What Are Heating Pads Filled With?
There are so many different heating pads out there on the market.
Most heating pads have the same fillers, but there are different kinds out there.
Some heating pads are filled with rice, wheat, flax seed, cherry pits, or lava sand.
Keep reading to find out what your favorite heating pad is probably filled with.
Why most companies use food as filler
There are a few things that companies need to consider when they make their heating pads.
The most common way to heat up a heating pad is to use the microwave.
The microwave is a good option because you can heat up the heating pretty quickly and evenly in the microwave.
Another option for heating up the heating pad is to throw it in the oven.
But with this option, you aren't going to get as even of a heat on the heating pad as you would in the microwave.
Think of this way, when you cook food in the microwave compared to the oven, it takes less time to cook in the microwave and it does it more evenly.
So to put filler in your heating pad, you have to consider something that you put into the microwave.
This leaves out certain elements that might contain any type of metal.
Next, you'll want something that can stay warm or cold for extended periods of time.
If you've cooked your own meal before, you know that certain foods do keep their heat for longer periods of time than most elements you are going to find.
Then, it should feel nice against your skin.
When you have filler such as wheat, rice, flax seed or cherry pits, those items are going to move around well on your body so it fits nice against your clothes or skin.
Lastly, you will want something that smells nice.
This isn't so much of a concern for when you are using the heating pad as a cold pack, since a cold pack won't give off any smell.
But when you heat up the heating pad, you want it to smell nice.
Food filler is a good option for this because it's food and it is going to smell good.
What popular heating pads are filled with
Now that we've covered why companies might use different fillers in their heating pads, let us talk about which filler big companies use and why they might use those fillers.
Lava Sand Heating Pad
The first in our list of heating pads is the lava sand heating pad.
These heating pads are, of course, lava sand.
This is going to be the one exception in our list today, as it will be the only heating pad that doesn't have a filler of food.
Lava sand is a great filler for a heating pad for many reasons.
First, the lava sand isn't affected by the change in temperature.
You could start off the day by pulling the heating pad out of the freezer and using it as a cold pack.
Then, immediately after that, you could put it in the microwave and us it as a heating pad.
And you can do this time and time again without having to worry about ruining the heating pad.
Second, you won't have to worry about the smell with the lava sand heating pad.
Because the heating pad is filled with lava sand, you never have to worry about the smell of burning coming from the heating pad.
The lava sand won't burn or go stale.
Third, the lava sand has really small grains, so it is going to contour exactly to your body and to the spot you want it to be in.
Warmies
According to Honest Brand Reviews:
"Warmies are filled with a mixture of flaxseed and dried lavender. The lavender activates upon heating to provide a soothing scent while the flaxseed retains the microwave heat to ease any aches or pains."
https://www.honestbrandreviews.com/reviews/warmies-review/#What_Are_Warmies_Filled_With
Flaxseed is a type of seed, so it does seem to retain the heat more than the other food fillers you may find for heating pads.
Some people have found that while testing, after 5 minutes of being outside the microwave, the flaxseed still has around the same amount of heat as it started out with.
So the flaxseed does well with keeping the heat in.
You can also combine the flaxseed with other scents like lavender.
Warmies typically include dried lavender, which is good for the smell long term.
But the dried lavender could end up getting burned if left in the microwave for too long.
And just like the lavender, the flaxseed could eventually end up going bad if you've heated up the heating pad too much.
The flaxseed will also conform to your body, just like the lava sand heating pad will.
Lastly, the flaxseed will hold in moisture far longer than other filler options.
According to pt Health:
"In comparison to dry heat (electric heating pads and heat wraps), moist heat can penetrate the skin faster and deeper, getting right to the muscle—the root of your pain.
A study comparing the two types of heat therapy showed a greater pain reduction with moist heat in less time than dry heat. There’s also a reduced chance of skin irritation since the moisture helps to increase tissue elasticity.
