Neck Pain Support Blog

Neck Pain While Working Out

It’s healthy to exercise or workout, but not if it causes you pain. It should make you feel good and energized, right?

One of the biggest complaints I get is “How can I avoid neck pain when I work out?” The main thing to keep in mind is that with most exercise routines you will work the neck slightly. Think about it- just lifting a barbell, you may flex your biceps or chest mainly, but you will also flex the majority of the neck muscles as well. Even while running your head moves. How about crunches for your abs, no matter what you do you get some neck involvement.

Here are a couple quick tips for working out neck pain free:

• when doing abdominals or crunches, instead of locking your fingertips behind your head, let your hands float behind your ears. This will prevent you from literally pulling your head forward.
• When lifting weights for a muscle group, avoid too much weight or pushing yourself to do extra repetitions when fatigued. If your triceps are exhausted, but you want to push out a couple more repetitions, your body will recruit other muscles. Have you ever seen someone at the gym who is trying to lift extra- you can see every muscle and vein pop out. Avoid this, especially when you are healing from a neck injury, and limit this kind of workout normally to prevent possible neck strain.
• I would also avoid a lot of running when your neck is sensitive because not only do you work the neck muscles slightly, but there will also be a certain amount of pounding which can aggravate a previously strained or spasmed neck.
• Since your neck muscles get a fairly good workout no matter what you do, I would avoid trying to hook a harness up to your neck and lifting weights primarily with the neck. This usually does more harm than good.

Working out your neck muscles and upper back is an important part of the exercise regiment. The benefit derived from exercising and being active cannot be overstated. Just make sure you are safe and taking the right precautions while working out.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Strengthening Your Neck Muscles for Better Health
• How to Avoide Neck Pain While Doing Abdominals
• Study shows that Strengthening the Neck Improves Quality of Life for Chronic Neck Pain Sufferers
• Stretches for the Neck that Really Work
• Exercise | Rehab | Balance Training | Increase Proprioception

Are Trigger Points Causing your Neck and Upper Back Pain?

A few years ago, a patient brought in a funny looking tool that looked like a cane with knobs. At first appearance I could not figure out what the purpose of this "tool" was. My patient demonstrated to me how this device helped work on her trigger points and she excitedly explained how it gave her a lot relief from tight muscles in her upper back, muscle spasms and tender points that she could not reach on her own. I was definitely intrigued.

 

A big part of your neck pain often involves muscles and tendons. While putting the spine in alignment takes pressure off of nerves and helps the body heal, loosening tight muscles will help the spine stay in healthy alignment. The same is true for muscle spasm or muscular trigger points (adhesions in the muscle fibers that feel like a knot in the muscle). Often times these trigger points are tender to touch and sometimes they may even cause a pain elsewhere in the body- aka A Referred Pain. For example, in the last Neck Pain Support Blog Post I discussed the SCM muscle in the neck- Trigger points in this muscle refer to the forehead, above the eye, into the back of the head and behind the ear.

Many of our patients ask, “what can I do at home to relieve my muscle tension”? Along with getting a good neck pillow for alignment, I often recommend muscle massage or trigger point therapy. Two great tools that you can use at home to do this are called the TheraCane Home Massager Tool and the BackNobber II for muscle trigger point self treatment. 

Theracane Home Massager Tool

Certain times, you can use the tip of your fingers or knuckles (with some pressure) to massage reachable areas of your neck and back; sometimes even lying on a tennis ball and rolling it around on the muscle tight spots will help relieve tension and remove pain. However, it is often hard to get to certain areas of the back such as the paraspinal muscles. Also, you may not be able to apply as much pressure as you would like to get relief.  Using the Theracane or the Backnobber is literally like having an extra set of hands to help you get the “knots” out of your back muscles. These units apply pressure to sore muscles and trigger points. This can aid in reducing tension and pain in the muscles, increase range of motion and restore overall function. When you do use a home massage tool, keep in mind that when you press on that tender trigger point, stay on that point for a few minutes.

