Heavenly Acupressure Mat - Blue

After looking at the numerous similar mats offered on Amazon, I went with the Heavenly one in blue. The reasons I went with a mat at all are threefold. One - I do get a sore back so I am always looking for remedies. Two - I was going to get one as a gift for someone else and wanted to be able to actually give them my recommendation of it. Three - I was a bit leary of all the overwhelming postive reviews of all the different mats on Amazon and wanted to truely see if they were accurate or not, thinking that it really cannot be that good.The mat itself is seemingly well constructed and comes in a nicely designed box. The mat has an approx 1/2" foam insert surround by a pillow case feeling material the disks are mounted on. You can remove the outer shell for cleaning. The plastic disks with their multiple small spiked pryramids sticking up are a bit daunting when you first run your hand over them. However when I tried it out for the first time (wearing a t-shirt and thinking it would hurt like heck) I literally felt nothing. Thinking it was the fact I was on a mattress, I moved to the floor, but still nothing. So off came the t-shirt. The sensation was still very little and what spikes I could feel felt a bit like someone scratching your back too hard. Now I am 6'3" 210 so I know my torso was applying plenty of downward pressure on the mat. My wife felt the same way when she tried it with a t-shirt on first, just no feeling and went to bare skin right away as well. I have a 5 and 7 year old who will lay on it (because it looks neat) and will do so wearing a light t-shirt and have no problems either.With-in a minute of laying on the mat, I felt a warm sensation come over my back. (The kids also mention their backs feeling warm when they are on it). It actually does feel quite pleasant and as long as you don't move much to have the spikes scratch you I can seee how people could fall asleep on it as you cannot feel the spikes when still. What seems to be happening is that blood is being drawn to the area hence the warming. Get off up the mat and look in the mirror and the whole back is red. This feeling of warm (and red back) lasts anywhere from 10-20 minutes for me after getting up off the mat. I have found that even 5 minutes on the mat to get the process going is enough to warm the back for at least 10 minutes. It is slightly uncomfortable when you get off the mat and the spikes withdraw from your skin, but again nothing too bad.Whether this will aleviate anything deep in the muscle or back itself, I don't know. But from a superficial standpoint it appears to get blood into the area, create warmth, and likely (similar to warming a muscle through activity) loosen tight muscles through the process. The only thing I am a bit curious about now is how it will do in the wash when that time comes.

Is it your brain playing tricks on you? Bought this due to the reviews (wasn't sold on the idea in the first place). If anything, it is good for providing stimuli to your back or feet. Haven't relieved me of my back pain. Total waste of money!

I have a friend who uses one in her chair so I purchased this earlier this year. It is somewhat cheaper made than I remembered with flimsy foam pad inside. I just put it in the recycle room after using it once in all the time I have had it.

Not as great as I thought it would be. I dont know what all the hype is about. It leaves holes all over your back and turns it red like you were sunburned and maybe feels a little better after use but the next 3 hours later your pain comes immediately back.

Saw a similar (but much more expensive) version of this on Dr. Oz show. I have chronic low back pain, and thought I would try it. I read the reviews - so I thought I was ready for it! I first couldn't wait and used it when I had a thin T-shirt on. I used it for about 15 minutes before someone interrupted me. I tried it again that night, this time without the tshirt and just on the floor. Wow. I think I lasted about 3 or so minutes before it was too intense. I put a thin shirt on, but it dulled the sensations too much. Tried a thin pillowcase - again, way too much sensation-dulling. So I tried it (shirt off) on my Tempurpedic mattress. Now that was the level of stimulation I could handle. So in a few minutes, the "sensation" went from very intense to spread out and bearable in intensity. I used it for about 20ish minutes, and came away feeling very relaxed, even though my kids thought my back with all of it's accupressure "dents" they found "Disgusting". (Thank you sweet children.) I made my husband try it...he found it too intense on the floor too - but has used it several times on the mattress with success. The first time he tried it, he kept saying initially "how can anyone find this relaxing?" and I told him the reviewers said they did, but we'd just have to see. About 15 minutes in, I heard snoring...and it wasn't me. The big lug had fallen asleep on it!! When he woke up (in about 5 more minutes) the first thing he said was "Oh darn, did I fall asleep on it??". I just laughed. It does relax me. Since I've been using it, my back pain is less, but my disclaimer is that in the same time I've started doing yoga, and some serious core muscle training as well, so I can't subscribe the back pain reduction only to this. But overall, it's worth using. we try to use it once a day.

I have been receiving acupuncture treatments for the past year for whiplash pain. My boss (who also goes to acupuncture) told me about an acupressure mat that his wife ordered after seeing it on Doctor Oz and on The Doctors. I was a little skeptical about trying it because after all it looked painful!! I did a little research and decided to give the Heavenly Acupressure Mat a try. I was really surprised at how it has helped me to manage my pain. It is a excellent compliment to my acupuncture treatments. I even had my acupuncturist try it and she was impressed (no pun intended!) It does take a minute or so to get used to the pressure, but then it feels soooooo good. I actually fall asleep on it because it is so relaxing. When placing it over a rolled towel under my neck, it seems to hit all the right points. Not only does it help my pain, but also helps with stress. AND after looking at the other more expensive mats out there, I found that the Heavenly Acupressure Mat is constructed better and is more versatile than those more expen$ive one$ being promoted by various TV shows. I removed the foam insert, rolled it up and put it into my carry-on for a recent trip. It was a life saver! I highly recommend this Heavenly Acupressure Mat.

Not for true back pain sufferers!!! Opened it, tried a couple of times, put it back in the package; all in the time span of a few minutes. Pure Trash!!! Amazon was excellent with return and reimbursement.