Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How I Naturally Get Back Pain Relief With Stones
Original article published: 10/5/23
Article updated: 12/11/23
When I started teaching full-time right after finishing my Master’s degree, I was on my feet all day long. Then came the back pain. No matter the shoe I wore, my back still hurt. I went to a chiropractor and they were able to help, but only for so long. My insurance didn’t cover chiropractic care long term, so I had to find another way to ease my pain. Read on to learn how I naturally get back pain relief with stones.
Me in my reiki room on the stone heating mat
During our Hurricane Ian evacuation period of four months in 2022-2023, we visited Sukhino Float Center and Salt Cave in New Albany, Indiana. If you are ever experiencing a traumatic life event, having a place to escape to for a little while every week, like a salt cave, will help your mental health in a natural and healthy way. If you are experiencing any kind of respiratory issues, it can help too!
A full look at the jade stone heating mat
We were used to the salty air of our Sanibel Island home environment, and when we were away from it for several months during our evacuation, we know the salt cave helped keep our lungs healthy and clear. We also visited a salt cave when we previously lived in Kentucky. Every time I started getting a scratchy throat due to allergies, the salt cave cleared it right up.
A jade stone heating mat
During some of my salt cave sessions (known as Halotherapy), I added on their infrared stone therapy option, as I was having some back pain due to stress and sleeping on a mattress that wasn’t my own. I chose their $20 stone mat add-on, which allowed me to lay on a mat loaded with jade and tourmaline stones in the salt cave for 45 minutes.
My infrared mat eases my back pain
After 45 minutes of laying on the stone filled mat, my back felt so much better. The pain dissipated greatly, which not only felt great to my body, but also to my mind. When you are experiencing pain in your body, it can drastically make your mood not so great. While taking an over the counter medication or a prescription medication can be a good solution for back pain short term, it’s never a great option long term.
See the mat in use in our quick YouTube video below:
My reiki room brings peace and pain relief to me and my husband
Sukhino had brochures about their infared mats and after looking at the pricing, I decided I wanted one for my own home. I bought the HealthyLine Far Infared Heating Pad as soon as we returned home and have not regretted it one moment. Anytime I am experiencing back pain, or leg pain, I lay on it for 15-30 minutes and feel much better. It’s like a giant heating pad at 72 x 24 inches, so it covers a lot of territory. It’s plenty big enough for me at 5’1”, and for my husband at 6’2”.
The stone in the heating mat hold heat nicely
It takes a little while to heat up, as the stones have to heat up, but they hold the heat well once it’s warmed up. The stones are certified jewelry grade, untreated, and unpainted, making them comfortable to lay on. They are tucked inside mesh, but we still cover it with the provided cover when using it to make sure they stay smooth and perfect.
We lay it on my massage table in my reiki room, but we’ve also traveled with it in our RV, laying it on one of the captain’s chairs when needed. This makes me know it’d do great in a recliner or even on your bed. Laying on the stone heating mat in bed is welcome in my home when we are sick (why do our backs always hurt when we are sick?!), when we’ve overdone it on DIY adventures, when I’m hormonal, and more.
The remote for the jade filled mat attaches with a cord
It has a remote that is attached to the mat via cords and you use it to set the temperature to what works for you. After doing some research, I learned that HealthyLine is an FDA registered company and provides you with lots of information with a purchase of the mat and their website is full of helpful wellness and health information too. Using their guidance, it helped us come to a comfortable temperature of 130 degrees. We do set a timer on our Alexa device while using it because it relaxes us so much, that sometimes we fall asleep. You can also set a timer on the remote.
We love our HealthyLine infrared heating mat
While at Sukhino, we also used warm salt stones for heat therapy on our necks and hands. They had the stones warmed up in a little clamshell warmer and placed them in small bags for you to use while in the salt cave. I ordered myself a similar clamshell stone warmer for our own personal use. I use them with the mat, mostly placing them on the back of my neck to help ease “tech neck” or a stiff neck from frequent computer/technology use.
The clamshell stone warmer is cute and effective
I also own a portable hot stone massage warmer kit that I use if I need more heat applied to the front of my body when I’m on the jade stone mat. I’ve seen others use a second stone mat applied to the front of their body while laying on a mat, which is a great option too if you can spend the extra money.
This may look like a crazy way to stretch your back, but it is a naturally effective back pain relief method. See our demo in our short video below or via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
Our clamshell stone warmer came with 4 stones
According to the National Library of Medicine, heat and/or infrared therapy can be a great option for natural back pain relief, but if it’s something that persists for a long period of time, you should contact a health care professional, as it may be more serious. You may actually need cold therapy, and we tried it with a cryotherapy session, which we did not care for (it was SO COLD!), but it may work for you.
Minnie Pearl showing off my jade heating mat
Other things we’ve done to help give us natural back pain relief is get massages, use compression back braces (these work greatly if you are having to lift heavy things or bend over frequently), using Jack Black Dragon Ice Pain Relieving Cream, using a basic small heating pad for spot treatment, using an acupressure mat, and just resting. If you are an extremely active person or work out a lot, sometimes just giving your body a day off can help naturally relieve body pain. Taking a bath with epsom salt helps me too and it tends to be a very cost-effective muscle relieving treatment.
Did you know dogs can benefit from heat therapy too?
If you are wondering if a stone heating mat will help you with your back pain, but don’t want to commit to buying one yet, do a search online for a salt cave or a place that offers infrared heat therapy near you. Make yourself an appointment and try it out. I bought my own because after paying to use it at a salt cave for a while, the cost adds up to being able to just buy one.
Johnny Cash modeling my stone heating mat set up
I also like having a stone heating mat around my house for cool days or cool nights. The warmth makes me feel cozy and secure, especially if I cover myself with a fluffy blanket at the same time. Feeling secure and not being in pain is one of the best feelings to have, in my opinion.
My Geniani XL heating pad is great for shoulders and all body pain!
If you can’t afford a jade stone heating mat OR need a great heating pad for travel, I love my Geniani XL Heating Pad. I got one for travel and it’s very lightweight, foldable, machine washable and simply a great product.
The Geniani heating pad is ultra flexible
If you loved this article, we know you’ll love this one too: Do You Need to Take Prescription Medication?
Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.