Back Knobber Massager Tool

Using one or both of these massage tools will make a huge difference in how you feel. You can get a deep massage to the hard to reach areas, save your hands, and finally break up those muscle knots that are causing more pain and contributing to poor posture and spinal alignment.- NJ

Additional Reading Resources

• Pain in the Upper Trapezius Muscle
• What Can Cause a Stiff Neck
• Using the TheraCane for trigger points in the mid back and lower back area
• Home Massage Unit for Muscle and Trigger Point Pain Relief
• BackNobber II for Muscle Trigger Point Self Treatment

 

Updated on 7/6/2020

Improve your Posture with the Posture Corrector

Recently, I have been getting many emails from patients who wish to improve their posture. The most common posture I see is the forward head posture (or forward head carriage) with rolled shoulders forward. A slouched looking posture that is not healthy for your spine. The Posture Corrector is the best support that I have found to keep your shoulders from rolling forward. Incidentally, keeping your shoulders back, also keeps your head from being too forward, a position that puts a tremendous amount of strain on the neck and upper back.

The Posture Corrector is a canvas support that is invisible under clothes- it can be used by men and women. It’s a one size fits all (up to a 40”chest) with a clasp in the front to tighten as needed. Larger sizes are available as well on arc4life. The white canvas is made out of breathable cotton and has two flexible stays that go over your shoulders. The shoulder straps will give you a comfortable fit while at the same time holding your shoulders back, in a neutral position. To understand how the posture corrector is worn, watch this new youtube video:



Having Proper Posture is not an overnight fixable thing. It takes time to train your body to be in the right position. You will be engaging new muscles to act different- you will feel things differently. You may even have a little soreness by the end of the day in your new posture. Think about how long you have been assuming your present posture. Now you have to train your muscles to be in a different better way. Through traction protocols, using the right pillow at night, head retraction exercises (and other postural exercises) and using the posture corrector, you can have better posture overtime. - NJ

Additional Reading Resources

Improve Poor Posture with the Posture Corrector

6 Ways to Improve Your Neck Posture

The Best Neck Exercise to Correct Forward Head Posture

Why Posture Is the Window to Your Health

How to End Neck Pain By Doing Cervical Traction Protocol At Home

Visit the Arc 4 Life Store for your online selection of neck pillows, cervical supports and cervical traction products 4 relief of stiff neck, and neck pain.



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Sleeping on your Side when Using a Cervical Support Neck Pillow

I just received my Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow and I had a question regarding side sleeping. I know that if I am sleeping on my back my neck will be in the V part of the pillow. I am a little confused about how to use the pillow when I want to sleep on my side. Do I want to keep the pillow in the same position as I would as if I were sleeping on my back (V under my neck)? I assume I would then just lay to the left or right of the V to sleep on my side. Or to I rotate the pillow 180 degrees so the V is upside down like this ^ and I just like on my side that way. I just want to make sure when I sleeping on my side that I am using the correct posture. Thank you, Maxine

Dear Maxine,
The Cervical Traction Neck Pillow is made for side or back sleepers. When you sleep on your side, you sleep on the wings of the pillow. You do not have to rotate the pillow 180 degrees to sleep on your side. You can sleep on the V side to the right or left of the V. Keep in mind, that you will get maximum traction when you sleep on your back. To help facilitate this, you can put two pillows under your knees to make it more comfortable or use a knee elevator. You will not get as much traction on your side, but you will get some.

Also, the other side of the pillow is more for support, as opposed to traction. You can use this at any time to sleep on (on your back or side).

Finally, you might experience some soreness in the beginning in the neck and upper back area. If you find yourself waking up after a few hours with soreness in the neck, go back to using your regular neck pillow. This does happen for some patients and is normal because your body is getting used to a new position of sleeping. Every patient is different. Some can use the pillow straight through the night from the beginning. If you do have soreness, ice your neck and do some neck exercises next morning.

