Heated Mattress Pads Help Manage Arthritis or Fibromyalgia A rather typical email we received regarding personal experiences with both arthritis and fibromyalgia: I'm in my late fifties now. During the last twenty years I've suffered from arthritis of the spine and fibromyalgia. I've taken a variety of medications for these conditions, even anti-depressants. However, the best suggestion I received for my pain came from a ninety year old friend. She recommended that I should think about using a heated mattress pad to ease my arthritis and fibromyalgia pain. Usually I can ignore my aches in the spring, summer and fall. But during the winter I hurt the most. The cold air lights up my fibromyalgia and makes my arthritis throb. So last winter, I gave it a try and I was surprised and pleased at how much relief I received from doing so. I did some research on electric mattress pad use for arthritis or fibromyalgia. I discovered that arthritis is caused by tissue inflammation in the spine, arms, and legs as well as other parts of the body.
I learned that fibromyalgia can cause pain in the same areas of the body through over sensitive nerves. Apparently warming mattress pad use can give comfort to my body. The heat reduces my pain. It worked for me! In the mornings, when I woke up, I was more rested. I didn't wake up with the same old terrible pain that sometimes made life seemingly worthless. This winter I'll be using my heated mattress pad again. I'm glad my very dear old friend told me to think about using an electric mattress pad to ease my arthritis and fibromyalgia aches. Randy’s experiences above are further supported by hard scientific research. As we state in the Health Benefits section of the Consumer Guide to Electric Bedding, The Arthritis Helpbook which is authored by Kate Loring and James Fries and which is recommended by both the Arthritis Foundation® and the Arthritis Society® states: “Heat is most effective for reducing the pain associated with muscle tension and stiffness, and when there is little or no inflammation.
It works by increasing the blood flow to the skin and muscles around the painful area. This, in turn, enhances muscle nutrition and relaxation. When the muscles relax, pain and stiffness decrease…. Warm baths, showers, a hot tub, sauna, or electric mattress pads are good ways to help soothe the whole body; these methods may be particularly beneficial for the person with fibromyalgia.” (cf. page 241, “Pain Management” in the 5th edition.) Additionally you can pre-warm your bed if that would help prevent any muscle spasms. Warm beds are just nice to get into anyway. The book Arthritis 101, an official publication of the Arthritis Foundation, states: “Use an electric blanket or mattress pad. Turn it up before you get out of bed to combat morning stiffness.” (cf. page 53, “Other Treatments for Arthritis”.) So doesn’t it make sense to at least try a warming mattress pad if you suffer from arthritis or fibromyalgia or anything related? 1. Before You Buy – A MUST Review: the Lead Page of the Buyer's Guide offering:
Major considerations before your purchase; Links to all of our Reviews and Ratings sections 2. Ready to Buy? If you want to see a list of retailers carrying each of the major brands of Heated MATTRESS PADS this year, click Heated Mattress Pad Retailers OR for Heated BLANKETS, click Stores Selling Electric Blankets. The Electric Blanket Institute’s Consumer Guide and Blog text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike 3.0 United States License. For any reuse or distribution you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web page. This information has been developed over many years of testing and is presented freely for educational use only and without any warranty of any kind. It is not a substitute for the safe usage practices of your individual product. See our Policies Page for other information including advertising and affiliate linkage. Sorry, all information presented applies only to products sold in the United States.
We cannot help with other products.December is already here and winter weather has come around once again. You’ve probably felt the changes in weather in your achy joints and your motivation to get up and out of the house has officially decreased. How can you survive the winter with arthritis? Some people say cold, snowy weather affects their joint pain levels. Winter can leave you feeling helpless when it comes to this type of pain: joint inflammation, stiffness, and lack of mobility. Surviving the winter with reduced pain levels is possible and can be achieved by following these 6 tips for surviving winter with arthritis. A heated mattress pad will not only keep you warm and toasty, but it can help decrease morning stiffness in your joints. Unlike a heated blanket, a heated mattress pad is always in contact with the sleeper and gives off much less heat. They also have controls that allow you to put a timer on so the heat is only present during sleeping hours, and adjusts the temperature to remain cozy, not hot.
Shop around for the best heated mattress pad for you; like with regular mattresses some are more comfortable than others. This seems obvious in the wintertime, but it’s a reminder that no matter what you do, you should layer up. Most importantly, you’ll need to keep your toes and fingers covered since these are the extremities. Even if you’re outside for just a minute, or a short walk from your car to the door of your office, keep those gloves, socks, and boots on. If you’re used to wearing dresses, a just a coat may not be sufficient. Wear leggings or tights to keep those knee joints from being exposed to the cold. In the winter it’s easy to give into the desire to hibernate and stay inside on the couch where it’s warm. With snow and cold, outdoor exercise might not be possible, therefore an inside gym or workout routine is best. Taking a short walk around your office or the mall can also get your blood flowing and your joints moving. If your local YMCA has an indoor pool, low impact swimming exercises are great for the joints all year round.
Keeping up your muscle and ligament strength directly affects your joint mobility and pain levels, so exercise should continue throughout the winter. Keeping healthy vitamin D levels can be a hard task in the winter. Vitamin D is necessary for muscle movement, communication between nerves, and fighting inflammation. It comes from a few types of food, dietary supplements, and the biggest source is from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Lack of vitamin D can worsen your arthritis and weaken your bones. Most vitamin D levels come from the sun, which is notably sparse during the winter months. To help get vitamin D in the winter, you can hop on a plane and come to Florida for some better weather, or you can easily replace your needed vitamin D with a supplement. Risk for falls can become a concern during the winter. With snow and ice on the ground, sidewalks and driveways become slippery, and at times we won’t even see the ice before we fall. For this reason, proper footwear is essential when leaving the house in the winter.
Using shoes or boots that have proper non-slip treading are ideal and avoiding shoes that have smooth flat bottoms should be avoided. Keeping your pain levels under control, as well as reducing inflammation, and supporting joint health, can all be achieved by one simple product: a joint supplement. All natural joint supplements are made up of specific ingredients that target joint related issues like arthritis. With a daily joint supplement you can expect decreased stiffness, an increase in lubricating fluid, aid in cartilage repair, and lack of side effects that occur with over-the-counter pain relievers. Joint supplements can fit in nicely with your daily diet and exercise routine. Winter can be a cold and cloudy time of the year, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer with joint pain. During the winter months it’s important to remain on task with your exercise routine, and to stay warm and safe while traveling through the ice and snow. Your joint health should remain a priority even if motivation becomes difficult.