Neck Pain Support Blog

I Just Ordered a New Pillow and it is not like my Old Pillow!

Everyone has a favorite pillow, and there comes a time, when it has be replaced. That's the sad fact.

I recently got a call from a very concerned husband. His wife has been using the Arc4life traction pillow for many years. Recently they put the pillow into the washing machine and when the pillow came out of the washing machine it wasn’t the same pillow and it did not offer the same support that her old pillow offered. So they ordered a new Arc4life Traction pillow. The problem with the new pillow was that it was too firm and too high and did not feel like her old pillow. So what to do? Is this normal?

When you order a new Arc4life traction pillow it has brand new fiber in it that has been hand stuffed into the pillow. The new pillow is going to be more firm and the contours are going to be more defined. As you use the pillow, it is going to break down overtime as you slowly get adjusted to the contours of the neck rolls. This takes time. There may even be a short adjustment period (for example, use the pillow for only 5-10 minutes to start every night for a few nights). To get used to using a new pillow. Arc4life recommends that a person sleep on the support side or the neck roll side of the pillow to begin with. If needed, sleep on the pillow for no more than 5 to 10 minutes at a time. The problem with the new pillow was that it was too firm and too high and did not feel like her old pillow. So what to do?

Another alternative is to order a different pillow completely. Preferably one that is less firm and less high. However that is not recommended. For example Arc4life created another pillow called the Arc4life natural alignment pillow which offers very gentle neck support. This pillow is made specifically for patients who have a lot of acute neck pain, or have a short neck, or have a very sensitive neck where they need some support. This pillow is very different then the Arc4life traction pillow.If a customer has used and liked the Arc4life Traction pillow then normally it is suggested to stick with the same pillow. The contours of the traction pillow are very beneficial for neck support and neck alignment. After the initial adjustment. The majority of patients adjust very well to the Arc4life traction pillow and use this pillow only every night for sleeping. 

Additional Reading:

• How to use the arc4life traction pillow
• Choosing the right size of traction pillow
• More Information on the arc4life traction pillow
• When is it Time to Change Your Pillow.
• How to Use the Traction V Side of the arc4life pillow

Ideas to Help You Sleep Better at Night

  

Sleep Is Part of Life - 33% of it in fact.

Sleep is a great thing...when you can get it. When you cannot, you scratch your head and wake up feeling like you are not rested.

A recent study even showed that if you felt like you did not sleep well, then you were less likely be to productive.

You spend one third of your life sleeping. Its something that you should try to do as well as possible. It will do your body good.

Sleep is a great thing...when you can get it. When you cannot, you scratch your head and wake up feeling like you are not rested.

You spend one third of your life sleeping. Its something that you should try to do as well as possible. It will do your body good.

  Your Bedroom Set up is Important

Simple is Best, especially when it comes to keeping your rooms ready for sleep.

 

 Avoid Eating too Close to Bedtime (especially Snacks)

If you are planning on sleeping at 10 pm, try to have your last meal at around 6:30 to 7. You will then give your body proper amount of time for digestion. Also don't be eating too many sugary things close to bedtime, as this can keep you awake. For example apple pie or ice-cream (my downfall). These, I do not recommend right before bed time.

What Does the National Sleep Foundation Say about How Much Sleep We Should Get?

The National Sleep Foundation released the findings of a 2 year sleep study and looked at how many hours of sleep people need every night:

• Newborns (age 0-3 months ): 14 to 17 hours
• Infants (age 4-11 months): 12 to 15 hours
• Toddlers (age 1-2 years): 11 to 14 hours
• Preschoolers (age 3-5): 10 to 13 hours
• School age children ( age 6-13): 9 to 11 hours
• Teenagers (age 14-17): 8 to10 hours
• Younger adults (age 18-25): 7 to 9 hours
• Adults (age 26-64): 7 to 9 hours
• Older adults (age 65+): 7 o 8 hours

Source: National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations| Journal Sleep Health, March 2015, Volume 1, Issue 1, Pages 40-43

 

 Time Your Caffeine Consumption Carefully

I wish I was one of those people that could enjoy a cup of coffee right before going be bed. I really enjoy hot beverages like tea, coffee and hot chocolate. But I stay away and drink these hot drinks in the early afternoon, and never after 1 pm.

