Driving can be a pleasant experience for some; nothing beats an exciting road trip or a leisurely Sunday drive. For others, its a career; ride-sharing drivers, taxis, and truck drivers spend hours at a time on the road to earn their living. And, for others still, driving is a miserable time for a myriad of reasons, one of the primary ones being back pain.
Having a massager in your vehicle, whether it is built-in or a separate appliance that you can install, could make your pleasure drives better, make your driving job more tolerable, and act as a relief for painful drives. Yet, are these accessories safe? Here are five pros and five cons for car massagers.
10 Pro #1: Portability
If you opt for a separate appliance, you’ll be able to take your car massager anywhere and everywhere. This is ideal for those making their living driving, particularly if they do not own their vehicles like taxi and truck drivers.
In addition, if you are plagued by back pain, you can take your massager into your home for use there as well. While it might be difficult to pack, it is possible, so you could even take your massager with you. That way you can put in a rental car, use it in your hotel room or whatever location your travels take you.
9 Pro #2: Separate Appliances Are More Affordable
While there is a wide selection of vehicles that come with massagers built into the seats, this is considered a premium feature that costs quite a pretty penny. So, purchasing a separate appliance is the better, more affordable option. This massagers plug into your cigarette lighter port and are simply placed on the car’s seat.
Not to mention, they are portable. These massagers are available at nearly all price points, ranging from around fifty dollars to a couple hundred. Of course, the more expensive the massager, the more features it has, the higher quality of materials, and the more durable it is.
8 Pro #3: Ease Aching Muscles On Long Road Trips
Long stretches of driving a car obviously entail sitting for long stretches of time. Anyone who has gotten distracted by scrolling their phone on the toilet knows what happens if you remain sitting for too long; muscles falling asleep, pins and needles, and just general discomfort.
Massagers, whether they are built into the car or as a separate appliance, can stimulate your muscles, even while you're sitting down to help prevent this. The vibration does wonders for sore muscles, and, if your massager has a kneading function, it will rub and stimulate the muscles and be an even bigger help.
7 Pro #4: Heat Is Good For Pain
One of the best things for cramping pain is heat. Heat causes the knots in cramping muscles to relax and loosen. Once that happens, the pain will begin to subside. If you suffer from chronic back pain or you’re beginning to get sore after driving for so long, a massager with a heat function will help with the pain. It's also better than a heating pad, as those can slip about and be difficult to keep in the right spot while driving.
With a built-in or stand-alone massager, the heat will be exactly where you need it. Not to mention it could come in handy if you find yourself traveling through cold areas. With one of these handy gadgets, you won’t have to wear a bulky jacket or burn your gas running the heater at max.
6 Pro #5: You Can Get Massagers Installed In All Seats Of Your Vehicle
If you are planning an extensive road trip, or if you really want to up the luxury of your Uber vehicle, you can get massagers installed in your entire car! There are companies that will build this wonderful invention into your existing car seats. Many cars that do have massagers built in only have it in the front seats and often the driver’s seat has the full massage options, while the passenger’s seat has a downgraded version.
If you want your backseat passengers to have a piece of the action, you would have to pay a ridiculous amount of money on a luxury vehicle or opt to have it installed after the fact. The latter is a cheaper option for those on a budget.
5 Con #1: Potential Cost
Depending on your needs and wants, this could be a pricey venture. Whether you want to purchase a separate appliance, get messengers installed after you purchase your car, or if you choose to purchase a luxury car with massagers built into it already, it could be quite costly.
The more features and control you want, the more it’ll cost. This is unfortunate, as those who suffer from chronic pain could really use this nifty invention to make driving less miserable and easier. The cheapest option available to consumers would be getting a separate appliance that can be placed in your car.
4 Con #2: Hazards From Heat
As mentioned, some massagers come with a heat option. While this is great to relax stressed and cramping muscles, it does come with its hazards. A heated seat or cushion poses a few threats if not handled properly. For starters, if applied too long at temperatures that are too high, you could end up burning yourself.
You probably wouldn’t even notice until it's too late, like a sunburn. In addition, with any electronics, there is a fire hazard as well. The heat from the massager, combined with any environmental damage or temperature, could cause a short or a spark that could then, in turn, start a fire.
3 Con #3: Too Much Vibration
While there are few better sensations that sinking into a vibrating chair or cushion, it is possible to overdo it. If you subject your muscles to vibration for too long, it will numb your nerves and possibly bruise you if the massager has a kneading function. This is concerning and dangerous in many ways.
Naturally, you’ll be behind the wheel using your massager. Having your legs or back go numb from overstimulation while driving is dangerous. You’ll be distracted by the pins and needles, or, worse yet, your reflexes will be hampered and you’ll be unable to react quickly and precisely in response to situations that arise on the road. Much like the heat, take everything in moderation.
2 Con #4: Too Cozy Could Be Dangerous
Imagine this: it's late at night as your driving across a dark and lonely highway. You’ve been driving all day. Your muscles are cramping and aching from being seated for so long. It's cold, and the car's heater just isn't doing it. So, you turn on your car massager, both vibrations to soothe your suffering muscles and the heat to take the chill off.
Finally, you get some relief and you're comfortable. Too comfortable. This kind of situation could lead to falling asleep at the wheel, which obviously is quite bad and could be a considerable threat to safety.
1 Con #5: Possible Battery Drain
There is a possibility that your car massager could put a drain on your car’s battery. Naturally, this is only the case for massagers that are separate appliances that you plug into the vehicle. The higher-end products of this nature come with settings that automatically turn the device off after a few minutes.
This serves to solve many of the cons listed here, but this feature is often limited to the more expensive massagers. So, if you leave your massager in the car and leave it plugged in, it could put a slow drain on your car battery. Of course, this solved rather simply by just unplugging the appliance but for the forgetful among us, it could turn into a future headache.