Contour Pillows

I have been searching for a good pillow for many years now as I have always had neck problems. I guess it has something to do with the way my spine curves, anyhow... I tried a water pillow about 3 months ago and so far I love it. You can order them online and the one I got with a quilted cover cost about 55.00 total. Otherwise the pillow is about 35.00 or so. The extra cost is S&H. Good luck.

I agree with your previous advice. I never had any neck or back issues until I had my toddler and then I had to start using contoured pillows. I really noticed that the less expensive ones last only 3-4 months while the more expensive ones last longer. I think the other thing you should also think about is how much that pillow is actually costing you per day. I think you'll find that while it may sound "expensive" in the long run, it's just pennies per day or even a few dollars per day. That's when you have to ask yourself whether your body is worth the price. I think you'll see that it is. Remember, your health is something you can't ever put a price on. You're young, you don't want to live with this for the rest of your life. Oh, and by the way, a friend of mine swears by yoga for her neck pain.

The water filled pillows, I hear, are supposed to be great. My chiropractor sells them in his office too (he's in West Bend, WI). I had the contour pillow too (from Shopko). It was really nice and firm JUST like the tempurpedic. The thing made my neck worse, so I just stopped using it. Now, since I can't afford to buy the water pillow, I get firm pillows made for side sleepers from Kohl's. Good luck!

Do you possibly have TMJ? I kenew I did and went for adjustments but it never "stayed" long enough for me.

I FINALLY tried a bite guard. I had been talking to my dentist about it for about two years but was scared of the $600.00 price tag. (He had pointed out that it doesn't work for everyone.)

After I slept wearing the guard most of my neck pain was gone. I still don't know how all that plays into the pain I had but it worked for me. I just wish I tried it sooner. That may be something to think about.

Aside from pillows, L., have you tried anything (like yoga) for relieving your back pain? It works wonders. A. B.

Memory foam is a buzz word in the furniture industry right now. It does NOTHING for comfort because it does squash down to nothing. It is also very hot.
You don't say what the neck and back problems are, but I would try streching and strengthing exercises. Also stress can cause you to grind your teeth in your sleep and that can lead to neck and upper back problems.
Rather than finding a pillow or pain pills to take away your pain, find the cause of the pain and take care of that.

A chiropractor I used to go to sold water-filled pillows at her office. You bought them "flat" and then filled them with water yourself. I'm sorry, I don't remember the brand name or the price. The chiropractor was Langford Chiropractic in St. Paul, MN.

I buy the cheap foam contour pillows from target $15-$20 I think. When I start to have problems again I use the other bump and when that wears out I get a new one. I think it is still cheaper in the long run because the expensive ones don't last forever either. I bought one from my chiropracter and hated it. I had to return it.

L.,

Hello! I would work with your chiropractor to determine the best pillow for your neck and which brand/size work for you. I have a tempur-pedic that I spent about $95 on and I've had it for 7 YEARS!! Compared to my husband who's bought about 7 pillows for $40 a pop - my tempur-pedic is quite the deal.

A pillow is something you use EVERY DAY. You are a busy mom and deserve to rest your head on something comfortable at the end of the day :)

I literally just tried 6 different contour pillows. I tried from the 150 dollar Tempurpedic to the Target cheapy. The one I found worked the best for me was the 30 dollar HOM pillow from Linens and Things. It may wear out sooner than the others, but I sure love it.

Dear L.,
I have been a chiropractor for the past 18 years. Talk to your friends and get a referral to a chiropractor. Go and get the adjustments that they recommend. There is something structurally wrong that is causing your neck and back pain that a pillow won't fix. After you have gone and are feeling better, then get a pillow which will help keep your neck more aligned at night to prevent you undoing what they have done. DO NOT stomach sleep, it is the worst thing for your neck.
Also, as a collections rep, are you on the phone all of the time? If so, get a headset and don't hold the phone in the crook of your neck so you can write.
Hope this helps.
Dr. T. Fleming

Just a note... memory foam is extremely toxic. Laying on the memory foam may help your neck or back, but in the long run it may overload your system with toxic fumes/residues. I would highly recommend purchasing one of those round neck pillows (I forget any brand names). They essentially do the same thing, but are generally not made with the foam products and therefore do not release toxic chemicals into your environment. Regular stretching can help tremendously with neck and back problems (Rodney Yee's Back Care Yoga and/or A.M. Yoga are great DVD's -- they are less "spiritual" than many other Yoga programs... there are also other stretching DVD's out there if you want to avoid the Eastern religion altogether). Also, regular massage therapy with or without chiropractic care can also help relieve back/neck problems long term. Joint and muscle pain can also be aggrivated by consumption of suger (specifically cane/beet sugars and high fructose corn syrups), caffeine and dairy/meat products. Cutting these out of your diet or at least cutting back your consumption of these products you should see a tremendous difference!

