The Queen of Neck Pillows

Pillow Highlight: The Arc4life Adjustable Neck Pillow

Have you ever struggled to find the best pillow that suits your unique sleeping preferences? Are you experiencing acute or chronic neck pain. Have you recently had a neck surgery, where you need a certain level of support? Then consider an adjustable pillow that you can change to make comfortable.   The Arc4life Adjustable Pillow is here to revolutionize your sleep routine and elevate your comfort to new heights.

Personalized Comfort, Tailored to You

One size does not fit all when it comes to pillows, and the Arc4life Adjustable Pillow understands that. What sets this pillow apart is its innovative design, allowing you to customize your sleep experience with ease. Say goodbye to the one-size-fits-all approach and hello to personalized comfort.

Optimal Support for Neck and Spine Alignment

A good night's sleep is not just about duration; it's about quality. The Arc4life Adjustable Pillow is crafted with the utmost care to provide optimal support for your neck and spine alignment. The unique design promotes proper posture during sleep, reducing the risk of waking up with a stiff neck or back pain. Wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. This pillow also works as a very comfortable knee pillow, taking the pressure off the lower back. 

Quality Materials for a Restful Night

Investing in your sleep is an investment in your overall well-being. The Arc4life Adjustable Pillow is made with high-quality materials in the USA that prioritize your comfort. The pillow is designed to stand the test of time, ensuring you enjoy a restful night's sleep for years to come. Experience the difference that a thoughtfully crafted pillow can make in your sleep routine. There is a also a cooling bamboo cover with a zipper that can be easily washed as needed. All made in the USA. Comes in two sizes: Queen and King . 

How It Works

Adjusting the Arc4life pillow is a breeze. Simply remove  or add in the fill material of the pillow. The fill material is made up of a combination of  polyester fiber fill and shredded memory foam- a comfortable combination that feels good. The versatility of this pillow makes it suitable for all sleep positions – back, side, or stomach. No matter how you prefer to sleep, the Arc4life Adjustable Pillow adapts to you.

Where to Get Yours

Ready to upgrade your sleep experience? The Arc4life Adjustable Pillow is available @Arc4life. Take the first step towards better sleep and invest in a pillow that cares about your comfort.

In conclusion, the Arc4life Adjustable Pillow is not just a pillow; it's a sleep upgrade. Say goodbye to restless nights and hello to a world of personalized comfort. Your journey to better sleep starts here.

Sweet dreams!

 

Additional Reading:

• The Arc4life Adjustable Pillow is on Amazon
• Extra Fill for the Arc4life Adjustable Pillow
• What is occipital Neuralgia and how do we treat it?
• A traction pillow vs gravity pillow vs tricore pillow
• Can you get a headache after sleeping on a new pillow?
• A Not so Nice Pillow Testimonial from this New Yorker who needs a break
• More info on the arc4life traction pillow
• Pronex Replacement Parts

Should I Get an Adjustable Pillow Vs a Regular Pillow?

Adjustable pillows offer several benefits, as they allow users to customize the pillow to meet their specific comfort and support needs. Here are some advantages of using an adjustable pillow :

1. Support that you can Easily Customize: Adjustable pillows typically contain removable inserts or fillings that can be added or removed to adjust the pillow's loft (height) and firmness. This customization enables users to find the right level of support for their individual preferences and sleeping positions.

2. Versatility: Individuals have different sleeping preferences and habits. An adjustable pillow can accommodate various sleeping positions, such as back, side, or stomach sleeping, by allowing users to tailor the pillow to their preferred thickness and firmness.

3. Neck Support: Proper spinal alignment is important for a good night's sleep and overall health. Adjustable pillows can be fine-tuned to provide optimal support for the neck and head, promoting a more neutral spine alignment during sleep.

