Or lay down on the tennis ball for mid or lower back pain. A heating pad is fine. Some of the massagers are actually a combination of heat and massage, which is great. Using heat or ice will be according to the patient's preference, whichever reduces the pain better. Both massagers are heat are fine, whatever works.
Moist heat is better than a dry heating pad.
Usually a hot water bottle with boiling water and a towel wrapped around it. That's great for neck pain. Also be careful of reading in bed or using too many pillows, and watch the tension level in your shoulders. Sometimes I feel like my neck is too weak to hold up my head. I currently have a tumor there, and I have had surgery there also.