Pillow for Stiff Neck Pain

Do you often have nighttime neck pain, or morning neck stiffness? If so, these annoying aches may be caused by the pillow you are using, or the way in which you are sleeping on it. A specifically designed pillow for stiff neck pain, or another appropriate alternative, can be very useful in relieving not only neck and shoulder pain, but back pain as well.

Based on highly favorable reviews, my recommendation for a stiff neck pillow, is the ergonomic...

Tri-Core Orthopedic Standard Size Support Pillow - Standard Support

Or, turn an existing pillow into a neck pain pillow with The Original McKenzie Cervical Roll Neck Support #703.

Eliminating Nighttime Stiff Neck Causes

One of the major causes of s stiff neck is incorrect sleeping posture. When sleeping, the back should maintain its natural curve. For side sleepers this means sleeping with knees slightly bent, for back sleepers it is often recommended that a pillow be placed under the knees.

Additionally, according to the Cleveland Clinic...

...the pillow you sleep on "should be under your head, but not your shoulders, and should be a thickness that allows your head to be in a normal position."

What is a normal position for the head? A neutral position, whereby the spine and cervical area are in line with each other - very much like they are with correct sitting and standing posture.

Although sleep position can cause neck pain, so too can a number of medical conditions. It is important to talk with a doctor if a neck strain, sprain, neck injury, or certain stiff neck symptoms are present.

What are the Best Neck Support Pillows?

Just looking at the pillow section of a department store can give you a headache and stiff neck. The choices are endless...

...hard pillows, soft pillows, standard, queen and king size pillows, goose down, feather, wool, cotton, buckwheat, synthetic fiber, and memory foam pillows...

...orthopedic pillows, cervical pillows, and pillows for allergy sufferers. The the list goes on and on, but are any of them a good pillow for stiff neck pain?

Well, the decision need not be so difficult, as long as you follow basic guidelines. A good sleeping pillow should...

• be of a thickness that allows your head to maintain the natural curve of the cervical spine
• allow proper support so that your head and cervical vertebrae remain at an even level with the rest of the body, and...

...your bed pillow should not strain neck muscles. However, in order to get proper neck support, and avoid neck muscle strain, some people rely on the use of a cervical neck roll.

A neck roll pillow is positioned under the neck, either by being tucked into the same pillowcase as the sleeping pillow, or used separately. Rolled pillows are often made of soft supportive foam, although inflatable neck pillows, suitable for home use or travel, can also be purchased.

Cervical neck pillows (or cervical neck cradles) can also be useful to avoid pull on neck muscles. Their shape allows them to serve as somewhat of a neck brace by stabilizing neck movement.

The bottom line may be...

...that the best pillow for stiff neck for YOU, is the one that YOU are most comfortable with. Hopefully it will be a pillow that ensures great support, and a decent night's rest.

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Neck and Back Massagers, Upper Back Exercises