Are heating pads for back pain an effective treatment? Well that depends on what is causing your pain. If you decided to clean out the attic - and worked all day lifting - and running up and down stairs - then yes a heating pad will be an effective way to minimize the pain you are experiencing - as long as the pain you are feeling is related to over exertion of your back muscles.
But if you have chronic back pain (long-term) - you might experience a lessening of the pain - but that might not be the best way to go. There is a reason for you feeling pain in your back. Your body is telling you that something is wrong. In the case of over exertion of muscles - you can use the heating pad to minimize the pain - while your body heals itself naturally. But there are many reasons for the pain. Some are simple - relating to injuries to the back muscles - but many are not that simple. The pain can be caused by problems not related to the back at all. So, using a heating pad might be just what the doctor ordered - or it could be the worst thing you could do for your back.
At the first sign of pain you could try using heat to see if it offers any relief. Start at the low setting and apply the pad to the area where the pain is. You can increase the heat setting to the next level if you feel it is not warm enough - but never go to the point where you are uncomfortable. Leave the heating pad on for about 15 minutes and see if that helps. You can alternate between 15 minutes on and an hour or more off. If that helps then continue with this treatment. The best course of action is to see a doctor and follow his recommendations.
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