I once had a ice coffee at a Vietnamese restaurant, and it kept me up for 2 days. Seriously.

So I learned my lesson about too much caffeine throughout the day.

Pass on the cappuccino and caffeinated coffee after dinner, if possible. Opt for hot milk instead (this will actually help you fall asleep). Coffee can definitely keep some people up at night. I don't recommend having this hot beverage right before going to bed.

 

 

Drinking Coffee in the Afternoon sounds Wonderful, but not so Wonderful for Helping me Fall Asleep at Night. Choose the time that you drink your caffeinated drinks wisely.

 

A Warm Shower: This can feel Relaxing Right before You Go to Bed.

Make sure your shower is not too hot. Lukewarm is best and it won't dry out your skin. Taking a warm shower before going to bed can be very relaxing indeed. Make sure that your shower is not super hot.

 

Your Mattress and Pillow can Really Help you Sleep Better

a) Your Mattress

Test the springyness of your mattress. If your mattress sags, you need a new one. Even when you test out mattresses at the store, make sure there is no sagging when you lay your body on the mattress. Check your upper back, neck, and lower back. Does it feel supported? That is why it is super important to do some testing when you purchase a new mattress. This is not something to be purchased online.

Recently friends of ours got a very fancy mattress. You know the Select Comfort type where you can choose the level of firmness of the mattress. I am happy for them- but I truly don't think you need to spend so much money on a mattress. Yes it is important ,b ut other things are MORE important.

If you and your partner like two different styles of mattresses, and cannot comprise, then the select comfort that iImentioned above may be ideal for you. You can actually select hard vs soft for mattress softness - for both the right and left side of the mattress. That is pretty cool.

b) Your Pillow

The right pillow can not only help you fall asleep faster, but also stay asleep. A contoured neck pillow- one with rolls in it, is the best choice. This provides proper alignment in the cervical spine (your neck).There is often a center depression in this type of pillow: a square, trapezoid, or triangle. This helps you to rest your head comfortably with support. Always check the firmness of a pillow. A pillow that is too firm will be very uncomfortable to sleep with. Also, check the size of your pillow as well.

 

 Turn off The Technology Around You

By Technology I mean your a) cell phone b) tablet c) computer d) laptop.

Avoid keeping your cell phone, tablet computer or laptop near your bed where you sleep. Turn them off, and put these things in a different room, or away from where you are sleeping. Sometimes even the lights from these gadgets can be enough to keep you awake.

We used to keep our cell phone near our bed, on the nightstand. Recently, we have moved the cell phone right out of the bedroom. It now sits just outside the bedroom. One of us has to get up and turn of the alarm every morning. This has turned out be ideal because it helps us to wake up as well. It can be annoying on the weekends, but we don't mind.

 

Do This Before Sleeping..... Make it a Habit

Don't Worry You Can Get Your All Your Messages The Next Day...

 

Keep Your Room as Dark as You Can

Keeping the room dark can help you sleep better. Sometimes all you need a small night light that may be down the hall that keeps just enough light on.

Just outside our bedroom door we plugged in a small night light. Enough light that you can get up and go to the bathroom and see where you are going. Just enough. Overall the room is pretty dark.

 

A Little Literature can Help you Sleep

Nothing too exciting should be read, but this does work for many people, including myself. Reading for about 20 minutes can be very relaxing and just put you into the mood for sleep. One tip I would suggest, is to read a real book, not something in the digital format. The light that is emitted from a device can actually hinder you from going to bed.

Even for my kids, this technique works. We have recently been reading the Jack and Annie Magic Tree house books. My kids love them and both of them know that it is time for bed.

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Relax before going to bed

Relaxing right before going to bed is most important. Put on some light music that is low in volume, dim the lights. Sometimes just doing NOTHING, can really help you get to sleep.

 

Sleep on a neck pillow WITH CONTOURS

By this I mean sleep on a contoured neck pillow- one with rolls in it. This provides proper alignment in the cervical spine.There is often a center depression such as a square, trapezoid, or triangle in shape and helps you to rest your head comfortably with support. Always check the firmness of a pillow. A pillow that is too firm will be very uncomfortable to sleep with.

