Orthopaedic Pillow Information

What is the best Orthopaedic pillow for my needs?

Orthopaedic pillows are specially designed and constructed pillows that give structured support to the neck and spine and ensure proper alignment when in a sleeping position. Many people suffer from back or neck pain believing that they have sustained an injury in moving or lifting, when in actual fact the culprit can be a pillow that is too soft, or one that is simply giving the wrong kind of support for what is required.

Orthopaedic pillows come in a very wide variety of shapes and sizes, with varying levels of firmness and being cut to specific shapes to allow for personalised support. Many models of orthopaedic pillows are manufactured from memory foam. Memory foam orthopaedic pillows ‘remember’ the position and weight specific to the user, so creating a personalised support to the neck, shoulders and spine when in a sleeping position.

Choosing the right orthopaedic pillow is dependent on the kind of support required and it is worthwhile taking medical advice or vising a physio, to get an accurate profile of the kind of support you need. However, for most people who just require better support than they receive from a traditional soft pillow, it’s actually quite easy to find a good match for your requirements and your preferred sleeping position.

The fact that the average person spends up to a third of their life sleeping makes the task of finding the right pillow an important one. Orthopaedic pillows are a great solution for people who find that more often than not, they are waking with the sensation of a ‘crick’ in the neck, or general discomfort or even a headache when waking up from a night’s sleep.

Misalignment of the spine and surrounding tissues can be the root cause of many problems, not least the inability to get a good night’s sleep where proper deep sleep is achieved. Without this deeper sleep, proper rejuvenation is not possible so there is the potential for a build up of stress that can be both physical or even mentally related, with the poor sleeping posture ultimately responsible.

Orthopaedic pillows do their job so well, as they contour to the natural curves of the body, having enough structural firmness to promote a proper sleeping position during the night. This relief of pressure that comes from the body being in proper alignment, means that the tissues of the body, including bones, tendons and ligaments are receiving proper oxygenated blood supply and therefore preventing strain and potential injury.

Is the shape of my pillow important?

The actual shape of your pillow is very much a personal preference, but some orthopaedic pillows come in specific shapes and sizes, as well as levels of firmness to fulfil a particular function. Cervical Support Pillows are pillows specially designed to achieve a good cervical spine alignment and to even the pressure across the cervical spine area. These pillows can come in different heights for personal user preference.

Whether you prefer to sleep on your side or on your back, a cervical support pillow works just the same as it positions the head and neck at a proper angle and height to the curve of the neck and shoulders, so aiding a restful and more comfortable sleep.

Cervical pillows are effective not only for enhancing general sleep, but also in the recuperation of injury, strain, whiplash or general aches and pains in the neck, shoulder or back area. Cervical pillows can fit into most general pillow cases enabling safe and hygienic repeat use.