Imagine the following scenario: You have literally gone through 8 pillows. You just cannot find the right one. You are suffering from neck pain, and just cannot get comfortable. This is a very common issue among neck pain sufferers.
If you keep buying new pillows, it is going to get more and more expensive and frustrating. So here some suggestions for getting the right pillow the first time and making it work.
- Try laying on a towel roll to start, instead of a pillow. This cylindrical roll can be thick or think and very soft when you use a fluffy towel. This will also help you get used to using a contoured orthopedic style of pillow which ultimately is going to be most effective for neck pain.
- Do neck stretches every morning. I also take a hot shower in the morning and do gentle neck stretches if I do wake up with a neck ache after using a new pillow
- Use heat therapy daily for muscle pain relief
- Do Neck Traction at home to help the curve in your neck be a proper C Curve. This helps you sleep on a contoured neck pillow as well.
- Use a tens unit on your neck and upper back area; see a massage therapist to work out trigger points and taut muscles
- Chiropractic adjustments will help you be aligned in your neck and remove misalignment in the cervical spine
- Most pillows that you use are going to be uncomfortable in the neck area. Waking up with soreness in the upper back, shoulders, or neck is actually common. When using a new pillow, I often start by sleeping on the pillow 5-10 minutes each night, thereby increasing my time on the pillow gradually.
Getting the right pillow for YOU is key. I recommend the arc4life traction pillow- its a fiber pillow that is medium softness and it has two sides of sleeping surface to sleep on.I like this pillow in particular because you can order different sizes, based on your height and weight.
Additional Reading:
- The Arc4life Travel Sleep Kit - The #1 essential thing to tag to your luggage
- The Herniated Disc Pillow
- The Hunchback posture and How to Get Rid of it
- Using the arc4life traction pillow for a straight neck
- Not Just a Pillow with a Dimple in the Middle
- Should I order an extra firm version of A pillow when I have the choice?
- How to Use the Traction Pillow By Arc4life FOR DUMMIES VERSION
- What is the Boney Hump in my Neck?