 

 

An Example of A Pillow with Contours.

The TriCore Family of Neck Pillows has contours on it that support Your Neck. This pillow is on the firmer size of support.

 

 

 Exercise Can Make A Difference During the Day, Not Right Before Bed

I have found being tired out seems to help. A good workout or in my case a brisk 20 minute walk can be very beneficial.

I don't recommend exercising right before bed; but do something during the day that will fatigue you, get your heart rate going. Fresh air helps too.

 

 

The Benefits of Exercise cannot be Overstated. A simple morning walk can make a big difference to my entire day and to how well I sleep that night.

 

Increase Your Consumption of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Researchers at University of Oxford (UK) recently published (2014) in the Journal of Sleep Research and showed that consuming higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids DHA allows us to experience better sleep. This was seen especially in children. The study was done on 362 children, ages 7-9.

Where do Omega 3 Fatty Acids Come From?

• Fish oils
• Tuna
• Flax seeds
• Avocado
• Salmon

 

The Right Sleeping Pillow Can Make a Big Difference.

Arc4life Cervical Traction Pillow for Neck Pain Relief, Cervical Neck Support and Neck Traction, Best Pillows for Sleeping, Stop Neck Pain, Side Sleeper Pillow for Neck Pain MEDIUM 24x17

The Arc4life Traction Neck Pillow. Easily sleep on your back or side. Gives your neck and head good support so it is easier to relax.

 

 

 

Invest in a Sound Machine

When my daughter was born, we needed some kind of sound device to lull her to sleep. It was the only thing that worked. A sleep machine worked wonders for her.

Over the years, I have found out that the sound of running water, thunder and rainstorms helps me sleep. This might be the case for you as well.

We ended up getting the Big Red Rooster (see below) sound machine. I liked how it looked and the reviews on it were positive overall. This sound machine features white noise, the sound of water, the sound of crickets, the sound of the amazon... you might be surprised at what might work for you. They even have a button called white noise. That one is interesting. A little scary, I thought personally- but it might appeal to some.

A Little Box with a Big Effect

 

 

 

 

These are my Top  Tips for the Best Sleep. What Are Yours? Please Share.

 

For Women, Lack of Sleep Affects Their Working Memory, Study Shows

We’ve all had sleepless nights in our life. Every once in a while your baby can’t sleep well, you drank too much coffee, you have to pull an all nighter, or you are just very restless and can’t get to sleep.

A new study shows that when sleep deprivation occurs, it affects women’s working memory worse for women than men.

What is Working Memory? They use the term working memory to refers to us being able to remember information for short time frames, and also be able to make decisions and complete tasks. Basically doing a few tasks at the same time. 

Prior research has shown that working memory is affected negatively when we do not sleep.

A new study showed how not sleeping well impacts our working memory. This study was done by the Department of Neuroscience at Upsalla University in Sweden (led by  Frida Rångtell, a Ph.D. student). In particular the study wanted to show how lack of sleep affects men and women differently, in particular there working memory.

The study was reported in the findings in the Journal of Sleep Research.

In this study there was a total of 24 young adults 12 men and 12 women and each of them completed a memory test one week apart. There were two groups:

1. One group took a test after a full night of sleep (8 hours of sleep) 
2. The second group of people took the test after an entire night of sleep loss.

The memory test required the participants to remember an eight-digit sequence of numbers. Each subject repeated the test 16 times, and the team used their average scores to estimate their working memory performance.

The researchers study showed that a night of sleep loss had no effect on the working memory of men. But the result was very different for the women in the study. The woman in the studies' working memory  was reduced. 

Rångtell and his team say that this result may be a concern for women. "Working memory is central in cognitive functioning and key to perform[ing] efficiently and effectively in academic, professional, and social settings," they write in their paper. The researchers said that this represents a ricks factor for harmful accident and mistakes that can happen when women don’t sleep enough."

Source: Staying up all night harms women's working memory

Additional Reading:

• Sleep Deprivation Can affect  your brain and mind
• Are you Waking up with a Stiff Neck Every Morning?
• Quality of Sleep vs Quantity of SLeep-  Yes there is a difference
• What is the right amount of sleep for our body for optimal functioning
• Get the right pillow for better sleep every night

 

Neck Traction Does Not Need to Be Scary.

