air to provide the moist heat. But if you need to make more mist, then follow the instructions on how to and how much liquid you can add. Remember its a large pad, so don’t go too extreme without reading the instructions first.

There are a couple cons to this heating pad which unfortunately can’t be modified. They are that the auto shut off timer is set to 20 minutes. This is a safety precaution and I get that. But I know some folks would prefer it a bit longer. The other is that the controller is a sliding toggle like device rather than a button. So this is only a small hassle, but one nonetheless. Either way, it’s one of the largest moist heating pads suitable for treating the entire back for targeted heat therapy.

 

What To Look For When Buying Oversized Heating Pads

Still not sure what heat pad would be best for your back pain?. That’s fair enough, it’s not an easy decision when it comes to buying products that can improve the quality of life. You may have got some idea of the features I personally look for in a heat pad. As I suffer lower back pain from just about anything I do (Sitting, standing, laying down etc), I understand the importance in not wanting to buy junk products.

For me personally, I would spend an extra $10, $50, $100 even. If it meant that I would get relief once and for all. As I write this I am experiencing back pain, must be time to turn on the heated chair massager. (Another product I highly recommend for anyone with back pain that has access to a chair to sit on) So here are the features I would look for when buying a heating pad for people with back pain.

• Infrared all the way. Infrared energy heat is far more effective than traditional electric heat pads. This is because it penetrates up to 2 inches beneath the skins surface. It doesn’t heat the skin like traditional pads do. As you can see above that my #1 recommendation was in fact a infrared heat pad.
• Jade Stones go hand in hand with infrared energy. So if you intent to buy a premium heating pad with infrared, go one step further and you wont regret it. The Jade Stones act as conductors for infrared energy which means the heat is evenly distributed better and can intensify the heat levels greater.
• Size is important, especially if you have pain spread across the back. However, a mid size heat pad may be suitable for someone who is only looking to relieve lower back pain. But having an oversized heating pad for inappropriate part of the body may be more hassle then good. Just imagine trying to wrestle a rug to get into the knee cap for example.
• If infrared is not a likely option for you, consider choosing a moist heating pad. These pads use moisture as the heat source and reduce the possibility of you burning your skin compared to using a dry heating pad.
• I would avoid using heat pads that can be microwaved for treating a large area like the back. The heat would not be evenly spread, nor would it last very long.