Seattle Chiropractic Practice Shares Recommendations on Buying the Right Pillow

Abrams Chiropractic publishes tips on buying a pillow that can help reduce neck and back pain and improve sleep

 

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2014 -- Abrams Chiropractic in Seattle has recently published a tip sheet for buying pillows that can help avoid aggravating neck and back pain while sleeping. Like the selection of the right mattress, choosing the right pillow can have positive effects on reducing existing neck and back pain and can help avoid the development of sleep-related soreness and stiffness. The choices for consumers are numerous, with a wide range of materials from down feather, memory foam, cotton and a range of synthetic fillings available. Many manufacturers offer therapeutic designs, like cervical pillows and rigid ergonomic pillows, which are marketed as beneficial to sufferers of neck and back pain. The key to selecting the best pillow is to find the right combination of firmness and form to accommodate a specific body type or chronic pain issue.

Abrams Chiropractic suggests performing the “Standing Test.” When selecting from a variety of pillows, stand up straight using good posture, keeping the shoulders back and head held high. This stance is meant to mimic a sleeping position. Standing next to a wall, with the pillow between the wall and the back of the head, the pillow should support the head and neck as it would when lying down. The tested pillow should support the head and neck in the same way it would when sleeping.

It’s important to note that different sleepers require different types of pillows. During the night many people toss and turn, ending up sleeping on a preferred side or on their stomachs or backs. Movement of the body during sleep changes the ways that a pillow is able to support the head and neck, and may reduce the ability for the pillow to properly support and align the spine. This is why different pillows are needed for different types of sleepers, and why so many varieties of materials and firmness are available. The best sleeping position for spinal health and comfort is to lie on one side. This position maintains the spine’s natural S-curve. Sleeping on the stomach can be painful since it forces the head to the side, turning the spine and often resulting in neck pain. When pillow shopping, remember that the pillow should keep the head in line with the spine. To learn more about proper sleeping behaviors and how chiropractic treatment can relieve neck and back pain, visit www.abramschiropractic.com.

Abrams Chiropractic Clinic
7815 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 789-5704