Neck Pillows

There is no specific pillow for any specific neck condition. Studies are lacking in providing a relationship between pillow and specific neck condition. There are usually multiple conditions and factors related to neck pain, therefore, it is usually best to find a pillow that suits your particular sleeping conditions and comfort requirements. In general, softer - more accomodating pillows are recommended for more painful conditions usually from injury or inflammation. Once past this point, a firmer pillow can be used if well tolerated. A transition phase from an accomodating pillow to a firmer or different design pillow can be challenging and should only be attempted when pain and discomfort levels are no longer tolerated by an existing neck pillow.

The way you sleep and the surface you sleep on will make a difference in the neck pillow you choose.

Risk Factors For Neck Pain

An interesting study in European Spine Journal. 2007 May; 16(5): 679–686. sheds some light on risk factors for neck pain. By observing the results, we can see some trends for those of us who are at risk and take some measures to help prevent neck pain or use as a guide for intervention.

A total of 45.5% of the population studied reported neck pain in the past 12 months, of which 18.1% complaint of continuous neck pain. A total of 64.3% of the patients reported that there was a relation between their current job and the neck complaints. A total of 56.2% even mentioned that their complaints started during the current job. A total of 10.2% reported sick leave due to neck complaints. The work place and equipment were adapted in 24% of the patients due to neck pain. Work time was changed due to the same reason.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and complex condition with pain frequently involving the neck and back

Whereas muscle pain usually involves one or two regions of the body, the pain of fibromyalgia is more widespread with multiple tender points that have a quality different than the neck and back strain patterns we have discussed.

Women tend to be affected with fibromyalgia more than men, with the onset of symptoms in the 20's and 30's. Fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed lending to its chronic nature, unnecessary medical treatment and emotional distress and frustration.

Predisposing factors for fibromyalgia have been postulated to be physical trauma, psychological stress, history of abuse and genetic.

Other chronic conditions are associated with fibromyalgia including chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, myofascial pain, irritable bladder syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and cognitive dysfunction.

The pain of fibromyalgia is often made worse by physical activity, stress, lack of sleep, cold and damp weather. Complaints often found associated with fibromyalgia are generalized weakness, daily fatigue, muscle and joint stiffness, generalized tenderness, unrefreshed sleep, disturbed mood, anxiety, frequent urination, irritable bowel and multiple chemical sensitivities.

Arthritis in the neck due to poor posture and related stress on the joints is divided into stages of degeneration

Over a period of time, poor neck posture may cause joints to deteriorate resulting in neck arthritis. The sensitive nerves can become pinched. Soft tissues like muscles and ligaments stiffen and become hard and inelastic as they try to assume a more supportive function. Because the joints become unstable the ligaments which attach bones harden and try to act like bones. The muscles used to move bones lose elasticity as they try to function like ligaments. This process of neck arthritis will continue and may result in severe neck pain and even disability.

Home Treatment for Neck Pain

Neck problems can cause pain, headaches and a loss of energy. Often referred to as conditions like arthritis of the neck, spondylosis of the neck, herniated or bulging disc, myofascitis and, when symptoms extend into the arm, radiculitis and neuritis.

Most of us, at some time in our lives, suffer from some kind of pain in the neck or pain from the neck that is felt in the shoulders, shoulder blades or into the arm. Neck pain can also radiate as far down as the hand with pins and needles or numbness felt into the fingers. Headaches can also be linked to problems in the neck.

These neck related problems may vary in intensity and duration. There may be days where no pain is felt and other times when the pain is more constant. People who experience constant neck pain may have to rely on medications and may even have to stop working or reduce other activities which have a disabling effect on their lives in efforts to keep the pain to a minimal level.

If you have chronic neck pain, you have been experiencing pain that lasts for months or even years. You may have had treatments that stop or reduce the intensity of the pain, only to find that the pain later returns. Many have had treatments for neck pain from chiropractors, physical therapists and medical doctors that has failed to alleviate the problem on a long term basis, thus finding it necessary to repeat office visits and medications to get neck pain relief.

How Important is Your Neck Pillow?

Studies have shown that a neck pillow can improve the quality of sleep and reduce pain levels. These studies, while usually of poor design and/or influenced by commercial incentives, focus on pillow design, rather than quality and specific properties of materials. Due to the large number of commercially available neck pillows, it is impossible to include all pillows in designed trials, thus studies regarding the how to choose the right neck pillow remain elusive and fail to surpass the credibility from health professionals providing patient advice based on the anecdotal suggestions of expert colleagues and professional associations.

The quality of sleep is influenced by many factors. A good neck pillow is an essential factor, especially for those suffering from neck pain and discomfort. There are a wide variety of pillows available on the market today in various materials, shapes and sizes. They are always emphasized to be a better product to benefit neck pain and sleep than others. However, as noted, there is not clear scientific evidence to prove these claims.

