Neck Pain? Check your pillow

Neck pain is a daily topic of discussion in our clinics as it affects so many people at some stage or other in their lives. There are a number of factors that may contribute to neck pain including poor posture, whiplash injuries, tight and/or weak muscles.

Believe it or not, the pillows on your bed are a seldom considered factor that can actually play a major role in neck pain. As one-third of our life is spent sleeping, it only makes sense that a good pillow can reduce strain on the neck and associated muscles, often allowing you to have a better, more sound sleep.

Soon after birth, as we begin to hold our head upright, our cervical spine’s natural curve develops. This natural curve is designed to assist with optimal movement and load transfer in the neck. Therefore, a pillow with firm support for the natural curve of the neck has the best results to reduce neck pain.

Along with a good pillow, your sleeping position can affect neck pain. Stomach sleep, for example, causes sustained rotation of your neck. You are essentially looking over one shoulder for hours at a time, compressing one side of your neck and over-stretching the other. This results in neck pain, neck stiffness and neck headaches.

It’s a good idea to meet with a physiotherapist before making any attempts to alleviate neck pain on your own. Poor pillow selection may be one of the factors, but our team will also look at muscle tightness, stiffness, strength, stability and posture. Done without professional guidance, the wrong type of exercise or too much stress on your neck can cause you to develop a severe injury, and this could cause your neck pain to become chronic.

If you are experiencing neck pain be sure to book an appointment with any of our PROTx Services teams at one of our locations today.