Neck Pillows: A key to long term neck pain relief

Poor neck posture resulting from pillows that lack proper support may cause snoring, headaches, insomnia, numbness in the arms and hands and neck pain or stiffness. Since we spend about one third of our life sleeping, a considerable part of an acute and chronic neck pain management strategy should include neck pillows.

In Advances in Physiotherapy, Volume 8, Number 3, September 2006, it is indicated that supportive neck pillows are widely used in patients with neck pain to reduce pain and get better quality of sleep. They noted "A specially selected and individually tested pillow with good shape, comfort and support to the neck lordosis can reduce neck pain and headache and give a better sleep quality."

According to a study in the Journal of Rheumatology 1994; 21(8):1520-1526, after 18 months of using neck pillows, 84% of 60 people tested achieved clinically important neck pain relief. A study conducted at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on adults with chronic neck pain found water pillows helped reduce morning pain levels, increased pain relief, and improved quality of sleep.

According to Jackson R. The Cervical Syndrome. 4th ed IL, a neck roll pillow restores the normal neck posture while supporting the head and neck, and decreases neck pain and discomfort while sleeping. A study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1998; 21(2):89-93, found clinically significant benefits with a neck roll shaped pillow in people with chronic neck pain.

A German study in Rehabilitation (Stuttg) 1999; 38(3):170-176 showed significant reduction of pain intensity and sleep disorders in patients who used a neck pillow. They concluded that patients suffering from chronic neck and arm pain can be reduced by using neck pillows. Furthermore, a study in Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 1999; 3(2):1-4 subjects experiencing chronic neck pain revealed that the group using a neck pillow experienced statistical improvement in pain reduction.

The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association 2004; 48(1):20-28 noted that compared to standard pillows, an experimental neck pillow proved to be effective in reducing daily morning neck pain and weekly neck disability index scores in a group of chronic neck pain sufferers.

Neck Pillows provide important critical support of the neck during sleep. Many standard pillows often lose their support with time. Biomechanically, neck pillows offer support to inflamed areas of the neck and the normal relationship between the head, neck and upper back which can work to correct poor neck posture and allow injured parts to heal without stress.

The International Journal of Rehabilitation and Research, 2008 Dec;31(4):342-6 studied the effects of a neck support pillow on chronic neck pain with radiating arm pain noting these complaints are affected by nighttime sleeping posture and any long-lasting inappropriate posture of the neck can irritate the ligaments of the spine. These complaints revolve mostly around pain that appears primarily during the night and in the morning, and frequently causes sleep disturbances. Sleep disturbances caused by pain were significantly decreased in the group given a neck support pillow. The neck pillow continued to prevent an increase in sleep disturbance caused by pain when evaluated up to 12 months.

Evidence-based research is confirming clinical data that the use of cervical pillows can aid in neck pain treatment. Clinical evidence indicates that neck pillows are used for many conditions such as: neck pain, headaches, neck-arm syndromes, disc problems, osteoarthritis, whiplash neck injuries and insomnia.

In Pillow use: the behavior of cervical stiffness, headache and scapular/arm pain. J Pain Res. 2010; 3: 137-145, they found a pillow moulded to, or specifically supportive of the neck was found to be protective of waking pain.

Choosing a pillow can be difficult. You should take some time to read and note the pillow size. Compare the size to the pillow you currently use to get an idea of the sizing. We encourage you to contact us and ask questions before you purchase a pillow. Since pillows are considered personal items, we do not accept returns on used pillows as consistent with federal health regulations. This precludes any try before you buy and we cannot guarantee that any pillow will work for any particular condition due to the personal nature of these products, therefore, if you need assistance or have questions regarding the choice of neck pillows, please feel free to contact Neck Solutions and we will be glad to take some time to try and help you the best pillow for neck pain.

* Prior to contacting us for questions regarding the pillow that might work best for you, please read the article How To Choose The Right Neck Pillow and, as a guide, please see the neck pillow ratings page.