Choosing the right neck pillow to help relieve neck pain

Almost one third of our life is spent sleeping. Sleep is an essential biological need. In addition to rest and relaxation, proper sleep is necessary in order to maintain good physical and mental health. In recent years, changes in lifestyle because of too many activities, sleep time is compressed to lesser and lesser amount. Neck pain can affect the time and quality of sleep. How to improve the quality of sleep by reducing the level of neck pain or discomfort and in such a limited duration of sleep is a very important issue which leads many people to seek a new pillow.

Many experts have suggested that poor neck posture and support during the night may be responsible for waking with neck pain and stiffness, headache and shoulder blade or arm pain. Headaches originating from the neck are called cervicogenic headaches. They are referred from the upper levels of the neck. Shoulder blade and arm pain can be referred from the lower levels of the neck. It is suggested that individuals who wake in the morning with symptoms that were not present the night before, or patients whose symptoms are worse in the morning than when they retired the preceding night, are probably either using an unsuitable pillow or adopting poor neck posture overnight.

Degenerative Disc Disease

Neck and back pain is strongly associated with degenerative disc disease. The diseased state of disc degeneration is also associated with sciatica and disc herniation. The process of degeneration alters disc height and the mechanics of the rest of the spine and may cause problems with other supporting structures such as muscles and ligaments. The long term consequences are spinal stenosis, which is a major cause of pain and disability. The incidence of degenerative disc disease is rising in the population and is the reason for over 90% of all spinal surgeries.

Muscle Strain Of The Neck

When neck pain and muscle soreness has been present for some time, often it can be traced to factors which strain muscle such as poor posture. Correcting such factors along with self massage and heat directed to specific areas of the neck muscles may provide relief from neck pain.

A neck herniated disc

For long term management of a herniated disc, restoration of normal motion is important. The use of heat for neck pain relief is important to reduce muscle spasm. Additionally, a tens unit can be used for pain relief to avoid prolonged dependence on medications. To promote early mobilization with a passive motion, the neck massager is a wonderful therapy to use before active neck exercises can be performed. Often, a home neck traction unit can begin to restore normal biomechanical relationships and ease nerve tension. Chiropractic adjustments can provide additional relief and biomechanical support although I do recommend gentle, low force techniques for any confirmed neck herniated disc.

Exercises For Neck Stability

Neck stability exercises can improve spinal flexibility while decreasing pain and restore dynamic stability with chronic neck dysfunction.

Exercises that work towards stability with increased flexibility help to reduce chronic neck pain and make it easier to keep your neck in a healthy position. Tight muscles cause imbalances in spinal movements and this can leave one vulnerable to neck injury more. Flexibility exercises for the neck can be helpful in establishing safe movement.

A progression of neck stability exercises can increase flexibility in the neck, ease neck pain, and can also reduce the chance of reinjury.

By increasing the strength of muscles that support the neck, the spine is brought into a safe position. This training of the muscles can keep you healthy by restoring optimal neck posture. Stabilization training, series of strengthening exercises, is a way to get better balance in the muscles around your neck, chest, and upper back which are helpful in supporting your neck in safe positions while you are working or when you are doing other daily activities.

Causes of Neck and Shoulder Pain

Neck and shoulder pain causes are many. Problems with the neck joint and nerve injury can refer pain to these areas in certain patterns, as we have seen.

The most common complaints of chronic neck pain and shoulder pain I have seen is caused by strain in 2 particular muscles which connect the neck and shoulder. The first muscle is the levator scapula which uses the neck as a base to raise the shoulder from the back.

The other muscle which commonly causes neck and shoulder pain is the Trapezius. This is a complex muscle often called "The Coat Hanger" which can also cause pain into the head and at the base of the skull.

Common causes are from stress of constant chronic elevation of the shoulders as in holding a phone without proper elbow support or sitting in a chair without proper armrests. Other causes are injury to the joints from a side to side force and long term or chronic compression of the muscle as with tight bra straps or a heavy coat that does not fit right. Other less common causes are skeletal variations such as a short leg, pelvis or arms.

Computer Headaches

Do you sit at a computer for extended periods? Do you get migraine headaches, tension headaches or neck pain? Can computers be the cause of your headaches?

Has it ever occurred to you that while you are happily typing away on your computer for hours on end you are actually creating a problem in your neck that can lead to chronic neck pain and headaches?

The types of activities that can lead to poor neck posture include sitting at a computer for extended periods of time, reading with the head bent forward, sitting while slouching in a chair or on a couch, sleeping with the head or neck in odd positions, or any other activity that places the head in a position forward to the body. So, to answer our original question, yes, headaches and neck pain can be caused by sitting at a computer.

Relieving Neck Pain

Neck pain can occur from postural strain due to faulty sitting posture or excessive desk or computer work. Most neck pain has a postural or mechanical basis, however, the causative factors are often poorly understood and are usually multifactorial, including anxiety, depression, neck strain, sporting or occupational activities and neck pain is common after whiplash injury.

Difficulty in relieving neck pain is also associated with poor psychological health, worrying, and becoming angry or frustrated in response to neck pain. Greater optimism, a coping style that involves self-assurance, and having less need to socialize, are associated with better prognosis.

Suffering from Fibromyalgia?