Best wishes!

I've been there with the back and neck pain. Here are a couple options to try:

1. Sleep with a rolled up towel under your neck only. This way, the space under your neck will be supported, but your head won't be propped up so far by a pillow. Your head and your body will basically be in a straight line.

2. Sleep with a pillow under your knees (if you're a back sleeper) or get a contoured pillow (or even a small couch pillow) that fits between your knees if you're a side sleeper. The first option helps your back lay flat against the mattress and helps take out a little of that curve. The second option helps relieve the stress that women especially have because their hips are wider than their knees.

3. When you get up in the morning, swing your legs out of bed first and then push yourself upright with your hands. This minimizes strain on your back. (My chiro demonstrated this for me.) Also, this would be the best time to get on your hands and knees and do a couple cat/cow stretches. Arch your back like a cat and drop your head. Then slowly reverse the move by dropping your belly towards the floor and looking straight ahead. Always start these moves from the pelvis. This will help loosen you up. It's a basic yoga pose that's recommended for lots of people (pregnant moms, etc.).

L., I am so right there with you! I have a GREAT chiro in downtown minneapolis that I will share with you - let me know if you want his name. His philosophy is to NOT have you return -- unless you need to.
But, I also found relief in getting a new mattress (ours was 9 years old and rolling to the middle!) and a great pillow meant for side sleepers. The pillow is a more expensive one, like $40 (I think) from Restwell Mattress Company - they are like Original Mattress Factory. It is much firmer. I didn't think I would like it, but it really has helped!
Good luck!

have you been to a chiropractor? They can treat back and neck pain without drugs and usually have good recommendations on pillows, etc.

It's nice if you have relief from a pillow, but ongoing neck and back pain doesn't seem normal to me.

My chiropractor got rid of my neck and back pain without drugs or surgery. He also has a few different pillows he recommends depending on the person.

L.,

My husband got me one from the sleep number store. It was a little over $100 and I dug in my heels about the price, but the first night I slept on it, I slept all the way through the night for the first time in over two years. In the morning I actually have full movement in my neck, something I hadn't had since I was a kid.

We have had the sleep number pillows for 2 1/2 years now and they are as good as the day we bought them. I can't remember the length of the guarantee; I know the bed warantee is 30 years. You may have to try a few different styles to get the one that works right for you, but they have a home trial and you can take it back if you get the wrong one.

Good luck,
S.

i've had that same cheaper one and i've gotten a really expensive one from my chiropractor and they both flattened in the same year or less time. you could try rolling up a hand towel or whatever size is comfortable to support your neck in bed. i'm hoping someone else has good ideas on this too, because i have alot of neck pain all the time.

S.

I got the cheapest one Kohl's has, usually $20 but I'm sure I used a % off coupon. I can't sleep without it now. I did get a second one for my husband bc the more expensive regular pillow got lumpy in 6-8 months and he kept stealing my pillow, lol. I can notice the difference between the new and old, slight, but different. I don't know if a more expensive pillow would hold up longer or not. If you machine wash it that will shorten life span as well. Our older pillow is still comfortable, but the new one is a bit better.

I actually just use a body pillow that I purchased at wal-mart. You can find them pretty much anywhere it is a matter of preference. Mine is microfiber on the outside and very soft on the inside. I have used mine throughout my whole pregnancy and it has made a huge difference. Even though I am still young I have lower back problems from an accident when i was a child. So I would go for a body pillow...shop around online...usually the best way to find what you are looking for.

1. get a cheap swim "fun noodle" from Wal-mart or the dollar store and cut it to a short length. That makes a small "roll" pillow, perfect for the curve of your neck. Place it just a bit lower than you think you should and lay on it for 15 minutes morning and evening. (I put a sock over mine since the noodle material bothered my skin.)

2. chiropractor visits cured my chronic lower and mid-back pain.