Sleeping on a cervical support neck pillow is a good idea because your head and neck will be in proper alignment. A good support neck pillow will allow you to sleep on your back or on your side with no problems. The Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow does a great job of that. -NJ

Additional Reading Resources

• Which Sleeping Position is Best For You?
• How to Use the Traction Side of the Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow
• Downloadable E-Book: The Neck Pain Relief Kit
• 6 Ways to Get A Better Night’s Sleep
• Sleeping Comfortably When you have Neck or Back Pain

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical supports and cervical traction products for relief of stiff neck, and neck pain Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

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My Trapezius really hurts..How Do I find Relief?

Having a tight and sore upper back is very common. Most people do not realize that this is the trapezius muscle, also known as the "traps" muscle. If you do a lot of typing, taking on the phone or spending time at your desk, you may have first hand experience as to what I am talking about.

The Trapezius muscle is huge. It encompasses your neck, shoulder and upper back area- and it has 3 regions: upper fibers, middle fibers and lower fibers. Shaped like a trapezoid, this upper back and neck muscle is one of the largest in the body.

The trapezius muscle not only helps you to breathe, but it affects the motion of the scapula: elevation, adduction, abduction and depression (basically all your ranges of motion for the shoulder). So the next time you are reaching out for something, shrugging your shoulders, or turning to look at something- remember that the trapezius is involved. The trapezius muscle is activated when you laterally bend and rotate your head and neck- making the relationship with the neck very important. Everyday in our activities of daily living we are using the trapezius muscle. Sitting at a keyboard, driving, and sports such as tennis, baseball, and swimming all have active trapezius involvement.

You can stretch the trapezius muscle at home quite easily: Steps to stretch the right side of the trapezius

1. laterally bending your head to the left (left ear to left shoulder)
2. taking your left hand to the right side of your head/ear and pushing to the left.
3. Turn your head slightly right 3) Hold this stretch for 10 seconds, and repeat.

**make sure you are not slouching when you are doing this trap stretch; also, take deep breaths while you are stretching.

The trapezius muscle is commonly found to be stiff, tight and can be very painful. Besides doing regular stretches, you can get a portable tens unit for pain relief to work muscle spasms. Using this in conjuction with the heat/cold therapy is a good idea. For acute conditions use ice, and for chronic conditions (a condition lasting for greater than 3 months), use heat. For the trapezius muscle use a hot cold pack that is 6x20 (cervical pack)or 9x16 (tri sectional pack) in dimensions for good coverage. Finally, you can use topical pain relief creams for instant pain relief. One topical pain relief cream that you can use is called  Sombra (see Below), which works similar to an icy hot.



 

A sore and painful upper trapezius muscle is more common than you may think. Working at a desk job, or driving for long hours are activites that use the trapezius muscle can cause the muscle fibers to shorten, increasing the tightness- often described as sore, achy, tight, even burning. This strain to the trapezius muscle can be very annoying and painful. Other things that can cause muscle spasms in the trapezius include : lack of exercise, stress, poor diet, tension, and faulty ergonomics. Simply making changes to improve our posture while sitting can help to keep the trapezius musle in a relaxed, pain free state.

The trapezius muscle is one of the largest muscles in the body. It is responsible for so many actions that we use at every moment of our life. Taking the time to stretch, maybe even change the way to work, and most importantly to relax can make a big difference.