Dry heat can provide a more consistent level of heat for a longer period of time. As a result, some see it as more convenient and easier to use."
https://www.pthealth.ca/blog/the-ultimate-warm-up-how-to-use-moist-heat-for-pain-relief/#:~:text=In%20comparison%20to%20dry%20heat,less%20time%20than%20dry%20heat.
So flaxseed is a good option because it holds in that moist heat, which should in turn help to get right to the muscle for the pain.
Bed Buddies
It is hard to find what exactly they use as fillers for bed buddies.
The best that I can find in my search is the following:
"Bed Buddy is both safe and straightforward to use and is filled with 100% natural grains, herbs, and flowers. Use it as a natural alternative or compliment to over-the-counter drug treatments."
https://carex.com/products/bed-buddy-microwaveable-neck-wrap#:~:text=Bed%20Buddy%20is%20both%20safe,for%20warm%20moist%20heat%20therapy.
So we can't tell exactly is in there outside of it being natural grains.
We would assume that they are using grains that they feel are the best for keeping in heat and smell.
You also have different choices about how you want it to smell.
Following are the choices that they offer online:
- White (unscented)
- Balance Orange (nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, and almond)
- Bliss Pink (lavender, rose, and cherry blossom scents)
- Fresh Green (eucalyptus, rosemary, and lemongrass scents)
This is the first heating pad I've seen that provides different options of scents for the heating pads.
Typically they would only give one option, but Bed Buddies seems to give multiple.
They also claim that the heating pad gives off a moist heat, which I cannot confirm because I don't know exactly what the fillers are.
But overall, the bed buddy seems to fulfill all the requirements that you would hope for in your heating pad.
The one exception to that would be if you could wash the Bed Buddy.
But in this case, the best you could do would be to spot clean the Bed Buddy.
Otherwise, if you got the whole heating pad wet, you'd find yourself having to buy a new one.
Magic Bag
The Magic Bag is made in Canada and filled with organic oat grains.
In all my research, this is the first time I've seen a heating pad filled with oat grains.
Apparently the oat grains are good for keeping in a moist heat.
This means that it will really be able to get down into the muscles that you might be having problems with.
Outside of that, it doesn't seem like oat grains would last very long in a heating pad.
This would typically lead to you having to purchase a new Magic Bag on a regular basis.
Which no one really likes the idea of doing.
Huggaroo
Now Huggraoo's are an interesting option for a heating pad.
From what I could find, they are filled with flax seed and clay beads.
This is the first time I've seen this combination in a heating pad.
The flax seed is good for giving it a moist heat, while the clay beads are going to stay warm for quite some time.
The problem with the clay beads is that they will be ruined if you get the heating pad wet at all.
The clay beads will then just turn into melting clay and won't be able to stay heated for as long as you would probably like.
The Huaggaroo's also contain lavender, peppermint, chamomile, and lemongrass for your smells.
This is a wide variety of smells in a heating pad and should be good for anymore that likes one or any combination of those smells.
Nature's Approach
The final heating pad is the Nature's Approach heating pad.
This heating pad is actually filled with rice and flax seed.
Putting these two fillers together gives you a good combination of moist heat with longevity.
Now don't get me wrong, it is still filled with food, which means that it won't last as long as other fillers.
And because it is good, it could also end up getting burnt.
At that point, the heating pad is just going to smell like burning, plus it won't keep the heat as long as you would like it to.
But it should contour to your body pretty well when you want to apply heat or cold.
Summary
There are many different options out there for heating pads.
Some options give you a nice moist heat, while others gives you a heat that will last longer.
But overall, we believe you are going to get the best heat and the best heating pad from the lava sand heating pad.
This heating pad won't go bad and you'll be able to wash it whenever you feel like it is necessary.
Plus it will get that deep down muscle relief that you need when it is needed most.
And you can switch it between hot and cold without having to worry about ruining the heating pad.