There is something I must confess: I have an addiction. It started off quite harmless – just a few minutes here and a few 
minutes there as the weather grew cooler and the arthritis got worse. Then I began noticing I wasn’t just spending “a few minutes” with the heating pad, but an entire hour. It grew from an hour to several all stretched out.
The heating pad moved from the horribly pained right shoulder to the right knee, and finally to my lap where it could warm my feet and both knees. This week the heating pad has followed me to bed, to the kitchen, to work on stories, and even to just sitting and watching TV or reading. The minute the heat decreases I crank it up again.
Next week there are several doctors’ appointments I need to make and I don’t know how I am going to take the heating pad with me. If it can’t go with me, this means it will be left. What will I do without it?! *sigh* Is there a support group for heating pad withdrawal or a Heating Pad Anonymous?
Mobile heating pads? There are chemical based ones which are pretty decent (for small areas). I think they are called “Theracare”, but they are out in the motorhome at the moment so I can’t verify. They come in a variety of models designed to be held in place over various target areas. I’ve only used the back versions, since that is the place I’m most likely to have persistent pain. They work by exposing the chemicals to air, resulting in an exothermic reaction (produces heat). The back ones seem to produce usable heat for 8 hours or so, and continue to produce some heat for many more hours.
These are not a replacement for a heating pad and electric outlet, but they do allow me at least to be mobile when all I want to do is lay on the heating pad.
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I stayed on one for two weeks with my back. Do what works.
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