Nathan Wei, MD, a board-certified rheumatologist and head of the Arthritis Treatment Center in Maryland, offered a simple method for making your own heating pad.
Wet both towels with water, squeezing out the excess water until they’re just damp.
Put one towel in the ziplock bag, being sure to leave the bag open. Place the bag in the microwave and heat on high for two minutes.
Remove the bag from the microwave. Be careful — it will be hot! Seal the ziplock bag, and wrap the other wet towel around the bag.
Apply your homemade heating pad to the sore area. The heat should last about 20 minutes.
Like most people, you probably have a drawer in your house for orphaned socks. Well now, you can put those lonely socks to good use! If neck and shoulder pain is causing you trouble, all your need is a sock and some rice. This pad works best if you use a bigger sock, like a tube sock.
Fill the sock with rice. Leave enough room at the top so you can close the opening by either sewing it shut, or tying it with a rubber band or string — basically anything you think will hold the rice in.
Microwave on high for two minutes.
Remove from the microwave (again, be careful as it will be hot), and apply to your neck or shoulder. If you need more time once the heating pad has gone cold, microwave again for 1 minute and reapply.
Making your own heating pad is cost-efficient and safer than using an electric heating pad. It also saves you a trip to the store, when you’re too sore to leave the house. Schedule an appointment with your doctor if muscle and joint pain persist for several days.
Be sure to follow the instructions for using your electric heating pad to prevent burns, electric shocks, and fire. Never use a heating pad on infants, people with diabetes, people who have suffered a stroke, or anyone with a decreased ability to sense pain.