Archive for ‘Neck pillow’

Neck Roll Pillow

By , 22 February, 2011, No Comment

Orthopedic pillows to defeat neck soreness

A relaxed and well rested mind is the most productive. Rest and relaxation comes with deep, uninterrupted sleep at night and this in turn is possible with the help of the right leg, back and neck pillows. Each one of us sleeps in a unique position and it is important choosing the right pillows that are suited to our specific position. You may have experienced a great strain and stress on your neck when you wake up in the mornings. This is entirely due to the wrong pillow that does not offer the right support to your neck portion.

Neck roll pillows are the perfect answer for this problem. These pillows come in the shape of a cylinder and are smaller than the normal pillows. Ample support is provided by these cervical pillows due to their unique design that fits them exactly to your neck curvature. Most of the neck roll pillows are made of traditional materials like polyester fill as well as memory foam.

Example of neck roll

Memory foam pillows are most popular due to the softness and comfort they provide. Memory foam is sturdy and offer great support and relaxation to the spinal area. Memory foam neck roll pillow molds and contours to the shape of your neck. You can choose pillows where pressure can be decreased or increased depending on your preference. This is made possible by an inflatable mechanism. Choose from a wide range of neck roll pillows in different shapes and sizes to specifically support your neck.

These kind of orthopedic pillows are also used by people to support their lower back, knees and ankles. Neck roll pillows are ideal to be carried while travelling to provide the right support. They are supportive and soft and can also be placed under the normal pillows for enhanced comfort. Orthopedic pillow for the neck are designed to offer comfort for those sleeping on their sides and back. There is a wedge in the middle of the pillow that is especially useful for back sleeping. Side sleeping comfort is enhanced with the wedges provided on the sides of the pillow. If you work for a prolonged period of time on the computer, you may suffer from neck related problems such as stiff neck and stretched neck. Using the neck pillows for support you can completely eliminate such problems. Cervical pillows are also ideal for alleviating lower back pain and any spine related problems. Neck roll pillows are made of different materials, the most popular being the memory foam. There are therapeutic pillows that come incorporated with a hot or cold pack. Certain cervical pillows come with the neck massaging and healing pack options for maximized comfort and relaxation. Neck pillows are small in size and can be easily carried around wherever you go. They can be used during long distance travel and are easy to maintain. Neck pillows are offered in attractive designs. You can choose them depending on your specific preference and requirements. Neck pillows are virtually vital for a relaxed, deep, comforting and refreshing sleep. Choose the right neck pillow and enjoy your sleep.

Introduction to the choice of a proper orthopedic pillow

By , 1 January, 2011, No Comment
the first orthoperdic pillow guide pillow image

Is this a proper pillow?

Pillow optimal size.

The pillow is not a simple rectangle of cloth stuffed with soft material, but a true companion, which sustains, more or less correctly, our head for about one third of life. Pillows are a constant cause of frustration for many.
An orthopedic pillow is an important item, like the bed net and the mattress, is indeed crucial to the quality of sleep.
The most important features are just the right height and a proper consistency, these are fundamental to achieve optimal comfort. On the other side it can be challenging to evaluate the correct setting since much depends on the position taken while sleeping and the anatomical characteristics of people using it.
One thing, however, is certain: if you sleep on the wrong pillow you risk, progressively, to experience serious problems in the back, neck and upper limbs, which often translates into a sense of malaise spread upon awakening. When you sleep the entire spine should be in a natural and relaxed position, starting from your cervical spine. The width of the pillow, above all, should be around 22″x 16″ to fit the width of the shoulders and prevent the head from sliding from one side during the night.
The height is crucial. If we consider sleeping in the supine position (chest up), we realize that a pillow too low or absent forces the neck to accentuate its curvature (cervical lordosis) to offset the back curvature (kyphosis).
As if from a sitting position, as you are likely reading this article, you drop the head back slightly, forcing it to an unnatural position. The result of this bad posture is to induce stiffening of the muscles that support the head, with the subsequent onset of pain in the neck and shoulder after waking. Likewise, a pillow that is too high, forcing the entire backbone and the muscles that support it in an unnatural position, maintained for so long (about one third of our day), can cause many problems upon awakening. We realize the inconvenience caused by this wrong posture when we drive for an extended period with our head bent forward: the spinal column is not in the correct position and the neck muscles tense therefore we experience neck pain.
If we sleep sideways on a pillow too high or too low again, the column loses its linearity. That is like holding for a long period our neck bent to the left or to the right, the feeling could be enjoyable on the short run, but certainly not in the long-term.
The height of the pillow is, therefore, a very important parameter, closely linked to its consistency. If the pillow is too soft neck “sinks” in it, but if the support is too hard, the neck muscles stretch. In both cases, the cervical column is forced to maintain an unnatural position that the muscles try to compensate thus constituting a potential source of pain. As a rule of thumb the pillow should maintain a height of 4 to 6 inches In the next article I will be talking about materials and I will give you some advice to choose the right pillow.