Best Hand Massagers for Pain Relief
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The fast pace of modern life means that it doesn’t take much for a huge strain to be put on the body. As a result of this, aches and pains can develop, not to mention the mental stress of such a busy lifestyle. But a hand massager is a great way to combat aches and pains and reduce stress at the end of a long day.
Hand Massagers Comparison Chart
Breo iPalm520 Electric Acupressure Hand Massager | Lunix LX3 Cordless Hand Massager | Conair HydroSpa Massaging Hand Sauna with Steam | RENPHO Cordless Hand Massager | Breo WOWOS Hand Massager with Heat Therapy | |
  |   |   |   |   | |
Air Pressure? | Yes | Yes | No (vibrates) | Yes | Yes |
Heat Therapy? | Yes | Yes | Yes (infrared & steam) | Yes | Yes |
Intensity Levels | 3 | 6 | N/A | 6 | 3 |
Power Source | Battery powered | Battery powered | AC powered | Battery powered | Battery powered |
Dimensions | 10.4" (L) x 7.9" (W) x 3.5" (H) | 11.8" (L) x 6.3" (W) x 2.7" (H) | 12.2" (L) x 7.5" (W) x 6.5" (H) | 11.8" (L) x 6.3" (W) x 3.3" (H) | 9.96" (L) x 5.71" (W) x 3.86" (H) |
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 2.3 lbs | 2 lbs | 2.2 lbs | 1.54 lbs |
Price |
What are the Benefits of a Hand Massage?
There are many more benefits to using a hand massager than you might initially think. One of the most obvious is that pain management becomes far easier, and you do not need to rely solely on medication, which can sometimes have side effects. Moreover, this low-risk type of therapy is affordable and available to everyone. Let’s take a look at some of the other advantages:
- We live in a world where anxiety is becoming more and more prevalent but hand massage is a viable way to reduce this. In one study on older people, it was proven that a ten-minute hand massage significantly relaxed the subjects, lowering anxiety.
- Another study showed reduced feelings of grief in subjects who had recently lost a loved one when receiving regular massage. This indicates that hand massage may be able to improve mood, as backed by further research with dementia patients.
- As a direct result of the relaxation associated with hand massage, it is believed that the therapy helps to improve sleep. Off the back of this, people will feel more energetic and less lethargic throughout the day, which is a growing problem, especially in the younger generations.
- Arthritis is a common inflammatory joint condition that can affect anyone although it tends to become more of an issue as we age. However, there has been research to show that the pain associated with arthritis may be lessened through the use of hand massage. Further research has demonstrated a 57% improvement of hand pain in arthritic patients; those are figures we can get on board with.
- Due to the pressure of modern life, many people suffer from painful headaches. In the USA alone, more than 39 million adults suffer from regular migraines. But due to certain pressure points in the hands, these headaches may be relieved.
- Since hand massage can reduce inflammation as well as the pain and numbness experienced by those suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, this may be an effective treatment. Not only does it help to lengthen the muscles and soothe the condition, but it may also prevent future flare-ups.
- All types of massage are known to improve circulation, which is essential for a healthy heart and good oxygen delivery around the body.
- For anyone suffering from hypertension, hand massage has been proven to be an effective treatment. Of course, if you are taking medications for this, you should continue to follow the advice of your doctor, but hand massage may be the ideal complementary therapy. Studies have demonstrated significantly lower blood pressure in hypertensive women after regular hand massages.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Hand Massager
When it comes to choosing a hand massager, there are several factors that you may need to think about. While all of these devices are designed to do the same job, they may have slightly different features that make them more suitable for certain users.
Dimensions
The size of your hand massager will determine where it can be comfortably used. For example, if you go for a more compact model, you may be able to travel with this and enjoy a massage on the go. However, larger devices may be more restricting, and you will find that you can only use them at home.
Heat Function
Some hand massagers have a heat feature that enables you to benefit from heat treatment as well as massage. Depending on the reason for your massage, you may or may not benefit from heat.
Heat treatment is never intended for any new injuries or inflammation, as this may make things worse. However, for ongoing pain or older injuries, heat can be a welcome addition to your massage and is ideal for soothing and relaxing sore muscles.
Vibration Modes
If you can find a hand massager with vibration modes, this is the ideal solution for tight muscles. The vibrations are designed to loosen these muscles and bring relief from the pain associated with this.
Hand massagers with this function may have varying levels of vibration and it is important to determine the intensity that you feel you may need.
Intensity Levels
As well as vibration intensity, your hand massager may massage at differing levels. For minor aches and pains, you may only need a low setting, but when you are feeling more discomfort, greater levels of intensity may be better suited to your needs. For this reason, it is important to find a massager that has good versatility.
Moreover, you might wish to check whether the hand massager has a timer. This is a good way of ensuring that you do not over massage or fall asleep while using the device.
Battery Capacity
Most hand massagers are now battery powered, although there are some that feature a main electricity connection. There may also be some that work using both power sources, which is a great back-up if you find that your battery unexpectedly runs low.
However, it is still important to look at the battery capacity to ensure that the device will run for as long as you need it to. There are some hand massagers that will run for a good few hours before needing to be charged, while others may only last one hour or so. In addition to checking the runtime, you should also note how long it takes to charge the device.
Air Compression
Depending on the model, you may find that your hand massager has an air compression function, and this is excellent if you are looking to improve your circulation. This is ideal if you suffer from cold fingers and numbness in the hands but is also another great way to relieve pain.
Best Portable Hand Massagers
There are several excellent portable hand massagers on the market at the moment. But while some are lacking in features, there are others that provide you with everything you need to relieve pain and relax. We consider the following products to be among the very best.
