Cervical Pillows

by Katherine Doyle courtesy of EZine Articles

When it comes to neck trouble one can benefit from the use of a cervical pillow. The term cervical refers to the neck region. A cervical pillow corrects a person's resting position so that his head and neck are at the optimal angles to the torso and the resting surface. This relieves cervical tension and enhances relaxation. A cervical neck pillow is a travel or bed pillow designed to support a person's head and neck. It may be individually suited to a person's orthopedic cervical support needs.

Whether it's a cervical neck pillow or cervical traction neck pillow, no pillow will fit everyone's neck. Finding a pre-molded pillow that would be most comfortable for the individual would require trial and error. A pillow should support both the back of the neck and the back of the head. A pillow should be just right- thick enough to lifts the head up comfortably, or thin enough to allow the head to tilt back. For example, a person with a humped upper back would need a thicker pillow than the average person.

Most often, chiropractors recommend a feather pillow that can be fluffed or molded to fit into the curve on the back of the neck.The pillow should give equal support for the back of the head and keep the neck in line with the rest of the spine. A regular pillow can also be adjusted to make side-posture sleeping comfortable. Cervical neck pillows that limit changes in sleeping postures while placing more pressure on the back of the neck than on the back of the head might actually cause neck trouble. Therefore, avoid using a cervical pillow if it causes any kind of discomfort.

A pillows ergonomic design minimizes discomfort. By properly aligning the neck region of the spine, a pillow can aid in the healing of injuries and tension. Cervical pillows are prescribed to patients with neck injuries like whiplash fibromyalgia, bursitis of the shoulder, arthritis, upper back pain, neck tension, or other injuries that may be affected by cervical misalignment. Snoring can also be reduced through use of a cervical pillow which aligns the spine to straighten the airway. The pillows can also improve sleep, thus reducing headaches and other ailments resulting from insufficient sleep.

Cervical pillows can help relieve pain while you are sleeping. Find out more at joint pain remedies.