How Does a Tens Unit Work on Muscle Spasm- Pain comes from electroechemical impulses relaying the pain message. A TENS unit interrupts this pathway. T.E.N.S stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. It is often used to treat low back pain and neck pain. Tens units use a low voltage electrical current to induce pain relief. Continue Reading Article
Neck Exercises- Learn effective neck stretches and strengthening exercises for the cervical spine
End Neck Pain by Improving Posture- How Proper Posture Improves Your Spine Relieving Nerve Pressure- How does posture have anything to do with neck pain?--Neck pain comes from pressure on the nerves. How does this happen?--Usually pressure from a misaligned neck spine. When your spine is misaligned (some call that subluxated) it does not move like it should and in turn creates inflammation in that area. Either out-of-alignment spinal vertebrae (spinal bones) put direst pressure on nerves or the inflammation, or built up degeneration causes the pressure. Continue Reading Article
How to Reduce the Chances of Getting A Stiff Neck- A Stiff Neck.... Horrible especially when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is going to be one painful day. You are stiff, your neck hurts, you cannot turn your head, even brushing your teeth hurts. We get questions about how to treat a stiff neck all the time. Continue Reading Article
How To Avoid Neck Pain While Doing Abs- If you do your Abdominal crunches correctly with proper form, there is no reason to suffer from neck pain or sore neck. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that involve there neck muscles while doing these exercises- that is a NO-NO. Bringing your head and neck forward puts unnecessary pressure on the neck and it is not healthy. So when you do your abdominal crunch look at the ceiling.Continue Reading Article
What is occipital neuralgia and what are the symptoms that patients present with?
Occipital neuralgia is a painful neck condition that happens when occipital nerves are inflamed or injured. These occipital nerves can become trapped in neck muscles causing stress to the nerves.
Pain can occur in the back of the head or in the back of the skull. The occipital nerves run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp. Often times occipital neuralgia is mis diagnosed as a headache.
Nerves Affected in Occipital Neuralgia
Pain from the occipital neuralgia can cause:
Pain behind the eyes
Pain in the upper neck
Pain in the back of the head
Less perception and feeling in the back of the head
A sensitivity to light
Tenderness in the scalp area
Pain with Neck Movement
Gentle neck traction can be very beneficial to patients with occipital neuralgia. The Arc4life Traction Pillow can provide patients with a tremendous amount of relief for these symptoms. The traction or V Side of the pillow gentle stretches the suboccipital area. This allows relief of pressure from this area. Using moist heat therapy and gentle neck massage can also be beneficial.
When I was first diagnosed with Occipital Neuralgia I was at my wit's end. I knew my pillow wasn't sufficient so I looked online for something to help. I found the arc4life website and I also got the cervical traction pillow. Combined with meds and the pillow my symptoms subsided. I was so happy and relieved. Fast forward 3 years I have my symptoms back but no longer have the pillow. I'll definitely be ordering another one. Alas postage to Australia is or can be as much as the pillow but I swear by it for occipital neuralgia sufferers...- Shelley (October 14, 2017)
Best Pillow for Occipital Neuralgia- I too was looking for a pillow for the last 4 months. I randomly ordered the cervical traction neck pillow thinking it would be another pillow that truely wouldn't be comfortable. I could not believe how well it worked. I did not have to worry about the pressure building on the base of my head with this pillow. Albeit it does take time to get used to this pillow as it is correcting your posture. Give it a try and I hope it works for you too!- PostureDude (April 11, 2010)
All day we get questions about the right pillow for sleeping. Some customers like a firmer pillow, some a softer pillow. Some like a wedge pillow to sleeping on. Some like foam, others like water, and then others like an adjustable pillow.
Which brings me to the level of support a pillow provides - does it provide firm support or a little bit of support. One of our most popular pillows that we sell is the arc4life traction pillow. We recently got this review back for this pillow.
🌟 Thin and uncomfortable. Did not solve my back problems. Back to the drawing board. - by Kelli.F
So how to respond about support levels for a pillow?
Dear Kelli,
Ouch ! only 1 🌟 on this review of the arc4life traction pillow. Well it looks like we get the gamut of reviews with the arc4life traction pillow. This one I have not heard at all: that our pillow was too thin. But then, every person is different and everyone’s preferences are different too.
Every once in a while we get a customer that likes more support for their pillow. While, the arc4life traction pillow medium REGULAR support is by no means a THIN pillow (the thickness and loft is 3-4 "), some patients just need (and like) more support. For the majority of customers, the thickness of this pillow works well. Many are dealing with a neck issue such as a herniated disc, degeneration, poor posture, severe neck pain, numbness and tingling- a pillow that is too high would work against their issue.
Also, keep in mind, every arc4life traction pillow has two sides to it. A gentle side (the support side) and the firmer side (the traction v side).