Additional Reading Resouces

• The Dreaded Hunchback. How to correct that area of your Upper back that pops out and looks funny
• Why is Slouching so Bad
• Stretching and Strengthening Exercises for the Neck
• How to Treat Tight Muscles with Biofreeze Natural Pain Relief Gel
• A pillow for neck and shoulder pain that works for side and back sleepers
• How to treat muscle spasm with Sombra Gel and a Hot and Cold Pack
• Decreasing Tension and Stress in the Upper Back area

Visit Arc 4 life for your online selection of cervical supports and cervical traction products for neck pain relief, neck stiffness and discomfort

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The Right Neck Pillow for A Herniated Disc in the Neck

At the neck pain support blog I get a lot of emails about which pillow is the right for people. This question is hard to answer because everyone’s preferences are different. Some people like to sleep on their back, some on their side. Some people are 6’0 ft, others are 5’0 ft. Some need a special neck pillow because of a specific condition like a herniated disc or their spouse complains that they snore ! Each of these concerns is valid and deserves attention. Choosing the right neck pillow is tough, especially with all the different types available on the market today. But it’s a relevant question to be answered because we spend about 1/3 of our life sleeping, and doing so comfortable is important. Lisa sent me an email recently regarding choosing the right neck pillow for her:

Hi, I'm trying to decide between the cervical linear traction neck pillow which only comes in one size and the linear gravity neck pillow which comes in 3 sizes. My neck kills me when I'm sleeping. I have about 3 different pillows that probably aren't right for me. I have a military neck and have bulging discs from C4 through C7 and am having pain in neck shoulders and arms, occasionally hand. I am 5'2 1/2 and weigh 108 lbs. I am petite. What pillow do you suggest because I want the traction? Thanks, Lisa

Hi Lisa, The only pillow that provides neck traction, is the cervical traction neck pillow. This pillow comes in a standard size which is a medium, dimensions 20"x26"; The pillow does not come in a smaller size. If you able to handle a medium sized pillow and are currently using a medium sized pillow- then the CLTraction Pillow will be okay for you. Remember, you can use both sides of the pillow- the traction side and the support side. We have noted that patients who are of ht 5’0” and petite framed tend to prefer the smaller linear gravity pillow (especially if they are used to using a smaller pillow).

Arc4life’s Small Linear Gravity Neck Pillow dimensions are 23"x17" - and overall the pillow is smaller. This is an excellent support pillow for your neck. It has two different neck rolls that you can use for neck support.

Another suggestion for you might be to get the small linear gravity pillow and get a traction unit such as the cervical traction posture pump. This is good if you don't have a curve in your neck (military neck) and also if you have been diagnosed with bulging discs. Check with your Dr to make sure that you are cleared for neck traction. You could use the traction device during the day and use the linear gravity neck pillow at night. You can do the same thing with the cervical traction neck pillow.

Keep in mind that any pillow you use, particularly a cervical support pillow is going to take time to get used to. In fact if you experience soreness and stiffness the next morning that is a normal response. Use the cervical support pillow for just a few hours each night till you get used to the contours of the pillow. In the morning, ice if you need too and do neck exercises such as stretches for pain relief.

Some additional reading resources:

• What is the best pillow for a Pinched Nerve in the Neck

• How to Choose the Best Pillow For your Needs

• Understanding A Disc Problem Like a Jelly Donut

• More information about Arc4life’s Linear Gravity Neck Pillow

Hope this helps,

NJ www.neckpainsupport.com

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical supports and cervical traction products for relief of stiff neck, and neck pain Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

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Natural Treatments for Headaches and Neck Pain

I get a lot of emails from patients who suffer from neck pain- and more usually than not, they also suffer from headaches. This connection between headaches and neck pain is real and is often referred to as “cervicogenic headaches”. Anatomically speaking, internal connections between cranial nerves and the muscles of the head and neck play a major role when someone suffers with neck pain and headaches. Specifically, C1, C2 and C3 nerves that exit the cervical spine go directly into the head. They innervate the muscles at the top of the neck, near the attachments of the skull. Hence any pressure put on these nerves or spinal joints will cause irritation and pain. Here are some examples of these muscles:

• The semispinalis capitus muscle is innervated by nerves C1-C5- the function of this muscle is to rotate the head and pull the head backward
• The Longus Capitus muscle is innervated by nerves C1-C3 and flexes the head (brings the head forward)
• The Rectus Capitus Lateralis is innervated by C2 and C3- its job it is bend the head laterally

The 5th cranial nerve** called the Trigeminal nerve innervates the sensation to the face and is located in the upper neck region. Another cranial nerve, cranial nerve #2 innervates the sensation to the back of the head up to the top. Problems located in the upper neck region will often result in pain radiating up from the base of the skull/upper neck to the eyes and/or face.

