I may only be in my 30’s but for the longest time I lived with chronic pain that was so bad that some days I could barely walk. It took a lot of work to get rid of that pain including making our home almost entirely natural and taking a natural health approach to how we were looking at things. We stopped buying and started making as much as possible, I started treating my health issues naturally, I fixed any nutritional deficiencies that I had and eventually, I was almost completely pain free. I still have some stiffness in the mornings, but it isn’t anything that I can’t handle. When I was having major issues, this homemade heating pad was a god-send. Sure, I could have went out and bought a heating pod, but why would I do that when I can make it myself? Remember? I said we made our home natural. That means buying as little as possible and making as much as we can. While we originally started with 30 things that we were making, we have expanded that list by quite a bit these days. We make homemade cleaning supplies, we rarely buy convenience foods, and we treat every medical issue (excepting emergencies and major issues) naturally.
The great thing about this homemade heating pad is that it is incredibly sturdy. I made one is May for my Emma’s sports injuries and it is still going strong today. They’re not refillable once you make them though so you’ll want to make sure that the rice you place inside is totally dry. If not, you could be opening yourself up to mold or mildew issues later on. While it does work best as a heating pad, we have frozen them too. The rice holds cold almost as well as it does the heat. They’re a great natural health alternative to those yucky blue gel ice packs.
Natural Health – Homemade Heating Pad
Before we get to the tutorial, I do want to caution you about something. When you heat it up in the microwave, make sure you let it cool. It will get extremely hot and can burn you if you’re not careful. The best way to do it is to let it sit for double the time you heat it up. I heat mine for 2 minutes so I allow it to sit with the door open for at least 4 minutes. Usually by then it is cool enough to use, but if not, allow it to sit longer. This homemade heating pack is amazing for bumps, bruises, sprains, pms pains and so much more. By the way, if you love sewing projects, you should check out our Easy DIY Kitchen Towel that we have too. You’ll love it as much as you are going to this homemade heating pad!
You will need:
- 1/4 yard flannel fabric
- 1 1/2 cup rice or dried corn
- Sewing machine
- Measuring tape
- Fabric scissors
- Sewing pins (optional)
Fold your fabric in half so that you have two even pieces. Measure and cut a 7×13″ piece so that you have two pieces that are the same size. Place the two pieces together with the print side down. If you’re using sewing pins, pin all of the edges together to keep the fabric straight.
Get out your sewing machine and sew the two sides and the bottom.
As you’re sewing, make sure that you back stick all of the ends and corners.
Turn your fabric right side out then fill with either the rice or corn. It doesn’t really matter which one you use as long as it is totally dry.
Once you’ve filled it, fold the ends of your 4″ opening inwards and sew it shut the rest of the way making sure that you back stick the end.
When you’re ready to use your homemade heating pad, pop it into the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Let it cool if it’s too hot then use on sore muscles, injuries and more!