How to choose your neck pillow

The Internet is flooded with neck-support pillows in various shapes, sizes and materials. Many of these pillows claim to promote better sleep, relieve neck pain and prevent episodes of stiff neck and frozen shoulder.

Tense muscles, pain and discomfort are becoming increasingly common health complaints. Often they result from pillows that are too high, too soft or too stiff for the individual user's needs. The muscles of the neck and back often have to compensate for bad pillow design, working overtime to ensure proper alignment of the head and neck. No wonder so many people wake up feeling worse after a full night's sleep!

Most episodes of neck pain, back pain and shoulder cramps can be prevented by specially designed neck pillows. The best neck pillows are designed to align the cervical spine in a neutral position, to support the lordosis (natural curvature) of the neck and to support the head and enable shoulder rotation.

While neck support is proven to help people with cervical problems, you need to ensure that the type of neck pillow you buy provides the right level of comfort and neck support all night long. Many of the "special neck pillows" available in the market today have not been designed or recommended by a registered physiotherapist or neurosurgeon.

Leading neurosurgeon Dr. Berke has found much success in his quest to provide effective neck support for people who suffer from neck and back problems. Many people have benefited from his specially-designed contoured memory foam pillow, which relieves pain, cramps and numbness with its 3-step action:

1. The contoured design holds the neck and head in the right position for healthy posture. In the side-sleeper position, the contoured design takes the pressure off the arm and shoulder and relaxes the neck and upper back.

2. The arm channels free up the shoulder, enabling arm rotation without disturbing the head and neck.

3. The dense, visco-elastic memory foam moulds to the unique contours of the user, supporting the lordosis of the cervical spine and providing years of comfort and support.

Neck pain often results when the natural curvature of the spine is compromised. Proper head and shoulder alignment is a must to maintain the natural lordosis and to completely relax the muscles of the neck.

For those who want to ensure a good night's rest, it is important to choose a pillow with a scientific design, which is made of high-quality memory foam. The pillow should tested for comfort and support and be recommended by a qualified physiotherapist or neurosurgeon, who can understand the difference between proven technology and untested hype.

Click here to discover how you can ensure better sleep and freedom from aches and pains by picking the right neck pillow!