The 11th cranial nerve called the spinal accessory nerve innervates two muscles called the sternocleidomastoid and the trapezius muscles, 2 muscles in the neck. The sternocleidomastoid muscle tilts and rotates the head, while the trapezius muscle has several actions on the scapula, including shoulder elevation and adduction of the scapula. Injury anywhere in the neck can cause spasm and pain in these large muscle groups.

As we can see there is definitely a connection between the muscles of the upper neck and cervical spinal nerves and cranial nerves. Understanding where your headache is coming from is important – and your exam should include a check of the neck, upper back and cranial nerves. A chiropractor will often note spinal misalignments in the upper cervical spine as well as trigger points in the upper neck muscles.

What type of treatments will help with headaches and neck pain?

• Traction, or stretching of the cervical spine will help to ease pressure off of the cervical nerves. Traction can be done in the office or even using a home unit such as the pronex cervical traction unit.
• Chiropractic adjustments will help to align the cervical spine, thus removing pressure to the upper cervical nerves which directly innervate the muscles of the head and upper c spine
• Stretching exercises of the neck muscles will also help to decrease pain and maintain mobility in the cervical spine. These exercises should be done slowly and the stretch should be held for at least 10-15 seconds. Furthermore it is important to do strengthening exercises to prevent to make your muscles stronger and prevent recurrent headache occurrences.

Arc 4 life offers other natural headache remedies as well including:

• Headache Ice Pillow- This special "u" shaped neck pillow is made specifically for headache pain sufferers and has a special compact design. This neck pillow helps to relieve headaches by providing support to your neck while sleeping or resting in a seated position.
• Healthy Neck System- The Healthy Neck System was created to ease neck tension and upper back muscle spasms. It has 5 special contact points for your neck that you can use to decrease tension and reduce trigger points.
• Halo Rejuventor- The HALO Rejuvenator Pain Reliever works by simply increasing the blood supply to the affected areas, strengthening the neck muscles and naturally enhancing spinal alignment. When the body senses extra weight on the head, the spine reacts in a vertical way and lengthens by as much as ½ inch. In doing so, the three curves of the spine straighten and your posture becomes more erect, which in turn relieves abnormal tension of the muscles.
• The Cervical Traction Neck Pillow- The Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow is a great neck pillow for patients who suffer from headaches. The traction "V" side of the neck pillow will give you a gentle stretch in your cervical paraspinals, suboccipitals and upper trapezius.

** There are 12 cranial nerves- they are called “cranial” because they originate in the brain

Additional Resources:

• The Right Pillow for Headaches
• Treatment of Headaches: T.E.N.S vs Manipulation
• Neck Pain Relief Kit
• Neck Exercises for Pain Relief
• More Headache Remedies

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The Normal Cervical Curve in the Neck

The cervical curve in the neck is supposed to be a “C” shape. There are 7 vertebrae or bones in the neck spine: C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7. The first vertebrae, or C1 is also know as the atlas, and C2 is known as the axis.

If I look at a “lateral” cervical spine (meaning from the side) x-ray- the spine should be in the shape of a “C”.

If I look at a “AP” cervical spine (meaning from the front) x-ray- the spine should be straight up and down, with no curves.

In between each of the bones, are the cervical spinal nerves, labels as in the diagram below as C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and C8.

The cervical spine is very important because it encompasses and protects the spinal cord, holds up the head and skull and also allows us to move our head: forward (flexion), look back (extension), bend from side to side (lateral flexion) and turn our head from side to side (rotation).

