simeona

I've tried many heating pads and there are two that work the best:

- The Thermaphore is the cheaper of the two ($60 - $80) -- it pulls moisture out of the air so it provides a moist heat which is more penetrating. It behaves like a normal heating pad if there isn't moisture in the air. If you live in a dry climate, take a shower or have someone else take a shower before use -- I found that really helps. 

- The BioMat is Far Infrared Ray heat which is deep penetrating (I think they say up to 8-9 inches). I got the Richway BioMat Mini (17 x 33 inches) which is portable. Unlike most heating pads, you can safely sit or lie on top of it so I put it on my office chair which allows me to work while receiving heat therapy. Because of it's size, it heats my upper back down to my thighs so there is a lot of coverage. This mat has saved the day on many occasions -- it's amazing. The downside is that it's very pricey -- I got mine a few years back for $700. There are other brands that are cheaper. I purchased a Richway because the company has a good reputation and the pad has EMF interception (I verified it with an EMF meter).