Is moist heat actually better than dry heat for back pain?

Reviewers in r/BuyItForLife and r/ChronicIllness consistently describe moist heat as feeling deeper and more penetrating for sore muscles, and several Thermotech owners in those threads say nothing else compares for full-back relief. That said, mainstream electric pads with a damp-cloth moist-heat option still satisfy most users at a fraction of the price, so moist-only medical-grade models are best reserved for chronic users.