4. Being Adaptable to Changing Needs: Over time, a person's sleep preferences and needs may change due to factors like weight fluctuations, injuries, or changes in sleeping positions. An adjustable pillow allows for ongoing customization to adapt to these changes. Also, if you had to have neck surgery, or you experienced neck trauma- you can easily adapt the pillow to meet your needs

5. Allergen Management: Some adjustable pillows come with hypoallergenic fillings, and being able to adjust the amount of filling allows users to create a pillow with the right loft while still maintaining a hypoallergenic environment.

6. Durability: Adjustable pillows may have a longer lifespan compared to traditional pillows because users can refresh the pillow by adjusting the filling, preventing it from becoming too flat or losing its support over time.

7. Regulation of Temperature: Some adjustable pillows use breathable materials or cooling technologies to help regulate temperature, providing a more comfortable sleeping environment.

8. Reduced Tossing and Turning: By customizing the pillow to individual preferences, users may experience fewer disruptions during the night, leading to a more restful sleep.

Keep in mind that individual preferences vary, and what works for one person may not work for another. It's essential to experiment with the adjustments to find the right combination that provides the most comfortable and supportive sleep experience for you.

One example of an adjustable neck pillow is the arc4life memory foam- fiber adjustable pillow. This comfortable neck pillow has an easy zipper on it that allows you to simply remove the fiber or add new fiber. It also comes with a thick bamboo cover that keeps the pillow cool. This bamboo cover that can be simply removed for washing. 

Here is one example: the Arc4life Adjustable Neck Pillow.

 

Additional Links:

 

• Tips for the Best Sleep
• How Neck Traction Can Help with Neck Pain, Herniated Disc, Better Movement in the Neck and More
• The Best Neck Pain Support Group on Facebook
• Arc4life's Adjustable Neck Pillow

The Right Pillow Can Help you Keep Optimal Posture While You are Sleeping

 

The Right Pillow Can Help

 

you Keep Optimal Posture

 

While You are Sleeping

 

 

 

Additional Reading:

• Causes of neck pain you might not think of
• Arc4life Twist Pillow works great for patients who are travelling or for kids in the car
• Contoured Kids Pillows Designed for Smaller Cervical Spines
• Arc4life's Linear Gravity Neck Pillow- Small Size for Toddlers, Teens and Petite Individuals
• Change up the loft of your pillow easily
• Upper Back Stretches you can do anywhere

What comes first, the Mattress or the Pillow?

When you need a good sleep at night, you look at your mattress and your pillow? Is one more important than the other? Not necessarily.

A good mattress is important for getting a good night of sleep. I have a had the pleasure of sleeping on the floor, an air mattress, a sofa mattress, a mattress with a comfort top and a memory foam mattress. It is the difference in waking up completely rested or waking up with aches and pain and bad sleep. Why toss and turn when you don't have to. Some things to think about when you purchase a mattress:

• What is the mattress composed of? If you have allergies for example you may be looking for something that is organic and fully cotton. Also, if you live in dryer climates like Arizona, you may need a specific breathable mattress
• What kind of firmness do you like in your mattress? Do you like a feeling of stiffness or softness. Do you want to feel like you are firmly on top of your mattress, or is a little sinking okay for you?
• Do you have any kind of neck or back pain? In today's day and age you can get a mattress that will elevate and allow you to essentially recline or help you get in any position that you need. You can put your knees up, recline your back or lay perfectly straightly. It is all possible with the technology and "smart" beds on the market today.
• What is the thickness of the mattress? 
  
  
  

BOTH are keys to helping you fall asleep and stay asleep.  Yes, mattress is important too, but pillow is equally important, since this is where your neck lays. The pillow should support whether sleeping on your side or on your back. I like the arc4life traction pillow. It is great for patients with acute neck pain and chronic neck pain. There are two surfaces on this pillow: There is a traction component (so it gently stretches you) and a support roll side that supports your cervical spine. Getting the right size is very important. There are three sizes to this pillow. It is fiber filled and contoured. Could take a few days to get used to. 

 

Take your time when purchasing a new pillow or a new mattress. It is easier to purchase a new pillow vs a mattress. Both can make a difference in the type of rest you get every night.

