Orthopedic Neck Pillows

What is an Orthopedic Neck Pillow?

Designed to facilitate correct body positioning, an orthopedic pillow comes in many different shapes and sizes for various applications of sleep or resting, either in a bed, when traveling, or while relaxing in front of a television.

More than 30 million Americans suffer from pain associated with neck-related ailments, and attempting to sleep with neck pain can be difficult, and sometimes, impossible. The appropriate orthopedic pillow can help correct the spinal misalignment, relieve pain, and assist with good posture. Some ailments or conditions that an orthopedic pillow may be helpful in reliving include snoring, sleep apnea, breathing difficulty, acid reflux, blood circulation problems gastroesophageal reflux disease, neck pain, whiplash, rotator cuff injury and even lower back pain.

Injuries are not the only cause of neck misalignment or pain. Common daily living activities can also trigger the onset of neck muscle strain, such as being hunched forward to view a desk computer or a laptop computer, cradling a phone in the crook of the neck, sitting or lying too long in an awkward position, stooping over a steering wheel while driving a car, carrying a heavy object like a suitcase or box on one side of the body, or sleeping with a pillow that is too high or firm. All of these daily experiences can be a cause of soft tissue strain or sprain of the neck’s tendons and ligaments, often resulting in a stiff neck and/or shoulder muscle pain, causing pain and difficulty when rotating or moving the head or neck.

Orthopedic neck pillows basically fall into two category types: displacement orthopedic pillows and supportive orthopedic pillows.

Displacement pillows help to accommodate the head and neck after an injury has happened, or when a flare-up of chronic neck pain occurs. They help to support the head and neck during the existing condition until the user can see a medical professional for further treatment.

A supportive orthopedic pillow will help support the neck, and/or cradle the head, and aids in the correction of spine alignment problems. The type of supportive orthopedic pillow that a patient will use is usually coordinated by the attending medical professional, specifically to assist with each individual patient’s particular problem or condition.

The Three Most Common Sleep Positions

Back sleeping: This position can increase episodes of sinusitis and snoring, as well as back pain. To best sleep in this position, you should use a soft but firm support for the three critical body curves of the spine; behind the neck, in the middle of the back and the lower back. Using an orthopedic pillow with a neck contour along with a wedge pillow under the knees can help the back sleeper to lie in comfort and safety.

Stomach sleeping: This sleep position is considered the most harmful for the neck, causing neck strain, stiffness and pain. More common in infants and small children than adults, this sleep position is responsible for the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome in babies and smaller children.

Side sleeping: The most common sleeping position of the three, with two out of three people having a tendency to sleep on their sides, twice as common in women as in men. The side position is considered to be the most suitable of sleeping positions because it helps reduce the incidences of sleep apnea, snoring, and obstructive sleep apnea. It aids in keeping the airways open, and is also the most helpful sleep position for pregnant women, helping to reduce the pressure on their womb.

The inconvenience with this sleeping position is that most of the body’s pressure is focused over the arms and shoulders, producing “frozen” shoulder symptom and neck stiffness. These conditions can be solved with the use of a side sleeper pillow that allows a correct body placement of the neck, arms and shoulders.

Some Examples of Orthopedic Neck Pillows

Neck Pillow: A pillow with a contoured area that supports the neck while providing a deep depression where the head lies, contributing extra support under the neck to facilitate keeping the neck in proper alignment with the rest of the spine while sleeping. People with cervical pain will often favor a neck pillow.

Travel pillow: Usually configured as a “U” shape, a travel pillow provides support for the neck while the user is in a sitting position. Fitting around the neck, the “U” shape helps keep the head from bending too far to one side or the other into an uncomfortable and possibly harmful position during rest or sleep while sitting up. A travel pillow will also create support so that the weight of the head is partially comforted and held up by the pillow.

Cervical pillow: Much like a neck pillow, a cervical pillow has a curved design that can adapt to the head, neck and shoulder’s contour for individuals who sleep on their side or back. It helps to relieve neck pain, a stiff neck, ‘frozen’ shoulder, and headaches. This type of pillow can also help open up the airways to reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms.

Wedge pillow: This triangle-shaped multipurpose pillow offers a slope for placing the body in a diagonal positon to help relieve symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux during sleep.

Core roll support pillow: Often shaped like a pill, the core pillow is specially configured to help provide support and comfort for the neck to help relieve aches, neck tension, and stiffness. It is suitable to be used under the neck, behind the knees, or behind the back.

Rehabmart is pleased to carry a wide range of innovative neck pillows from high quality vendors, such as Span America, Core Products International, Inc., Independence Medical, Contour, Chattanooga, Fabrication Enterprises, Carex, and MaxiAids.

Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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