Neck pain. It’s something we see a lot of in our Audubon Park, Spokane, chiropractic practice. There are many ways neck pain can occur, poor posture, sports injury, even a car accident causing whiplash. Sometimes we may not even know what caused it. Often, it’s something as elementary as the type of pillow you are using and this is particularly the case if neck pain is giving you sleepless nights.
Poor sleep of course provides many further problems such as decreased performance during the day, makes you irritable, and ultimately can have health effects as well. We all want to be fit and active and a poor night’s sleep does not help.
One of the key things we find when we talk to patients here at Audubon Park Chiropractic and Wellness is that patients more often than not do not have the right pillow for them. There are so many pillow choices out there that it can make it hard to know what is the best type to use. Consequently, people get it wrong more than right. So what are they aspects to look out for when choosing a pillow?
Head Position
The ideal position according to experts is one that is similar to an upright position where the head is balanced centrally. If you lay on your back, you should ensure your head is not tucked forward towards your chest, nor back either. When laying on your side, your head again should not be flexing away from your body and also not pushed up either. While stomach sleeping is considered a no-no, a very thin pillow (or none at all) would be the best option here. Tip: if you want to stop sleeping on your stomach, place a pillow between your legs facing upwards can help dissuade the body from going over on its front.
Pillow
There are many different pillow materials and types to choose from. Each has its own pros and cons. Feathers, memory foam, buckwheat and more are the most popular materials. Memory foam pillows are great because they mold to your head and neck well but they can also get hot. Feathers can also mold well to the neck, but over time the feathers can get pushed out to one side and need to be constantly shuffled. Latex foam is also good as again it molds to the head and neck and has the advantage of not trapping heat.
Essentially, the higher density foam pillows offer the advantage of creating more support without breaking down like the feather ones do.
Mattress
Your mattress is also another important entity to look at with poor sleep issues. The firmness for providing you with the support your own back needs is also crucial to your effective sleep patterns.
Ultimately, choosing a pillow and mattress are very personal things. What works for one may not for another, but it is important to not only find one that is comfortable, but one that is going to do the right job and provide proper support for your neck.
If you want any help in deciding what is right for you, come in and see us. We would love to help you. Getting this part right is not only fundamental for reducing neck pain but also to help you get a good nights sleep and thus be active and alert. Nobody can really function well on poor nights sleeping patterns.
Give us a call (509) 327-4049 or simply walk in. We are happy to help you and get your pain burden down and helping you get back to proper health and staying there.