Women tend to be affected with fibromyalgia more than men, with the onset of symptoms in the 20's and 30's. Fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed lending to its chronic nature, unnecessary medical treatment and emotional distress and frustration.

Predisposing factors for fibromyalgia have been postulated to be physical trauma, psychological stress, history of abuse and genetic.

Some conditions which can co-exist or be confused with fibromyalgia are hypothyroidism, myopathy, rheumatic disease, nutrient dificiencies, sleep disorders and mental conditions.

Serotonin receptors are more abundant in the intestinal tract than in the brain - one reason people get "butterflies" in their stomach when they get nervous. If you have irritable bowel syndrome, taking 300mg of 5HTP 100mg three times a day along with a good optimal daily allowance multivitamin with magnesium would be a good supplement to try.

Other supplements which may benefit Fibromyalgia are: S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe), An amino acid found in green tea (L-theanine) and 5HTP.

Deep Breathing for Neck Pain Relief

Improper breathing techniques may be a source of neck pain. This causes overload of the muscles in the front of the neck called the scalene muscles. The problem is with the muscles but the pain may still be felt in the shoulder and even down the arm to the hand. Breathing through the chest only can cause an increase in blood pressure and lower volume of air in the lungs causing the neck muscles to lift the ribcage and assist.

Proper Deep Breathing can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and help in neck pain relief.

Correct Your Neck Posture

Poor neck posture leads to a Forward Head Position which is one of the most common causes of neck, head and shoulder tension and pain. This can be a result of injuries like sprains and strains of the neck leading to weak neck muscles, poor sleeping positions and computer neck along with improper breathing habits.

How to Relieve Neck Pain

When it comes to the stresses of our busy lives and time spent on a computer daily, neck pain has become a real problem and most people are trying to figure out how to relieve neck pain without the use of medications and expensive doctors visits. There are many doctor recommended products designed to relieve neck pain at home.

Neck Traction - Relieves pain by relaxing sore and stiff muscles and taking pressure off irritated nerves.

Neck Pillows - Neck Pillows provide important support of the neck during sleep.

Heat Therapy - Moist Heat is very soothing to sore neck muscles and can help to relax you.

Neck Exercises - Exercises can help to relieve pain and help to prevent it from returning.

Home Neck Traction

Traction devices for home use are now more user friendly, comfortable, safe and effective. They range from general traction by lifting the weight of the head off the neck while sitting to more specific and effective methods of traction used while lying on the back which can help to restore the natural neck posture.

The new designs make it easier for neck traction to lengthen neck muscles and separates joints which often results in rapid relief from the soreness and irritation that accompanies neck problems. Gentle traction can exercise neck muscles increasing circulation, while firmer traction lowers the pressure between neck joints, freeing pinched nerves and easing herniated discs.

Heat Therapy For Neck Pain

Generally, heat should not be applied to an acute neck injury (3-4 days) or where discoloration or swelling is present. Heat can produce an increase in internal bleeding and swelling where there is significant damage. A strain of a muscle is similar to a cut on a finger. There is pain, swelling and bleeding. You would not use heat initially until the bleeding stops and the tissue forms a scab or scar. Initially, the use of ice for neck pain relief would be recommended, except if you wake up in the morning with a stiff neck from sleeping under a cold draft; Then use heat.

A stiff neck with pain

The muscle most often involved with a stiff neck is the levator scapula which connects the neck and shoulder.

The most usual complaint of a "stiff neck" is pain when trying to turn the head to the side where it hurts, often turning the body instead of the neck to look behind. It is often associated with a headache but not always.

The most common causes for developing this kind of stiff neck are; turning the head to one side while typing, long phone calls without a headset, sleeping without proper pillow support with the neck tilted or rotated, sitting in a chair with armrests too high and exposure of the neck to a cold draft.

How to treat a stiff neck at Home
Knowing some of the causes of a stiff neck can lead to prevention in many cases. A good method of self treatment is to use heat for neck pain relief and self massage to ease some of the tension. For massage, be careful not to strain while reaching back.

Memory foam pillows

Memory foam pillows offer a unique material based on the properties of its cell structure. Unlike standard foam pillows that only partially compress when under pressure, the cells in memory foam pillows fully compress when the weight of the head is pressed upon it, then the pillow springs back to it's original shape very slowly. This is how the name "memory foam" came to be, the foam appears to remember the shape of your head when it was last placed upon it's surface.

Memory foam pillows are also temperature sensitive. This means that at lower temperatures it is harder and more viscous, while at higher temperatures, it is softer and more elastic. This is the reason memory foam pillows called visco-elastic.

Neck Pillows for Home Neck Pain Relief

Using a Neck Pillow is a great way to relieve pain, stiff neck and headaches. The right pillow can also help with a more restful night sleep. One of the most profound benefits is the effect using a good neck pillow can have on the curve and alignment of the neck when used properly over a period of time. It is important to choose the right neck pillow and to become familiar with which neck pillows will provide the best pain relief and support.

Is it time for a new pillow? A six-year-old pillow can get 10% to 25% of its weight from dust mites, dead mites and mite excrement!