 

Additional Reading:

• Causes of neck pain you might not think of
• Arc4life Twist Pillow works great for patients who are travelling or for kids in the car
• Contoured Kids Pillows Designed for Smaller Cervical Spines
• Arc4life's Linear Gravity Neck Pillow- Small Size for Toddlers, Teens and Petite Individuals
• Change up the loft of your pillow easily
• Upper Back Stretches you can do anywhere

Best Pillow for a Pinched Nerve in the Neck for 2020

If you do a quick search on amazon, you will find that in 2020 not only do we have a plethora of masks to buy, but we also have a unusually large variation of neck pillows on the market.  Here is my go to pillow for neck pain and neck posture problems. Here is a great review from YOUTUBE that highlights the features of the arc4life traction pillow.  

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The arc4life  cervical linear traction neck pillow can help alleviate radiculopathy symptoms such as numbness and tingling, hand and finger weakness, neck pain, and shooting pains. Over and over again, I have seen patients do very well with this pillow, and that is why it is still popular from the year 2000 !

Happy Halloween 2020 from the Neck Pillow Queen 👑. The year 2020 will go down in the books as one of the most different years, especially on the holidays. My kids are very ready to trick or treat but how can they with covid 19 going on? Mom and Dad will figure this one out too.....

 

Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows' Eve. - Ray Bradbury

Additional Reading:

• Causes of neck pain you might not think of
• Arc4life Twist Pillow works great for patients who are travelling or for kids in the car
• Contoured Kids Pillows Designed for Smaller Cervical Spines
• Arc4life's Linear Gravity Neck Pillow- Small Size for Toddlers, Teens and Petite Individuals
• Change up the loft of your pillow easily
• Upper Back Stretches you can do anywhere

What is Better for the Curve in Your Neck: A Feather Pillow or an Orthopedic Pillow?

A normal neck curvature should look like a backward "C". This allows the holes on each side of the spine where the nerves exit to be fully open, uninhibited so there is no pressure. The nerves can than freely communicate to the brain with no interference. This also maintains the disc health between each spinal bone. An abnormal cervical curve means there is no curve (also known as military neck) or a reverse curve (also known as a cervical kyphosis). 

Some people literally have a closet full of pillows. They could easily go into their closet and pull out one of many different types of pillows to sleep on. How about choosing between a feather pillow or a contoured orthopedic pillow? Which would be better for their neck curvature? Which would help them to sleep better? Which pillow would be more comfortable. Back in 2014, there was a small study that was help answer these specific questions.

In this study there were 10 men and 10 women, age range of 21-30 years old. They compared an orthopedic pillows (pillow a) vs two standard pillows - A feather pillow and a memory foam pillow (pillow b and pillow c) 

 

 

Each participant was  was asked to lay down on their back (in the supine position) with  the 3 different pillows for 30 minutes each. The cervical curve, pillow temperature, and pillow comfort were measured. 

Here is what the study found:

• When looking at the cervical curve, the orthopedic pillow was significantly higher than that of the other 2 pillows. 
• The degree of temperature increase was significantly lower for the orthopedic pillow than for the memory foam and feather pillows. 
• The orthopedic pillow was more comfortable  than the other 2 pillows (The visual analog scale (VAS) score was higher).

This study shows that pillow shape and content play an important  role in cervical curve, pillow temperature, and pillow comfort and orthopedic pillow may be an optimal pillow for sleep quality. Yes, this was a small study- but it still shows that using a pillow that helps your neck curve is going to be better for sleep and better for comfort. What are some examples of orthopedic pillows? 

• Arc4life Cervical Traction Pillow
• Tricore Family of Pillows
• Linear gravity neck pillow
• Roscoe cervical pillow
• Xtra Comfort Orthopedic pillow

Keep in mind that an orthopedic pillow can be more difficult to adjust too than a feather pillow or a flat. Your neck is not going to be used the contours on a pillow like this. Often times sleeping on a pillow like this for the whole night is not recommended. It is better to start of slowly: start with 5-10 minutes of sleeping on a new contoured neck pillow, then little by little keep increasing the time on the pillow. If you do wake with neck soreness or stiffness, do gentle neck exercises in the morning. Use a hot pack if needed as well.

