What is a neck pillow and how does it work?
The Neck Pillow (like this) is an orthopedic product that provides a favorable position for the spine during sleep. Regular sleeping on this pillow reduces or eliminates neck pain. Proven.
Humans are just about the only upright creatures on Earth. We move around on two legs and pay the price for it with our health. Our spine is under immense strain and when things get bad, back and neck pain occur. In neglected cases, there is no relief even when lying down. The Neck Pillow is designed to solve such problems.
Why does the neck hurt?
To keep our back in a constant position, we use hundreds of muscles and ligaments. Under the control of the nervous system, these toilers hold our body in place and prevent it from "falling apart" when we move. In general, our entire body is designed to move. We are universal biomechanical complex created for survival in nature and ... sitting in the office. And this is our bane.
No, it's not office work at all, it's the lack of movement and spending time in the same position. Neck pain affects office clerks and farmers alike. With different workloads, they are in a forced position for long periods of time. The first one sits, the second one carries weights or digs, for example.
Prolonged, monotonous physical work overloads certain muscles and prevents others from contracting fully. The brain adapts to this demand and leaves the overloaded muscles in constant tone. Remember the aching sensation in your neck in the morning? That's it - spasmodic muscles due to hypertonicity.
When some muscles are spasmed, others are stretched. This imbalance changes the natural curvature of the different parts of the spine. A person begins to slouch or walk around with a straight back like a stick. Naturally, this does not go away.
Muscle spasm, changes in the natural curvature of the spine create a pronounced pain syndrome. This pain ranges from mild to severe and interferes with sleep. How can a pillow help? The answer lies in understanding the problem.
Why sleeping on a normal pillow is hell for your neck
Scientists from several Asian countries have answered this question best. In South Korea, they studied how the cervical curvature of the spine changes when lying down. It turns out that it is almost completely aligned. For people with pain syndrome in this area, this position increases the symptoms.
Their colleagues in Japan went a little further. They evaluated the effect of different types of pillows on the shape of the cervical curvature. Soft down pillows straightened the neck much more than an orthopedic polyurethane foam pillow.
Now, imagine a person with a problematic neck trying to sleep on a comfortable soft pillow. No need to comment. He's hurting himself.
Time to get to know the Neck Pillow
In fact, these Asian scientists have confirmed with their research the opinion of many orthopedists - to reduce neck pain, you need to correct its position. And the most comfortable time to do this is when we sleep. The question remained, "What material would keep the neck in the right position and still be comfortable to sleep on?" Scientists at NASA found the answer, and they were solving a very different problem.
During a space flight, astronauts are exposed to extreme overload. To alleviate this fate, the space agency has created memory foam. It absorbs some of the stress during the flight without disrupting the pilot's performance. Of course, this technology has helped ordinary people.
The Neck Pillow is made of memory foam. The sleeping person's head presses the material slightly and it takes the shape of the neck. Even when the person turns over, the pillow adjusts to their position again. This way, regardless of the position of the head and body, the cervical curvature remains in a favorable position. The spasmodic muscles gradually relax, and the pain goes away.
This is often enough to relieve night-time pain for a long period of time. Doctors in England have used similar pillows to treat patients with chronic neck pain. Their patients have been pleased with the results.