Does absolutely nothing. Just a pillow with a V-pattern stitched in. Does not actually provide traction nor did it help with any of the pinched nerve pain in my neck. I recommend physical therapy and taking it easy if you have any pinched nerve damage, time seems to be the best healer. I understand the desperation for pain relief but this product is definitely not the answer. It doesn't make anything worse, it just doesn't do anything at all. Can't even really be used as a normal pillow so it's a waste of almost $100 for me. - Ron
Dear Ron, Appreciate you taking the time and writing feedback. The Arc4life Traction Pillow (large size) has been helping customers with neck pain due to a herniated disc, bulging disc, pinched nerve, numbness and tingling, arthritis, and degeneration for quite some time. Since 2003 actually. The pillow is definitely not like a normal pillow, you are totally right. It has contours on it that are designed to support your neck and gently stretch your neck.
For this particular pillow (large traction pillow), it is specifically for patients who are over 6 foot and for those who like a larger pillow. **If the pillow is to big for you, it will put your head forward, causing more pain. ** I will give you an example: Let's say you are 5'2" and weight 110 lbs and are petite framed and you ordered this pillow for pinched nerve- this pillow would raise your head forward, with your chin jutting out. This will cause forward head posture = more pain. This pillow For someone with a pinched nerve, you want to make sure the pillow is the right size. It sounds like the size you ordered is not correct.
You mentioned the V in the pillow. There is actually extra fiber in the V that gives your neck a gentle stretch. Yes - there is a "V pattern stitched in"- but with a purpose and a role, i promise you. When used correctly, it works to open up the vertebrae, allows nerves to be freed, and not compressed. At physical therapy, they will probably do neck traction, stretches, electric stimulation, heat and ice therapy. But you still have to do treatment at home for improvement. You can use the traction V Side of this pillow for neck traction. Just lay on your back with your neck on the V part of the pillow, set a timer for 5-10 minutes (less time in the beginning), and relax. Physical therapy is great - but you have to continue and know how to keep you neck healthy. They can show you how to do neck exercises effectively and properly. Learn from them as much as you can. But you still have to know how to take your cervical spine, especially if you suffer periodically from a pinched nerve. There are many things at your disposal Ron- Anyways, have a great day, and I hope this help you out.
Not very comfortable due to cervical support does not fit neck well and head feels like it is elevated when laying on back regardless of which way I turn and use the pillow. I have had my C5 - C7 fused and need a pillow with good cervical support- this unfortunaltey is not it. -Kimura
The Arc4life Traction Large Pillow was too Large for this Person and the Wrong Pillow
Dear Kimura, we appreciate the feedback on the Arc4life traction pillow. This is a good case study for the Neck Pillow Queen, because I can show my readers how ordering the wrong size or using the pillow incorrectly can cause neck pain and problems.
It sounds as if you ordered the wrong size of the arc4life traction pillow. You ordered the large size of this pillow (28"x17). This arc4life traction pillow also comes in medium, and small. No matter which way you turn the pillow, it will be uncomfortable for you.The medium sized pillow might have been a better fit for you. Also, one more important point to note is that you had a cervical fusion in the C5- C7 area of the cervical spine. That means that those areas of your spine should not move. If this fusion was very recent ( within the last few months ) this is not the right pillow for you. You don't want a pillow that stretches your neck (the traction v side of the arc4life pillow stretches your neck)- rather you need a support pillow. You can safely use the support side of the pillow, but again, if it is too big for you, it might be uncomfortable for you to use daily.
Here are two examples of effective support pillows after a cervical spine fusion: The 1. Cosmed recovery pillow: and #2. Arc4life Gravity Pillow (medium size most likely for you) .
“This pillow ( Arc4life Extra Firm Pillow, Medium) might be good for some, but not suitable for my condition (herniated discs in neck). Perhaps works best for a heavier person? I ordered it knowing it could be returned, not realizing i must pay for return shipping. Had i known, i would never have ordered it on trial in the first place.”
- M, April 10, 2018
Dear M,
Thank you for your honest feedback .This type of feedback will actually help someone who is looking for relief from a herniated disc make a better buying decision. Here at the Neck Pillow Queen Blog, I have a lot of readers who need to know the right pillow to buy for a herniated disc, bulging disc, pinched nerve, so I think this will be useful to post.
First of all M, you ordered the extra firm version of the arc4life traction pillow. Yes it is firm, you are right. It is about 25% more firm than the regular support version of this pillow. For all my patients who are looking for a pillow to help with pain relief and from the symptoms of a herniated disc, I always recommend the regular support pillow first, NOT the extra firm version. You might find that the regular support pillow is going to be the right amount of firmness. Why? Because with each arc4life traction pillow there is a gentler side ( the support side ) and a firmer side ( the traction V Side).