Remember we sleep about 1/3rd of our lives. Doing it the best we can is imperative to live our lives to the fullest and healthiest. Why not support your cervical curve and be comfortable while you sleep. 

Source: Improving the Quality of Sleep With an Optimal Pillow: A Randomized, Comparative Study Mi Yang Jeon, HyeonCheol Jeong, SeungWon Lee, Wonjae Choi, Jun Hyuck Park, Sa Jin Tak, Dae Ho Choi, Jongeun Yim, 2014 Volume 233 Issue 3 Pages 183-188

Additional Reading:

• Help for a stiff neck in the morning
• The need for a better desk and workstation when working from home
• 10 cervical pillows that work for better sleep: 2020 edition
• Using the Mckenzie exercises for neck pain relief
• Bob and Brad discuss pillows for a pinched nerve

 

10 Pillows that Work for Better Sleep & Neck Pain Relief in 2020

Well, its 2020. Another decade has literally started, and this one has started with a bang. Covid-19 Pandemic has affected every corner of our life.  Cooking, going to the store, going to work, sleeping, relaxing, travelling- literally all aspects of our normal have been impacted. What will happen after its over? Will it ever be really over?  Much to chew about. Well we have time on our hands now.

How about sleeping for you? Are you sleeping well, and are you waking up feeling rested. If you are not I don't blame you. I am sure a number of factors, stress being #1 are affecting you.

This article is dedicated to showing you the top 10 pillows on the online market right now. I say online, because we cannot go to the store these days easily and try out a new pillow. Here are the TOP 10 Pillows that work, along with the positives and negatives for each to help you make the best decision for the best sleeping pillow.