If you are looking for natural pain relief options for neck pain - neck traction might come up. When you first mention Neck Traction to patients they sometimes have a dazed look on their face. They think you are going to hook them to a machine that causes a lot of pain. 

Neck traction can be beneficial for many conditions including:

• neck arthitis
• radiculopathy
• pinched nerve
• nerve root compression
• spinal stenosis
• fibromyalgia
• whiplash (not acute)
• headahces
• muscle spasms
• herniated disc
• bulging disc

I want to show my Neck Pain Support Readers that you can start off with very basic neck traction. This allows you to slowly get into neck stretching. Here are 3 easy things you can use.

1. First use the arc4life traction neck pillow, especially the traction V Side. If you just lay on your back, on the traction V Side of the pillow for 20-25 minutes you will get some pain relief. You are not sleeping on the pillow, just laying on the pillow. Set a timer if you have too. This is a great form of passive traction that you can do at home. Basically you are stretching the spine very gently and allowing the nerves to be freed up in between the vertebrae. One important side note, order the right size of pillow. Ordering the wrong size can cause you unneeded pain.
2. A little more advanced form of this would be to use a traction unit - such as the cervi pedic, or an omni cervical relief device. Basically these units cradles the head and neck in proper alignment, to encourage gentle traction and correct cervical curvature. They are both ergonomically contoured and allow total relaxation of the neck, shoulder, and back muscles. Note you can use both the Omni and the Cervi pedic lying down or seated. 
3. The most advanced form you can do at home is using a posture pump 1100 or a Pronex Traction Unit With this unit for example you can get up to 20 lbs of pressure.  I often recommend to use this in a chiropractor or Physical therapists office first to understand how to use it and use it correctly. You will then know what neck traction feels like. Also, a unit like this helps to correct the natural C Curve in your neck. So if you have forward head posture, or a hunchback posture, then can help immensely.

Using the Pronex for Neck Stretching Can be Easy to Set up and do at Home

Neck Traction can have quite an impact on patients health. It can help with pain relief, better posture, relief of radiculopathy symptoms ( such as numbness and tingling, shooting pains), headache relief and stiffness and help patients sleep better.

Just remember to ease into it slowly. That is the key. Nothing scary about Neck Traction.

Updated: 4/24/2020

Related articles

Who Does the Arc4life Traction Pillow Work Well for? (The Queen of Neck Pillows)

Neck Pain Support Blog: Optimize Your Posture While You Sleep with the Right Pillow

18 Causes of Neck Pain You Might Not Think of...

Neck Pain can be caused by sleeping in a zig zag pattern on an uncomfortable couch in an uncomfortable position. It can be caused by an awful sneeze even. What are some other things that can cause neck pain that you might not think of right away?

1. Migraine Headache
2. Neck injury
3. Osteoporosis
4. Infection of the spine
5. Muscle strain
6. Compressed nerves
7. Worn joints
8. Whiplash
9. A Ruptured disk
10. Fractures
11. Narrowing of the spinal canal aka spinal stenosis
12. Poor posture
13. Fibromyalgia
14. Cancer that involves the spine
15. Arthritis or Degeneration
16. Meningitis
17. Bone spurs
18. Military Neck or No curve in the neck

Additional Reading:

• How to Stretch Your Neck Easily for  Neck Pain Relief
• A Pillow that Helps with Neck Pain
• Why Stretching your Neck Can help Your Neck Pain
• Help ! I Have Neck Pain and Headache after Work
• Don't let a bad neck ruin your travel plans

Updated on 4/24/2020

Related articles

Do I Get An Epidural?

1st Starting With A Neck Pillow...Go Gradual

I Have Pain When I Breathe?...

Kelly Ripa's Chiropractor Recommend an Alkaline Diet

Why am I Tired All the Time?

What Are Some Ways to Improve Your Posture?

