Neck pain from pillow usage isn’t something that many people think about. Most people who experience neck and back pain blame other causes for their suffering. However, the incorrect pillow could be worsening your condition. Many people don’t realize that their pillow along with their sleeping habits can be a direct cause of chronic neck pain.
A Family Chiropractic Clinic helps many patients who suffer from neck and back pain. Part of treating your pain is determining the cause behind it. By understanding what causes your back and neck pain we can help treat the issue and tell you how to prevent it from reoccurring.
Is Your Neck Pain from Pillow Usage?
Finding a comfortable position at night for your neck and head can be challenging for many people. This is especially true after a long day of work. With mobile device use on the rise, many people are experiencing more neck pain than ever. This is the result of using mobile devices in bed combined with inadequate head and neck support from your pillow.
Millions of Americans use their phones or tablets in bed every night. For these people, looking at a mobile device while lying down results in awkward head and neck positions that lead to chronic pain. These positions include lying on your back while bending your head forward, laying on your side with your head looking up at your device, or laying on your stomach with your head twisted or tilted at an unusual angle.
Neck pain can also be caused by the type of pillow used. For example, feather pillows tend to cause the most cases of neck pain. This is because they don’t provide very much neck stability. Sure, they’re very comfortable at first, but as the night goes on the feathers shift and you can end up with inadequate support.
Choosing a High Quality Pillow
In order to prevent the problem from reoccurring you should change pillows. Finding the best pillow for your body and sleeping position is important to prevent ongoing neck pain. A good pillow should keep your neck parallel to your mattress.
Cervical contour pillows are great for many people. They have a depression in the center along with a less elevated side and a more elevated side. When sleeping on your side, your neck should rest on the more elevated side. When sleeping on your back, your neck should rest on the less elevated side.
The pillow material is just as important as the shape. We already know that feather pillows are not a great choice. Buckwheat pillows help keep you cool and are very cost effective. However, they are very noisy and the hulls can shift the same way that feathers can.
The best pillow material tends to be latex foam. It provides optimal support without holding excessive heat. Unfortunately, some people are allergic to latex. These people will want to use memory foam pillows instead. They provide the same support but have a tendency to hold more heat.
When selecting a pillow it’s important to take the softness of your bed into consideration. If you have a firm mattress then you’ll likely need a thicker pillow since your body won’t sink into the mattress as much. A softer mattress or a memory foam mattress requires thinner pillows since you tend to sink into the bed.
Reduce Neck Pain from Pillow Usage with Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy
The next step in fixing your neck pain issue is a visit to your chiropractor. They will examine your spine and review symptoms to see if you’re suffering from neck pain from pillow usage or if your pain has another cause. Your chiropractor will perform adjustments to realign your spine. This takes the pressure off of your nerves, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Over time, you’ll notice improvements.
Your chiropractor may also recommend working with a physical therapist to regain mobility in your neck. This is especially true for severe cases of neck pain. They can help retrain and strengthen your muscles so you are able to function without pain.
Chiropractic care can often be combined with other forms of treatment as well. Your chiropractor may suggest heat therapy, cold therapy, or electro therapy. These additional therapies can help expedite healing while easing stiff and sore muscles.
Your chiropractor can also offer you valuable insight into other causes of chronic back and neck pain. They can help you identify the sources of your pain while helping correct the problem. Be upfront and honest with your chiropractor about your symptoms along with your activities and lifestyle choices. Together you can create a treatment plan that benefits your unique circumstance.