Also, You mentioned you are a small sized person. I would probably have recommended the medium arc4life pillow for you (regular support) ( link: https://www.amazon.com/Arc4life-Cervical-Traction-Support-Sleepers/dp/B0002RO3JU) or possibly the small arc4life traction pillow (link: https://www.amazon.com/Arc4life-Cervical-Traction-Support-Sleepers/dp/B00U7WSTD6) - a better way to know the right size would be know what your exact height, weight, frame and frame are. In general a person is very petite (for example 4 ft 8", 4 ft 9", etc and weighs around 100 lbs or less), the smaller pillow is best. If you are over 6 ft and built like a football player order the large. Anyone in between, usually the medium size works well. Like I said, Contact us so we can help you individually.
This is actually the right pillow for a patient with a herniated disc, you just ordered the wrong size. That makes a big difference.
As for the shipping comment, that is standard with all amazon orders, arc4life orders, ebay orders etc, you are responsible for the return shipping.
Most likely, You received free shipping when ordering the pillow and it the policy of amazon that you are responsible for the return shipping.
Please contact Arc4life by visiting our website: https://arc4life.com/ or reach out to us Via Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Arc4life/. We are here for you to help you get a better night of sleep and to help you with neck pain relief.
So You have been Waking Up with Neck Pain and Cannot Figure out Why
This happens to many people, especially for those who have a history of neck pain. Perhaps they have had a previous neck surgery, or they had a whiplash type of accident.
Getting the right pillow with the RIGHT Support for your neck can make a big difference in how you sleep. A pillow that allows you have the proper c curve in your neck when you are sleeping is ideal. A contoured neck pillow such as the arc4life traction pillow or the tricore neck pillow are two pillows that allow this while you sleep. With both of these pillows you can sleep on your back and on your side. This is important because we all move around while we sleep.
Both of these contoured neck pillows that I have mentioned above are composed of fiber. Overtime, fiber breaks down. Depending on the composition of your pillow, your fiber pillow may break down faster than others. In other words, if the fiber pillow is very firm to begin with, the breakdown of the fibers will occur more slowly, then a pillow that is not as stuffed. Case in point: the Tricore pillow is very firm pillow, it will not break down as quickly as the Arc4life traction pillow, which is not as firm. Hence the tricore pillow will last longer than the arc4life pillow. However you will be using a firmer pillow to begin with.
For many patients who use a contoured pillow because of a neck condition, they often do have to change up their neck pillow. They may notice that they wake up with neck pain, or soreness. The pain may be mild or very noticeable. Other symptoms may not be so subtle: numbness and tingling, weakness in the upper extremity. If you are using a pillow that helps with these symptoms, then you want to continue using this pillow.
Which Size to Order? Here is a question our team at Arc4life gets asked quite a bit. It is an important question to ask when you deciding what pillow to buy.
For our purposes in this post, I am going to be talking about arc4life's cervical linear traction neck pillow that is available on arc4life.com.
What is the right size of pillow to buy? Small, Medium or Large
Many people erroneously assume that they should order a large pillow because they sleep on a king sized bed mattress. At Arc4life we do not recommend this. You should buy an Arc4life Pillow based on your height and weight.
So here are some guidelines that can help you choose. Remember there are no hard and fast rules, these are guidelines. We have been selling our neck pillows since 2003, and have talked to many customers along the way.
If you are petite person, the pillow may be too large for you. So if you are 5'0 and weigh 110 lbs and are a petite framed person, you may want to consider the arc4life traction pillow in the small size: 20"x15" This is the same arc4life traction "V" pillow, however is has shrunken in length, width and thickness
An alternate pillow in a smaller size, such as the arc4life linear gravity neck pillow in the small size. However, if you prefer and find it comfortable to sleep on a standard size pillow, then the medium standard size will be okay for you. Just sleep on the support roll side of the pillow.
Hope this helps you choose the right pillow for your particular needs. We know that everybody is different, and one pillow does not work for all. We commonly will have a customer that is of a petite stature order a medium or a large pillow. If you have any questions, contact arc4life. You can email us, or call us. We respond pretty quickly.
Tired of having a closet full of neck pillows? Well I write quite extensively about pillows and let me tell you I have heard this comment many times - people are sick and tired of ordering the wrong pillow. They try one, it doesn't work - they move on, and ching ching - they order a new one ! The pillows all end up in the closet or their pet uses the pillow as a sleeping bed.
Do you have a Closet Full of Pillows?