 

Ways to Improve Your Head and Neck Posture

 

 

Ways to Improve Posture:

• Watch how you use your cell phone. Don’t look down at it constantly. This adds a lot of extra pounds to your head and neck that you are carrying around, thus leading to neck pain, midback pain and headaches
• Don’t sleep on your stomach - this contorts your head and neck in such a way that it puts pressure on vital ligaments and nerves in the neck
• Sleep with a contoured neck pillow at night. A pillow that aligns your head and neck whether you are sleeping on your back or on your side
• Watch how you sit: When you drive, when you watch TV, when you use the computer. Are you slouching? Is your head forward?
• Do head retraction exercises to help improve your posture and train yourself to have ideal posture no matter where you are

Updated: 4/24/2020

Related articles

1st Starting With A Neck Pillow...Go Gradual

Do I Get An Epidural?

Neck Pain Support Blog: Optimize Your Posture While You Sleep with the Right Pillow

Kelly Ripa's Chiropractor Recommend an Alkaline Diet

Why am I Tired All the Time?

Who Does the Arc4life Traction Pillow Work Well for? (The Queen of Neck Pillows)

How do you Train Myself to Change my sleep position from stomach to side?

How do I train myself to change my sleep position from stomach to side? I am starting to develop lower back pain.

This is a great question. Not the easiest fix, because it does require some effort on your part. But it is possible to change your sleeping position. 

Many people wake up with neck pain, stiffness, muscle spasms and low back pain all because of their sleeping positions. If you are a stomach sleeper, consider changing how you sleep. Sleep with a pillow under your stomach. You can get a stomach pillow (see picture below, the teardrop pillow) or you can use a flat fiber filled pillow. You can also sleep with a body pillow. So technically your body thinks you are on your side, but your body will feel like you are sleeping on your stomach.

If you are a stomach sleeper, this is one way to change your sleeping position

The Tear Drop Pillow Can be Used by Stomach Sleepers

Good for you, for realizing that you need to train yourself to sleep on your side vs your stomach. 

Any chiropractor will tell you to stop sleeping on your stomach. It is not healthy for your head and neck. Not good for your posture and alignment. Not good for your muscles. Hope this helps.

Updated: 4/24/2020

Optimize Your Posture While You Sleep with the Right Pillow

We live in a society where we are constantly on our computers and our cell phones all. day. long. That is why forward head posture is prevalent. Forward head posture creates a lot of stress for your neck, upper back, shoulders and midback area. It can lead to neck pain, waking up with stiffness, headaches, numbness and tingling, a feeling of heaviness and limited motion in the spine.

One area where you can fix your posture is using the right pillow at night. If you sleep on a flat pillow, you are not getting the support that you need. Our natural neck spine has a C curve in it. You need a pillow at night that helps to restore this natural curve in the neck. 

Enter the arc4life traction pillow. That is the pillow that I recommend to help maintain proper posture at night. If you do not have a curve, have a little curve, or even have a reverse curve, this pillow can help. 

Anatomy of the Arc4life Traction Pillow:

If you have forward head posture, rounded shoulders,or a hunchback posture- you need a pillow like this to fix your posture. Does it happen overnight. NO. Overtime, yes a change will take place. You can also add neck traction and postural exercises. But you have to start with sleeping on a contoured pillow so that at least your neck is in the right position while you sleep. This is where posture correction can start. For some people there is an adjustment period to using a new pillow. Keep that in mind. One final thought. You need to order the right size of pillow. Some pillows are one size fits all. Not the arc4life traction pillow- it actually comes in a small, medium and large. In general, if you are under 5'ft order the small, over 6 ft order the large. If you are in between, order the medium. This is just a general recommendation. If you need further information about the right size, contact me here at Neck Pain Support and I can help. It also depends on your weight, frame and what you currently use for a pillow. 

Updated: 4/24/2020

Additional Reading:

• Tutorial Guide on how to use the Arc4life Traction Neck Pillow to fix posture
• Why the Arc4life Pillow works for  Military Neck
• I see the T in the Pillow, but not seeing the V in the Pillow
• Improve Your Posture right now
• What Kind of Pillow should I sleep on if I am a Stomach Sleeper?

10 Best Ways to Do Neck Traction at Home

Here are 10 ways you can stretch Your neck Effectively:

 

#1. The Posture Pump 1000 - Here is a very comfortable type of neck traction that arc4life recommends. You simply lay down and you will feel a neck stretch behind your neck. Simply inflate or deflate the bulb to increase to decrease the stretch.

