Your Neck Pillow, may be the same thing someone else has, they just don't call it by that name. Neck pillows are specifically designed to keep the neck in alignment. To review that alignment I'm referring to, let's look at the spine.
Remember our posture is like a window into the spine; if your head juts out forward (forward head posture), that's what the spine looks like inside you. Or, if your head tilts to the left, your spine inside you tilts left too. An x-ray of the neck will confirm it. Of course make sure the individual getting x-rayed in standing up; this means gravity is pushing down on him. Taking a picture lying down is not the same as standing against gravity and may not show true alignment.
That's how a neck pillow works; it helps you restore or maintain alignment while you sleep. We often refer to neck pillows as cervical pillows, chiropractic pillows, orthopedic pillows, or yoga pillows... Chiropractors, orthopedists, osteopaths, naturopaths, as well as other therapists deal with the spine on a regular basis. These doctors, as well as other practitioners and therapists like your massage therapist or yoga instructor to name a couple often recommend them too.
This is what complimentary medicine is all about. Your primary care doctor may prescribe this pillow, but maybe it's out of his specialty and he recommend you see a Chiropractor. Your doctor of chiropractic may have you see a masseuse, etc... He or she may even have one that practices out of their office or another kind of doctor as well. Complimentary doctors and therapists may even practice in a multidisciplinary or group setting. When this occurs you may not even have to go to another office to receive or attain advice from another professional.
All that being said, any of these practitioners as well as a friend or neighbor may recommend one of these pillows or another product to speed the healing. so keep in mind that if your orthopedic surgeon recommends an "orthopedic pillow" it may be the same as the "chiropractic pillow" your chiropractor has in his office, or the "neck pillow" you ordered online.
Additional Reading Resources
- Which pillow do you recommend for me if I have a Short neck?
- "I didnt' sleep with my usual pillow and wound with a stiff neck the next day
- Simple things you can do for a stiff neck
- A deeper look at neck stretch systems for work to provide neck pain relief
- What to do when you have a herniation in the neck