Protection of the spinal cord is extremely important: messages from the brain travel through the spinal cord, out via nerves- innervating muscles, organs, blood vessels- this system controls how we walk, talk and basically do all of daily functions.

What do these cervical nerves control? They control certain areas of the head, neck and upper back, including the arms and hands. More specifically:

• C1: Head and neck
• C2: Head and neck
• C3: Diaphragm
• C4: Upper body muscles (e.g. Deltoids, Biceps)
• C5: Wrist extensors
• C6: Wrist extensors
• C7: Triceps Muscle
• C8: Hands

Often times we see a loss of the cervical curve, also known as a “loss of cervical lordosis” or “military” neck.

Doctors often prescribe cervical traction to help get the curve back into the spine. This involves home traction and also using pillows that will provide gentle traction while sleeping.

Also surrrounding the cervical spine are tendons, ligaments and muscles- they allow for movement and prevent us from doing certain motions to prevent injury and pain.

So there you have it- hopefully you understand the significance of the cervical spine- and why it is so important. The cervical spine is composed of bones c1-c7, nerves c1-c8, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Wrapping your head around all the complexities and functions of the cervical spine- can be a daunting task.

Additional Resources:

• Neck Pain resulting from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy- Understanding the symptoms of a radiculopathy, causes and treatment
• How to End Neck Pain by Doing a Cervical Traction Protocol at home
• Neck Posture: Optimal Posture for the C-Spine
• Improve your posture and Sleep Better with the Right Neck Pillow
• Loss of cervical curvature- "military neck"
• Why Posture Is the Window to Your Health

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Treating Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Cervical Spine Naturally

If you have been diagnosed with arthritis in the cervical spine, your Dr probably has put you on medications. What are some natural ways you can treat this condition of the cervical spine?

If your suffer from arthritis such osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis you may suffer from stiffness, joint pain, tenderness and swelling. Fingers, knees, hips, the neck and other parts of the spine can be affected. Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage, the gel like substance that acts like a shock absorber and keeps adjacent bones from touching.

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA), also known as DJD or degenerative joint disease. Seen mostly in the elderly patients. It often affects hands and weight bearing joints such as knees. It involves cartilage destruction followed by the formation of bone spurs in the joint margins Most times arthritis occurs gradually and starts with stiffness, pain and loss of mobility. Often times it occurs in the morning, is affected by weather changes and occurs after exercise sometimes. It is often relieved by rest. With OA, there is no signs of inflammation.

Another common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The difference between RA and OA is that RA is an inflammatory condition that affects the entire body especially the synovial membranes of the joints. In this type of arthritis is autoimmune in nature, with the body’s immune system attacking itself. RA often involves the hands, feet, wrists, ankles and knees. The onset is gradual and RA is characterized by tiredness, low grade fever, weakness, joint stiffness, and joint pain. The involved joints can be warm, tender and swollen. RA often affects the joints symmetrically ie both wrists or both ankles.

Here are some key factors to consider when it comes to nutrition and lifestyle changes:

• Perform relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, meditation, prayer for 10-15 minutes per day
• Drink at least 4 glasses of water per day
• Bromelain- a proteolytic enzyme that is found in pineapple has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties.
• Vitamin D- the Sunshine vitamin that so many people are afraid of. Working with calcium it ensures strong and healthy bones, and reduces cancer risk.
• Omega 3 fatty acids- found in fish oils, omega 3 fatty acids have been found to improve those that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. It is found to decrease the tenderness in the joints. Researcher have also found that fish oils help to decrease inflammation by helping the body make substances call prostagladins.
• Probiotics
• Glucosamine Chrondrotin- one of the most widely used for the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. It slows joint damage over time.
• Cayenne- comes in the form of a topical crème and helps with pain relief. The capsaicin in cayenne stimulates then blocks the transmission of the pain impulse. It does this by depleting the nerves of a messenger substance called substance P (P stands for Pain) which is a chemical that sends pain messages to the brain. Be caution as this can cause a burning sensation. Substance P also activates inflammatory mediators into joint tissues in RA.
• Be involved with light to moderate exercise everyday such as walking or swimming to keep your muscles strong and improve your joint function. Doing neck stretches everyday can also be beneficial. The more stiffness that you suffer the less you will be motivated to exercise and it can become a very bad and habit. Fight the urge not to exercise. Inactivity causes more weakness to muscles, causing more stress to the joints and increasing pain.
• Apply heat or ice to your neck and upper back muscles a few times per day for pain relief.
• Try a topical ibuprofen such as ibunex for acute pain in the neck. It contains Ibuprofen, glucosamine chondroitin, MSM, and Bromelain. The great benefit of Ibunex is that it is applied topically, and therefore bypasses senstive organs and the digestive system. It uses Liposomes for delivery through the dermal skin which are are fatty droplets that encapsulate key ingredients and carry them to the target tissue where the lipids are naturally consumed making the ingredients bioavailable.

Updated: 4/25/2020 (Ibunex is no longer available)

Additional Resources:

• Stop Arthritis Neck Pain Dead In its Tracks
• Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain Through Exercise
• Neck Exercises for a Healthy Neck
• Formula for Strong Bones + Healthy Discs + Protection of Cartilage and Joints
• The Powers of Vitamin D: Better Sleep and a Better Mind

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How to Use the Traction Side of the Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow for maximum pain relief and the better sleep

Arc 4 Life’s cervical linear traction neck pillow is different from the regular neck pillows you can buy in your local store or online. If you suffer from arthritis in the neck, a disc bulge, herniated disc or chronic neck pain, you may have been recommended to try this pillow.

Today I want to discuss the best way to use this neck pillow.

If you have been diagnosed with a loss of cervical curve, a loss of the cervical lordosis or a military neck- which means that you don’t have the proper c curve in your neck, then you may been recommended to try neck traction. Basically this is a stretching of the cervical muscles which can put the curve back into the cervical spine over time. You may be doing home traction or during your physical therapy sessions. Many patients do neck traction 3 times per week for about 15-20 minutes and use the cervical linear traction neck pillow at night. This neck pillow is designed to keep your head and neck in the proper position. In particular the part of the pillow with “V” provides the cervical traction. If you sleep on your back, you will get the maximum traction that the pillow provides. When you sleep on your back, your neck should lie where the "V". This will provide a gentle stretch in your spine while you are sleeping. It is also a good idea to place a few pillows under your knees or a knee elevator, taking the pressure off of the lower back and making it more comfortable for sleeping.

Keep in mind that you may experience some soreness when you first use the pillow- you are changing the position that your head and neck are used and using different muscles. Soreness and pain can occur in the suboccipitals and cervical paraspinals during the first few uses.

Also, for some patients, the cervical linear traction neck pillow may be too large- its dimensions are 20”x26” and the height of the pillow without sleeping on it is about 4 inches. If you are less than 5 ft and weigh 110 lbs or less (or consider yourself petite framed) the pillow may be too large for you. On the other hand, if you are used to using a queen size pillow, the pillow may be fine. Consider the linear gravity neck pillow in the small size. If you are 6 ft or taller and need a larger pillow, good news! The Cervical traction neck pillow comes in a large size 21” x 33” -(www.neckpainreliefkit.com).

The cervical traction neck pillow does not come in a smaller size, although I know that Arc4life has tried multiple times. The contours and design does not allow for a smaller version of this pillow, although I know it would be most welcome if it was possible.

Please email me if you have additional questions about the cervical traction neck pillow.

Additional Resources:

• Frequently asked Questions about the Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow
• Optimal Posture for the Cervical Spine
• How to Choose the Best Neck Pillow
• DownLoadable E-Book: The Neck Pain Relief Kit
• 6 Ways to Improve Your Neck Posture

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