• The Arc4life Traction Pillow
  This pillow is great for side and back sleeping. It not only supports your neck, but it also gently stretches or "tractions" your neck, allowing for neck pain relief from disc issues in the neck: herniated disc, bulging disc, arthritis, degeneration, pinched nerve in the neck and numbness and tingling. The Arc4life Traction Pillow comes in small, medium and large. Positive: Because it comes in 3 sizes you can get the right fit for your head and neck. Also it is made in the USA. Negative: For some patients, there can be an adjustment period to using the pillow.
• The TriCore Support Pillow  The Tricore support neck pillow is another fiber filled pillow that is made in the United States by a great company: Core Products. This is another cervical support pillow that allows you to have the right curve in your neck while you are sleeping on your side or your back. This pillow comes in a petite, midsize and a standard size. Positive: The curves on this pillow allow you to have correct spinal curvature when you are sleeping. This neck pillow cradles and supports your neck well. Negative: The fiber in this pillow is densely packed in thereby creating a pillow that can be perceived as very firm to many patients. There may be an adjustment period to using this pillow. Also, its a fiber pillow and it will break down after a while.
• EPABO Contoured Memory Foam Neck Pillow: 
Here is a memory foam neck pillow that provides support. It does not squish down like other memory foam pillows. If you have acute or chronic neck pain, the Epabo pillow is ideal for you. Positive: The special shape of this pillow provides ideal neck support and comfort, especially if you have ongoing neck pain. Negative: Some patients may feel that the height of this memory foam pillow is not enough.
• An Adjustable Memory Foam- Fiber Neck Pillow: This adjustable pillow has two components in it. Fiber and shredded memory foam. There is a convenient zipper that allows material to be added and to removed: effectively making this pillow firm or soft. For someone with acute or chronic pain, you can easily adjust to where you want your pillow height to be. Positive: The pillow fluffs up easily and washes easily as well. Negative: May take a while for you to figure out how much filling you really need and what is comfortable for you. 
• U Shaped Contoured Body Pillow:This fiber filled U or L shaped pillow looks somewhat like a candy cane ! It's shape allows you to sleep on your side more easily than others. The filling is also softer, thereby the adjustment period is going to less, in terms of one getting used to sleeping.Positive: Great for patients with any existing shoulder pain or ear pain; Skewed more for side sleepers. Also, great for pregnant patients.  Negative: The pillow dimensions are 22"x 17", which may not be big enough for some patients. Some patients just need a bigger pillow size.
• The Arc4life Linear Gravity Neck Pillow: Here is a simplistic fiber filled pillow that provides two neck support rolls. I like this pillow because the cylindrical rolls on this pillow allow you to have optimal cervical support while you are sleeping. Positive: The linear gravity pillow comes in 3 sizes: Small, medium and large. Negative: There may be an adjustment period to using this pillow. Start with 10 minutes and work your way up to sleeping through the night. 
• Memory Foam Twist Pillow:
• This Memory foam pillow has a unique ability to twist into whatever shape you need. You could use it as a u shaped pillow, a roll pillow, under the knees pillows, and even behind the low back. You can either use this kind of pillow on your recliner anytime you want to nap, or keep it in your car or next to your luggage: It is easy to travel with. Positive: A multi-purpose pillow that can be easily cleaned and traveled with. Also, this memory foam twist pillow comes with a silk sleep mask and noise reducing ear plugs  so you can us to really help you relax. Negative: You may not be able to use this as a regular pillow when you are at your destination, but great for travel.
• The Dog Bones Pillow:This little pillow can be used in multiple different ways. The specially designed dog bones pillow shape supports your head and neck in proper alignment. This pillow allows you to have the proper c curve when you are  sleeping. One bonus is that you can use this little pillow on a favorite recliner and poof- you have good neck support as well.  The dimensions of this pillow are 14.5"x 6.5". Positive: You can pull out stuffing as you need it, making this little pillow conveniently adjustable. Negative: For some patients this pillow just proves to be too firm and thick. 
• CPAP Pillow:I included this CPAP pillow because it can be used by regular users as well, not just cpap users. This pillow has special indentations for your cpap machine. Positive: The fiber that this pillow is made from is very soft, and still the pillow is very supportive. Negative: There may be an adjustment period to using this pillow and you may have to experiment in depth on what the right position for your sleep and for your cpap machine  is.
• Mkicesky Contour Memory Foam Sleeping Pillow:If you are looking for a pillow where there may not be a long adjustment period AND you can sleep on your side comfortable, check out this contoured memory foam pillow. The height of this pillow allows for your shoulder to clear comfortably when you are on your side. The middle portion holds your head and neck position. Positive: Very comfortable when you lay your head and neck on the pillow in side position. Negative: Some patients have noticed that there is very little give when you press on the pillow, making it very firm to sleep on from the get go. Also again, there may be an adjustment period of 1-2 weeks before getting completely comfortable on this pillow.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Relieving Upper Back Pain at Home with exercises you can do at home
• Upper Trapezius Pain- how to get pain relief
• Video: A Pillow for neck pain relief where you can sleep on your side and back
• Doing Neck Traction at Home if you have Military Neck
• Neck Exercises

Cannot Go to the Chiropractor or Physical Therapy for Neck Pain

Its April 2020- and an unprecedented time all over the world. Going to get your hair colored, going to the grocery store, getting ready to throw a birthday party, kids sports, going to the movies.... all of these activities have been affected. What about doctor's appointments. 

If you used to going to physical therapy or the chiropractor and they have shut down because they have been mandated to, then what? You cannot recreate a chiropractic adjustment at home, that's for sure. You cannot go through exercises one on one with physical therapist either. So what to do. 
You improvise for the time being, and do what you can do at home. Here are some simple things you can do at home to combat neck pain, neck stiffness and headaches at home.

First do neck exercises regularly. Your Chiropractor or PT may have given you these pre- Corona virus times. Dig them out and do them. Here is an example of simple neck exercises that you can do at home. Dr. Jo is a Physical therapist who has great videos on Youtube.

