What is the Best Pillow to Use to Prevent Neck Pain From Happening in the First Place?
Well here is a very commonly asked question from people who don't want any type of neck pain. Which pillow should i Use? Should I use no pillow at all? Should I use a firm pillow? Should I use a buckwheat pillow? Should I use a contoured neck pillow?
Sometimes this question comes from people who do not suffer with any neck pain, but they are in the market for the best pillow that will prevent neck pain. That makes sense. Neck pain can be a major cause of stress: at home, at work- it interferes with your activities of daily living if you let it. That is why getting the best possible pillow is imperative. If you can prevent something from happening, why not be proactive and take steps to make sure you stay neck pain free.
Getting a Pillow for Chronic Neck Pain Can Be Difficult
Not so simple when there are so many choices on the market for a neck pillow. Often though this question comes from people who are suffering with neck pain. They may have been involved in a car accident or had a fall where they injured their neck. Now they are looking for the best solution to get rid of their neck pain.
Nerve Pressure
What happens when you don't have the proper support under your neck?
When we have pain in the neck or back, it tells us we have nerve pressure somewhere. When the spine is misaligned or segments of the spine have lost mobility, we can get nerve pressure.
What happens exactly?
Inflammation builds up and puts pressure on a nerve or nerves. When we have immobility it allows for inflammation to accumulate.
Sleeping Position Matters
What should the neck look like when you are laying down to sleep
The spine from the front or back should be straight up or down. When you sleep on your back or if you look at the cervical spine from the side it has a nice smooth 'C' curve. This is the biggest reason that neck roll component of the pillow is so important.
My Favorite Neck Pillow to Prevent Neck Pain
Here is the pillow I Use, my husband uses, my sister uses and my mother in law uses !
All that being said, "what pillow should you get"? First, you want to get what's called a neck pillow. A neck pillow is a pillow that has support for the neck, spine, or cervical spine.
My favorite neck pillow...
The Arc4life Cervical Traction Neck Pillow. This is my number one pick for best neck pillows. That being said, there are a lot of great pillows out there and one pillow doesn't necessarily work for everyone.
I would say that this pillow has worked the best for the majority of people.
Dr Matthew Bellinger, Glastonbury Chiropractic Shows Us the Arc4life Pillow
Here's some of my other reasons for choosing the traction pillow:
Many pillows in one
- It's two pillows in one: rotate the pillow 180 degrees and you are sleeping on the linear gravity pillow. Don't flip it over, just turn it. Now the 'V' is above your head.
- It's just the right firmness. Not too hard, not too soft, just right for maximum comfort. Getting a good night's rest is the most important. You can sleep on your back or side. When you turn on your side you land up out of the 'V' on either sing of the pillow. On you side, it keeps your head level.
The Traction Pillow is Not For Everyone.
Here are some other pillows that might be a good choice for you.Here is another great pillow to prevent neck pain: The Tri Core orthopedic Neck Pillow. It can also help with stiff neck and headaches. The biggest difference between the traction pillow and the tri core pillow that the tri core family of neck pillows is much more firmer.Meaning that there is more fiber fill in these pillows. The density of the pillows is greater, and therefore less give to the pillow. For people who prefer a firmer neck pillow, than this is going to be the best pillow to prevent neck pain.
The Tri core family of neck pillows comes in three sizes:
- Petite Tri - Core Pillow
- Mid Core Pillow
- Standard Tri Core Pillow
Inflammation
Why also chiropractic can help you with neck pain.Now, when we talk about this kind of inflammation, it doesn't mean we necessarily have swelling or even redness. Sometimes we do, but in this case, it's more internal.
This is why a trip to the chiropractor may help so much. Those chiropractic adjustments help to restore alignment and mobility. Get things moving and that inflammation dissipates, and so does nerve pressure.
There are lots of things you can do to stop neck pain. Take pain medications or muscle relaxers, get a pain injection, maybe physical therapy, chiropractic, maybe even surgery. But one simple way to stop neck pain is change your pillow.
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