BackFix Tips from Dr. Jeff Keysar, DC
Advanced Spine and Posture
Rehab Lesson #6: Choosing the Right Pillow
When it comes to finding the right pillow for your neck, the biggest factor you should concern yourself with is the size of the pillow. Buying a pillow is like buying a pair of shoes. It doesn’t matter how affordable or expensive your favorite pair of shoes were when you got them. What matters is you got them in a size that fits you so they would be comfortable when you wore them. When trying to determine the right size pillow, a measurement should be taken from the bony point of your skull just behind your ear to the outer edge of your shoulder bone (humerus).
This measurement is the approximate measurement that your pillow should be when compressed by the weight of your head while laying on your side. This measurement will be different for almost everybody. But this measurement is important to make sure that when sleeping on your side in bed, your head is lifted properly enough to stay in line with your spine and not stretched downward or upward too much. This is probably the single most overlooked reason for neck pain, headaches, and the carpal-tunnel-syndrome-like hand numbness that some feel when they wake up in the morning
The right size pillow will keep your head where it needs to be all night - in line with the rest of your spine.
The higher the pillow, the higher the chance of developing neck stiffness, numbness, and tingling in the hands when you wake up.
There are only a few companies that make pillows based on size. The company I have referred patients to most is Therapeutica. On their website, you can review how the pillow works and also are shown how to take a measurement at home to determine what size pillow is the proper size for you. Some pillow company websites have generic information stating if you wake up with pain, your pillow might be the wrong size and you should get a different one — but they don’t give any information about how to find the right size, nor do they sell pillows in a variety of different sizes to make sure that a person can find the right one for them.
In my opinion, the best place to start is with the pillow brand Therapeutica. Their pillow is designed for back and side sleepers, which are the two best positions to avoid neck pain. When you’re laying on your back, the Therapeutica pillow properly supports the curve of your neck, cradles your head, and allows for support on the upper back. When you roll to either side, a Therapeutica pillow sized correctly will keep your head in line with the rest of your body, which prevents undue neck strain and nerve pressure that can cause hand numbness and tingling. The right size pillow will give you a better night’s sleep, allow damaged neck muscles and joints to heal faster, and make you a healthier, happier person.
NOTE: For helping in sizing to find the right Therapeutica pillow for you, contact our office.
The Therapeutica sleeping pillow