3. I am working on posture and using yoga to manage my chronic neck pain/upper back and shoulder pain. I just ordered a new DVD, Yoga for Stress Relief that sounds really good. Send me a message for detailed info if you are interested. I paid about $10 for my copy.

4. If you want to get a yoga DVD specifically for neck pain, make sure you read the customer reviews on Amazon.com before you buy! Most beginner yoga DVDs are sun salutations, which is not really going to target your neck pain. And some of the ones that SAY they are for neck and back and shoulder pain are really just glorified sun salutation routines. So shop carefully or you will end up "wasting" your money getting something that won't really do what you want it too. Again, send me a message if you have questions and I will send you more info - I have a wiggly 2 yr old on my lap right now so I am trying to amke this short :)

Try placing a folded, thin blanket or towel underneath the pillow to help. It worked for me to increase the life of the pillow. I'm not convinced the more expensive pillows are worth the cost for just another year's worth of use. (you could buy upto 3 or 4 less expensive ones for each of the more expensive ones--which in the end is cheaper without decreasing the effectivness). Good luck.

I got one from my brother-in-law who is a chiropractor (if you are from the Omaha area he is at Elkhorn Chiropractic). It is contoured but stays firm. I love it and would highly recommend it. Just stop in at an office and ask them if they could get you one. Since I've had mine, my neck is much better!

After two back surgeries (I'm only 30) I have tried a lot :) I have the more expensive contour pillow from target and it has held up for well over a year. I don't use it all of the time since I sometimes have better luck with just rolling my regular pillow up a bit to support my neck when I sleep. What seems to help the most is placing a giant pillow under my knees to take the stress off of my lower back. I guess it depends on if your back pain is upper or lower...
I use both pillows since I have low back pain and my arms go numb when I sleep on my back so I use the neck support to relieve that :)

What helps me the best is going to see my chiropracter. I trust him completely and does not push anything on you. He just tells you to come in when you feel you need to, not when he thinks you need to to make the most money :)

I don't have any answers for you but I also suffer from neck and back problems so I was wondering if and when you find something that works for you could let me know. I would really appreciate it! Thankyou J. Sorry I couldn't be of any help!

http://www.painreliever.com/ther.html

I got this pillow from a chiropractor 4 years ago and still use it. I bought another one online for my husband. I think it has greatly reduced the need for a chiropractor.

I have nec and back issues also. I have tried contour pillows (not the expensive ones) but I now use a water pillow from JC Penneys. I prefer the water pillow and sleep better and feel better with it.

Contour pillows are great for neck discomfort, unfortunately, the cheaper ones (usually less than $80) sold retail have a life span of only 6 months - 1 yr with daily use. The higher priced ones generally last for a year or two more. The most long lasting ones I've found (I'm a chiropractor and have lots of patients inquiring about these) are ones that have a pouch inside that lets you fill it with water until the pillow has the right curve for your neck. Since the support for your neck is from the water, not the cushions, when it starts to feel too loose, you just add more water. They generally run around $75-$100 but they last at lease 5 years, likely more. I'm not sure if you can currently buy them retail, but you could probably find one to buy from a local chiropractor's office. Just call around first so you don't make a needless trip. Hope this helps.

My Chiropractor sells different contour pillows. (Hopkins Wellness Center) I'm not sure what all is there. I just see racks of them in the middle, so there may be water pillow.

I have one of the expensive contour pillows, and one from Target. There is definitely a difference. The "memory foam" in the Target one does not seem any different than any regular foam. The expensive one is still going after 3 years. It's flattened a bit, but it's still fine. Sometimes you have to pay for quality if it's something you want to last. Otherwise you end up spending more in the long run for a lot of cheap ones.

My husband is a chiropractor, so here is some free advice: You get what you pay for. Cheap pillows will break down rapidly. If you are looking for a good memory pillow, he suggests the Tempurpedic. It is worth the extra cost. Also, are you sleeping on your stomach? This can cause neck and shoulder pain! It's best to sleep on your side or back with the memory foam pillow. Now, here's some advice from ME: you may want to give a chiropractor a try. I would personally avoid one that will try to sell you a big package deal (i.e. 40-60 visits with incentives for paying upfront!) You should know in 1-3 visits whether you are getting relief from the neck/back pain. It works for me! Ask friends, relatives or your M.D. for the name of a good chiropractor in your area.