Here are some factors to consider to ordering successfully the right pillow the first time:
Size Matters It is important, especially in the case of THIS neck pillow, to order the right size. One example is the Linear Gravity Neck Pillow which comes in 3 sizes: Small, Medium and Large. Too many customers are ordering this neck pillow because of their mattress size. So for example, they sleep on a king size bed every night. They automatically assume that they should order the large pillow. Same goes for the medium pillow. They order the medium because they sleep on a queen size mattress. Arc4life recommends that you order based on your OWN height and weight and frame. Don't be afraid to contact the pillow company to choose the best size.
What is the level of firmness with the Pillow? For the majority of users, a firm pillow is not the answer. So when ordering a pillow check to see if the pillow comes in a gentle or firm version. For example, the tricore pillow comes in a "gentle" and firm. If you are not sure, order the gentle - it will be easier to get used to.
What is the pillow composed of ? Polyester fiber fill? Water? Foam? Check the materials the pillow is made out of. For some people, for example, they are allergic to latex. Some people are very sensitive to the odor given off by a memory foam pillow, and literally cannot get used to it. Check the composition of the pillow.
Does the Pillow have instructions on how to use it? If the pillow comes with instructions, read them. This is important. The Arc4life traction pillow for example comes with an 8 page booklet on how to use the pillow. For example, Arc4life recommends that you sleep on the support of the pillow to start. It is easier to get adjusted too.
Is There an Adjustment Period? This is often the case with many cervical support pillows. For some customers they can sleep on a new pillow the entire night with no problems whatsoever. For others they have a lot of sensitivity or pain in their neck. For example, pre existing neck or shoulder pain, muscle spasms or trigger points - they may need to slowly adjust to a new pillows contours . 5-10 minutes the first night, an additional 5-10 minutes the next night etc.
What is the purpose of you ordering a new pillow? This is a great question, that actually you should ask yourself before you hit BUY. Are you having neck surgery in 30 days and need a recovery pillow? Are you looking to stretch your neck because you have a herniated disc? Are you looking to replace your old pillow? If your old pillow worked for you, order the same pillow. Are you have arthritis pain in your neck? Do you have bad posture because you have a desk job and are constantly looking at the the computer? Think about purpose, before you buy.
When in doubt of how to use or even WHICH pillow to buys, contact the pillow company. Email them, facebook them, there are often multiple ways to get in touch in this technical day of ours. Heck, its better than owning a closet full of pillows.
Are cervical pillows helpful? I have a straightened neck, causing neck stiffness, pain and numbness on my right shoulder. What are some suggestions, apart from physical therapy?
The short answer is that a cervical pillow with contours can help a straightened neck.
The neck is comprised of seven vertebrae or bones, that are lined up in the shape of the letter C. Over time, with poor posture, whiplash, neck injuries, the neck can lose this C shaped curve or cervical lordosis. When this happens, you have a straightened neck curve also known as a military neck. That means your neck is straight up-and-down, there is no neck curve. So here are a few things that you can do to help this straightened neck curve. You have to keep in mind that this neck curve didn’t become straightened overnight, it took many years to become like this.
Start by sleeping on a contour neck pillow. And example of this is the TriCore cervical orthopedic neck pillow or the Arc4life traction pillow. Another thing you can do is use a neck traction device. Neck traction basically stretches out the neck. If you use a device like the posture pump 1100 you can help to put that curve back in the spine. Having a contour pillow will also prevent you from waking up with neck and shoulder pain in the morning.
If you wake up every morning with a stiff neck or headaches, you may not be sleeping on the right pillow. Making a simple change in your pillow can make a difference. Most people look to their mattress to make the change. If you look at your pillow it is a simpler change you can make. Is your pillow too hard, too soft, too low, too high, too dense, too large or too small???
Today I want to share a video to show you how you can make sure the pillow you are using is right:
Yes, Pillow height is very important. It is not healthy to be be sleeping on a pillow that too tall or too short. Simply, your cervical spine is not being supported correctly.
Your neck pillow should support your cervical spine in a neutral position. This is the healthiest position for when you sleep on your back and on your side.
Is your neck cocked up or raised up? If yes, the pillow is too large for you. If the pillow is too high it will affect the muscles in the neck and puts un needed pressure on the joints and bones of the cervical spine.
Is your neck going in the downward direction and you are not getting enough support? That means you have a pillow that is not large enough for you. There is not enough support.
Is your spine neutral when when you lay on the pillow? That is the right height for you probably.
Sleep On Your Pillow and Notice the Height of the Pillow.
You will know that you don't have the right pillow height by how you feel when you lay on the pillow. One important tip, have someone look at your neck position while laying on your back and on your side.
An incorrect pillow height puts un necessary stress on your neck and back muscles, joints and bones. You may feel immediate pain, or you may wake up with neck pain, neck stiffness or an ache. You may also wake up with a headache.
So Yes. Pillow Height is very very important in the world of pillows.
Stayed Tuned for the next part in this post: What is the right pillow height for you?