1. Breo iPalm520 Electric Acupressure Hand Massager
Best Overall Hand Massager – Breo iPalm520 Electric Acupressure Hand Massager
When you are looking for the best hand massager, you want to feel confident that the product comes from an experienced and reliable brand. Breo is one of the leading massager manufacturers in the world, so you instantly get that assurance.
This hand massage benefits from air compression massage and works on both sides of the hand. This is ideal for pain relief and improving circulation. What’s more, the iPalm520 also has the option for heat therapy which is ideal for soothing aching muscles.
There are various settings that allow you to tailor your massage to your liking with three intensities as well as three heat levels. You also have the option to set a timer up to a maximum of 15 minutes. This is an incredibly lightweight hand massager so is perfect for people on the go.
However, you may wish to keep in mind that even on the lowest setting, this hand massager is very intense. If you are looking for something a little more gentle, then this might not be the model for you.
Key Specs:
- Air pressure: yes
- Heat therapy: yes
- Intensity levels: 3
- Power source: battery powered
- Dimensions: 10.4″ (L) x 7.9″ (W) x 3.5″ (H)
- Weight: 2.6 lbs
2. Lunix LX3 Cordless Hand Massager
Best Hand Massager for Arthritis – Lunix LX3 Cordless Hand Massager
One of the things that really stood out about the Lunix LX3 cordless hand massager was how many options you get. This is an extremely versatile machine that will aid in the relief of many conditions. However, it works especially well for people looking to soothe the pain of arthritis. It benefits from a range of settings including various types of massage and intensity as well as a heat setting. What’s really great is that this hand massager warms up more quickly than many of its competitors.
You will also notice that this is a cordless hand massager making it perfect for travelling and using on the go. It benefits from USB charging so can even be charged on the go using a power bank. It comes with a travel bag as well as a complimentary manual finger massager which is a nice addition to the box.
The one major drawback of this product is that it is considerably more expensive than some of the others on this list. That said, with such a wide range of features and a portable design, you are paying for quality and convenience.
Key Specs:
- Air pressure: yes
- Heat therapy: yes
- Intensity levels: 6
- Power source: battery powered
- Dimensions: 11.8″ (L) x 6.3″ (W) x 2.7″ (H)
- Weight: 2.3 lbs
3. Conair HydroSpa Massaging Hand Sauna with Steam
Best Hand Massager with Steam Therapy – Conair HydroSpa Massaging Hand Sauna with Steam
If you suffer from dry skin, then this hand massager with steam therapy might be the perfect solution for you. Not only will it help to reduce the pain associated with various conditions, but the steam will also soothe and smooth the skin.
What really caught our attention about this hand massager, however, was that it is so amazingly affordable. When you think about the features and everything this device is capable of, it is excellent value for money. The only real downside is that this massager is not as durable as some others which is reflected in the price.
It boasts infrared heat to soothe sore joints and muscles as well as three in one massage action to tackle a range of problems. This hand massager benefits from much gentler vibrations, so if you are looking for something less intense, we think this would be a good fit for you.
Key Specs:
- Air pressure: no
- Heat therapy: yes (infrared & steam)
- Intensity levels: n/a
- Power source: AC powered
- Dimensions: 12.2″ (L) x 7.5″ (W) x 6.5″ (H)
- Weight: 2 lbs
4. RENPHO Cordless Hand Massager
Best Versatile Hand Massager – RENPHO Cordless Hand Massager
If you need a hand massager that is going to give you a wealth of options then we wouldn’t suggest anything more than the RENPHO massager. This one comes with a multitude of versatile settings making it suitable for almost any condition or ailment. With heat therapy, it is perfect for soothing and relaxing tired muscles and the air compression massage provides excellent pain relief across several massage points. What’s more, there are different vibration settings so that you can tailor the massage session to your needs.
The RENPHO hand massager is a cordless device that is ideal for use both at home and on the go. It comes with everything you need for charging and will go from a flat battery to fully powered in just four hours. Once fully charged, you will get as much as six hours use out of the machine which is pretty generous.
We also loved the fact that this hand massager comes with a 15-minute timer. Once this runs out, the machine turns off automatically, making it incredibly safe to use. For such an affordable piece of equipment, you are spoilt for options. However, if you suffer from very poor circulation, some users have found that this massager exacerbates the problem due to how intense it is.
Key Specs:
- Air pressure: yes
- Heat therapy: yes
- Intensity levels: 6
- Power source: battery powered
- Dimensions: 11.8″ (L) x 6.3″ (W) x 3.3″ (H)
- Weight: 2.2 lbs
5. Breo WOWOS Hand Massager with Heat Therapy
Best Deep Tissue Hand Massager – Breo WOWOS Hand Massager with Heat Therapy
We thought that this hand massager from Breo was an excellent choice for people who suffer from pain deep within the muscles and joints of the hands. This is an intense machine that will soothe aching muscles and tired joints with a range of great options.
It is an air compression massager, and it comes with adjustable intensity as well as the option for a reflexology massage. What’s more, you can boost your circulation and improve pain relief with the heat option. Unlike some other machines, this one promotes fingertip heating which is proven to be better for improvising circulation compared to palm heating.
One of the things that really makes this massager stand out from the crowd is that it can be controlled using a smartphone app which is a nice touch. This does mean that the machine is one of the more expensive on the market, however, so you will need to be willing to part with a little more cash.
Key Specs:
- Air pressure: yes
- Heat therapy: yes
- Intensity levels: 3
- Power source: battery powered
- Dimensions: 9.96″ (L) x 5.71″ (W) x 3.86″ (H)
- Weight: 1.54 lbs