#2. The Soothe- A- Ciser - a natural way to do neck traction. Simply lay back on the cushion. Use many times by chiropractors, massage therapists and other health professionals in their office.

#3. The Arc4life Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow - the arc4life traction pillow gives you a gentle neck stretch when you sleep. Very comfortable.

#4. Over the Door Neck Traction System - A simple and effective way to do do neck traction. You can get up to 20 lbs of neck traction with this system. May look archaic, but it does the job effectively.

#5. Your Bed - a great way to start neck traction. Simply lay your head off of the bed, and let gravity do the work.

#6. A Towel Roll - roll up a towel and put it under your neck. You can make the towel roll as small or large as you wish to. Very comfortable and a great way to get started doing neck traction.



#7. The Omni Neck Stretching Device - simply lay on this device and your neck will be stretched.

#8. A Collar for Linear Neck Stretching - imagine wearing a neck collar that inflates on the right side and the left side. That is what the trac collar does. You can increase to decrease the right, left or both sides. Great for seated traction.

#9. A Neck Orthotic - a gentle less aggressive way to do neck traction. Simply lay on the neck orthotic which is made of a soft foam. Great for someone older or with advanced degeneration with still wants to do curve correction or gentle extension traction.

#10. Saunders Neck Traction Unit - a more advanced type of neck traction. You can get up to 50 lbs of pressure with this traction unit.  Another more advanced traction unit is called the Pronex Pneumatic Cervical Traction Device which comes in 3 sizes as well.

Neck Traction= Neck Pain Relief

When doing any type of neck stretch, it is best to follow the advice of your Doctor or health care professional. Often times, a chiropractor or physical therapist will stretch your cervical spine in their office and give you home instructions. Usually patients do neck stretching from 5- 20 minutes, with varying levels of neck traction (up to 20 lbs). It could be as simple as just laying on a roll type of material (a pillow or foam roll) or doing active neck traction with a traction machine: the Saunders, the posture pump 1000 or a trac Collar.

You want to gently stretch your neck before you start by doing simple flexion, extension, rotation and lateral flexion

After traction, you may want to use some ice on the muscles to minimize soreness (which can happen in the beginning of doing a neck traction protocol).

Updated: 4/24/2020

Which Pillow is Comfortable & Does Not Cause Pain To The Neck?

A reader recently contacted me and asked,

"Which pillow is comfortable and Does Not Cause Pain To The Neck?"

 

What's the Best Pillow and Won't Cause you Neck Pain?

 

 The truth is every pillow has some kind of an adjustment period to it. Your neck muscles, upper back, shoulders and head muscles have to get used to the contours of a new pillow. It could take a few days, or it could take a few weeks. For some people, they are able to sleep on a pillow the whole night through right away. 

If you have neck pain, numbness and tingling, headaches or another neck pain condition, it may take longer to get used to. You may have to get a little worse, before you get better.

Another point that should be made is that a pillow that is too large for you will definitely cause you neck pain and stiffness. Also pillows that are way to firm can cause neck pain. On the other hand, a pillow that is too small, or not supportive enough can cause you neck pain. It can put your head and neck into an uncomfortable position, resulting in pain the next day.

So to answer your question, there is no one pillow. I would recommend a contoured neck pillow vs a flat pillow and I would highly suggest you get the right size to start sleeping pain free as soon as possible.

Additional Reading:

• Sleeping in the wrong position can be the cause of Neck Pain
• Choosing the Right Pillow So that you don't end up with a heaping amount of pillows in your house
• The Right Pillow for a Military Neck and A Stiff Neck
• Why You Should Use a Neck Pillow Every Night Vs no Pillow
• Travel Neck Pillow that Helps you Get Comfortable No Matter where you are

Related articles

Neck Pain Support Blog: The Wrong Position at Night Can be the Cause of Neck Pain

How to NOT End up with a Closet Full of Pillows

Do I Get An Epidural?

1st Starting With A Neck Pillow...Go Gradual

Vitamins Work Together Along with Minerals - Wellness 4 Life

Seeing the T on the Pillow, but Not the V... (The Queen of Neck Pillows)