Homedics Back and Neck Massager, Portable Shiatsu All Body Massage Pillow with Heat, Targets Upper and Lower Back, Neck and Shoulders. Lightweight for Travel

This massage machine works very well. For my lower back, I sit in a recliner, place it up about 2 or 3 inches above the seat, lean back some, and turn it on. It has three settings: massage, vibrate, and both, plus a separate button for heat. I put it on the third setting and add the heat (which is not hard when doing the lower back). I lean back just a little because the muscles want to strain at first. As my muscles relax, I lean the chair back more, and finally after my back is relaxed enough, I am all the way leaning on it. It lasts about 15 minutes, and the directions say to not use it longer than that because it can damage the machine, so I wait at least an hour to do any further massage.The upper back and neck are harder, because it tends to slip down when I recline the chair or lean back. I usually have someone help me put it in place, but I use the same technique to lean back. I find that my back is always at least 50% better, with less pain and more mobility, after the massage is over for either the lower or upper back. This pain relief lasts most of a day, so if I use it two times a day, it is very helpful. My pain is from arthritis, so I don't know how it would help other problems, but I believe it would be useful to anyone with back pain. I bought another one for my daughter, who also has back pain, and she loves it.I think if someone just leans all the way on the machine right away, it would be more painful, so I recommend leaning slowly while you get used to the massage.I also have the foot massage machine from the same company, and it works even better, so I have around 70% less pain after use with it.

This is the second one. I still have number one and it works fine. I had a feeling a couple of my 10/13 year old grandchildren would like to have one to mess around with. This one came as a return so the price was very reasonable -- the thing is they love it! These units are very easy to use. They use theirs on the floor; I use mine in my desk chair.

This is definitely a massager designed for pain relief first and foremost. That's not a bad thing necessarily, but you should know because it comes with some caveats:Pros* Lightweight* The fabric is nice and soft* Motor is very strong and takes a lot of pressure to slow down* Heat warms up quickly and is very noticeable* No power brick or adapter, just a plain two-prong plugCons* The motor is loud - it makes a constant electric humming and is not subtle* No settings at all like speed, direction, or timer* The nodes have a fairly small range of motion* The vibration is VERY strong, it makes your whole body rumble and is kind of unpleasantAfter trying it out for a bit, I can say it's best used on your upper or lower back, while it works just okay on your neck, and doesn't really work well for legs or feet unless you use the vibration and heat.Basically, if you want something uncomplicated and mainly to relieve aches or pains, this is a good choice. If you want something that's gentle and relaxing and has different speed, etc. settings, keep looking.

Where has this massaging pillow been all my life???This wonderful device gives you three-way relief:1) Shiatsu deep kneading action.2) Vibration.3) Heat.You can select any of those three functions separately or all together (my choice!)You can also deploy this pillow to treat a number of afflicted body parts:1) Lower back.2) Neck.3) Feet.Those are the areas where I most often need pain relief, and it is likely that this pillow can be useful in other places as well.The controls are simple: just two buttons on the pillow, one governing power on/off plus selection of shiatsu or vibration or both, and the other turning the heat on or off.The vibration isn't as strong as that provided by a percussion massager, but it gets the job done, and the heat comes on at a nice level too: toasty but not incendiary.Similarly, the shiatsu kneading action is simple as well, not the fancy programmed routines some more expensive shiatsu devices provide. But again, this pillow seems to take care of business, punching above its weight and size.Finally, the pillow comes with a nice long power cord, and power shuts off automatically after fifteen minutes, assuring you don't overdo your massage session.All this versatility and efficacy in one compact unit, priced at under sixty bucks.What's not to like? Take a hike, Mike Lindell! Highly recommended.PROS:* Massages with shiatsu deep kneading, vibration, and heat.* Use massage functions separately or all together.* Works on lower back, neck, feet, more.* Auto shutoff after fifteen minutes.* Simple easy-to-use controls.* Quiet in operation.* Ample power cord.* Reasonably priced.CONS:* No percussive massage or programmed shiatsu routines.

This massage pillow really helps relax knotted muscles, especially when using the heat feature. I find the shiatsu knobs a little big and a little too hard. Seems like if they could be made a little smaller and softer, they would still work well, and be more comfortable.The main thing I don't like is that with the control buttons being on the pillow itself, it's too easy to accidentally change settings when you're just trying to move the pillow to another area.Also, it's hard to get the pillow where you want it, and to move it to another area because it's so full, it's hard to get a hold on it. Some kind of straps or a protruding portion to hold on to would be very helpful.I'll continue to use it. I just think it's not a very good design.