 

Many chiropractors will do hot and cold therapy, and Electric muscle stimulation in the office. You can do this at home as well. For example, here is an effective muscle stimulator you can use at home. It comes with the machine, the pads. ThisTENS unit muscle stimulator uses electronic pulses to stimulate muscles via multi-preprogrammed massage modes. This provides pain relief and can soothe muscle stiffness.

Another therapy you can do at home is hot and cold therapy. The cold therapy is easy - simply keep your ice packs in the freezer. Here is one example of a cold pack that you can keep in the freezer. It fits easily over your neck, shoulders and upper back. Also remember to wrap a towel around your ice pack before using it against your skin: 

How about heat therapy? You can use the above tri-sectional hot and cold pack easily as a hot pack too. My preference is too keep one in the freezer at all time, and one outside for heating (you simply place the pack in the microwave). However, I will make one suggestion for home users. Get a moist heating pack that you can actually PLUG in. It is far more comfortable, more effective, and you don't have get up after the heating back cools: You simply reset the heating pack as necessary.

Finally, I am going to recommend a pain relieving cream that you can use at home. My recommendation is sombra pain relieving gel. I have used this multiple times for trigger points in the cervical paraspinals, suboccipitals and trapezius muscles. Sombra comes in a heating gel and a cooling gel. I prefer the heating gel type because I find that it more effective and comfortable on the skin. When you use this cream in conjunction with your heating pad, you will get more results. Heat first, then do the muscle work. Don't just rub the cream on - dig into the muscle gently and use broad strokes on the muscle. 

Additional Reading Resources:

• Relieving Upper Back Pain at Home with exercises you can do at home
• Upper Trapezius Pain- how to get pain relief
• Video: A Pillow for neck pain relief where you can sleep on your side and back
• Doing Neck Traction at Home if you have Military Neck
• Neck Exercises

The Switchboard that Controls Everything....

Just like a switchboard in a busy company our brain acts like a switchboard to all of our organs, muscles,  body parts and function - that is called our Nervous System. This nervous system allows us to get used to an live in different environments. 

A large portion of our nervous system passes through our spine.  It is our spinal cord  that acts as the major cable (or switchboard, coming out of the brain and travelling down inside your spinal column and branching off into spinal nerves at various levels of your spine.  These spinal nerves then exit between individual spinal bones and go to the  parts of our body. 

Notice the 3 regions of our body:

C1-C7 - the Neck or Cervical Spine area

T1-T12 - the Midback or thoracic area

L1-L5- The Low back or lumbar area

 

This spinal nerve chart shows you what internal organs and body parts are innervated by which nerves. When we have a subluxation at a certain spinal level, that body function can be affected. 

Links for Further Reading:

• Why Posture is A Window to Your Health
• This cervical support pillow comes in a small size for kids too
• How to keep a healthy weight easily without stress for MOM
• Travelling with the Family: Keep it as comfortable as possible
• The Cervical Traction Pillow for my son
• More backpack information specifically for kids

 

Kids Need their Own Pillows too....

Well, the kids are back in school. Every morning one of my most important tasks is packing the kids lunch and back pack. Making sure they have a balanced lunch and snacks and water to drink. I am also making sure that the backpack is not to heavy, as this can be overlooked very easily. One important tip about backpack weight: The backpack should weigh no more than 5% to 10% of your child's weight. Put them on a scale and check it.

Making sure your child's backpack is optimal for your child is Important

Children's posture is very important as they are growing up. Watching how they walk, what they are lifting, how they are using their devices, how and what they are sleeping on- are all important aspects to pay attention too.

My 7 year old son, for example sleeps on a smaller sized pillow. This particular pillow comes in medium and large sizes too. But a standard size pillow is usually 24x17 in dimensions and would be too large for him. It would push his head up and cause forward head carriage. This will create an unhealthy posture. Better comfort and support leads to better sleep. 

Links for Further Reading:

• Why Posture is A Window to Your Health
• This cervical support pillow comes in a small size for kids too
• How to keep a healthy weight easily without stress for MOM
• Travelling with the Family: Keep it as comfortable as possible
• The Cervical Traction Pillow for my son
• More backpack information specifically for kids