What Are the Dangers of Heated Mattress Pads at the Highest Level?

Burns

• The biggest risk associated with heated mattress pads, or any electric device that goes in your bed, is the chance of getting burned if the device stays too hot for too long against your skin. This risk is especially significant for children, who burn more quickly at lower temperatures than adults, anyone who is not easily mobile or who has a high pain tolerance or loss of feeling that might prevent them from noticing when the pad becomes too hot and begins to burn their skin. Diabetics are often warned not to use heated mattress pads due to the loss of feeling in limbs associated with the disease.

Electronic Malfunction

• Electronically-controlled heated mattress pads are only supposed to get so hot and then stop heating up or turn themselves off. If the electronic control malfunctions, the pad could get far hotter than it is supposed to and burn you or possibly even start a fire. The wires in the pad may become pinched or short out, causing significant risk to the operator, especially if you are asleep and don't immediately notice the malfunction.

Overheating

• Even if the mattress pad does not burn you at the highest heat level, you may become overheated if you use the pad for too long. This is especially dangerous for individuals who already have problems with temperature, dehydration or are pregnant. If a woman is pregnant and uses an electric mattress pad, there is a possibility the fetus could become overheated and suffer health complications.

Prevention

• There are several things you can do to protect against the dangers of a heated mattress pad. Put it on the lowest possible heat setting that you can use while still staying warm. Turn off the heated mattress pad if you are not using it or have any type of condition that could prevent you from waking up if you become overheated or begin to burn. Purchase a heated mattress pad that has an automatic shutoff feature that will turn the pad off after so many hours of operation or if the pad becomes too hot. Make sure that you fully understand how to work all of the controls on the pad and are capable of doing so.