For some patients they have an everchanging need for different pillows. This can happen because of an neck injury, a repetitive movement that causes pain once in a while, or perhaps a kink in the neck.They may need a softer pillow or a firmer pillow at times. What is a patient to do in cases like this?
One alternative is to consider an adjustable neck pillow. One where the user can take out the material from the actual pillow. Yes, you can get the pump up with air kind, but I am talking about the kind where you can open up your pillow, and remove filling to decrease the support of the pillow or add filling to increase the support of the pillow. This might sound almost to good to be true. Could a pillow like this provide the adequate level of cervical support that you need. The answer is yes. These pillows can be easily fluffed and changed around that you can change the level of support very easily. Personally I use one of these pillows for under my knees as well. I removed much of the fiber (which was a combination of shredded memory foam AND polyester fiber fill), and made it somewhat flatter. Below is the Arc4life Adjustable Pillow:
Memory Foam + Fiber Neck Pillow for Sleeping- Adjustable Pillows for the Side & Back Sleeper with Washable Bamboo-Tech Pillow Cover
I just ordered a contoured neck pillow, called the arc4life traction pillow. It is causing my neck a lot of pain somehow which is a shame because I really wanted it to work! -Ada
Dear Ada, Thank you for your email. Any contoured neck pillow takes a while to get used to for patients, especially those who have neck pain to begin with. It is not meant to be used the whole night right in the beginning. We recommend that you first sleep on the pillow for no more than 5-10 minutes, and keep increasing by 10 min each night. Second, you should be starting to use the support side of the pillow, not the traction side.
I would recommend you try it one more week. Then email me back. I think it is worth it. Okay, so start :
1st night: 10 min
2nd night: 20 min
3rd night: 30 min
Sleep on the support side to start. On the 4th night, try 45 min- 1 hr.
One more thing I want to mention you can do with the traction "V"side of the pillow. Use it for a gentle neck stretch. Simple lay on your back on the V part of the pillow. Not sleep, just lay on the pillow. Set a timer for 10 minutes to start. Next day do 15 min. Keep working your way up to 25 minutes.
Here is a short video showing you the features of the arc4life traction pillow:
Keep in mind, that if you are used to using a flat pillow to sleep every night and now have switched to a contoured neck pillow, it is going to take some time. You may wake up with a neck ache and soreness if you decide to sleep the whole night through the first night (not recommended). You will be engaging different neck muscles when you use a pillow with curves on it like the arc4life traction pillow.
I truly think it is worth a try, as this pillow has helped many patients in the past provide neck pain relief. - Nav
"The Arc4life Pillow has helped many patients with neck pain, numbness and tingling, weakness in the extremities. Knowing how to use it effectively is important." — Arc4life Pillow Experts
The 2 Key Components of This Pillow If you look at this picture above, notice the two sides of the pillow. You have a neck roll on one side (the top part of the pillow) and you have a part where there is a "V" coming out at you. Do you see the V at the bottom of this pillow?
The V Side - Gives your neck a gentle stretch or "traction"
See below for Dr.Bellinger's video for further clarification on how to use this neck pillow and the 2 key components:
How to Use the Pillow When You First Get it Home
First look at the pillow and familiarize yourself with the two sides that we have mentioned above.
Know that you can sleep on either side.
Which side you sleep with will depend on a few things.
If you suffer from neck pain, headaches, stiffness, numbness and tingling, or weakness in the upper extremity, the traction side will be most therapeutically beneficial for you.
If you are looking for a support roll pillow, use the support side.
If you have a lot of sensitivity in the neck area, start with the support side. It is gentler and softer to use.
You can Use this Pillow for Sleeping and ONE MORE THING
Use it During the Day and at Night (in different ways)
Naturally, one would think that the only way to use this pillow is for sleep. Yes, this is the main way to use the pillow. However, we have a lot of Dr's who recommend this pillow to their patients to use it in the beginning just for traction. This involves laying on the pillow for 10-25 minutes to achieve a gentle neck stretch. The patient is recommended to lay on the traction v part of the pillow during the day, and to sleep on the opposite side of the pillow. This works well for patients who have a lot of neck pain.
Getting used to using a new pillow might take some time
You can sleep on your side or on your back.
For those patient who suffer from neck pain or who have a lot of sensitivity in their cervical spines, getting used to this pillow might take some time. We always compare this is working out at the gym. When using the arc4life traction pillow, you will be using different neck muscles - muscles that you may not be used to getting stretched. Just like working out a new muscle group at the gym, you might experience some muscle spasms or pain with using this pillow for the first few days. Keep in mind that this is normal.
How to get Accustomed to the Two Sides of the Pillow
The neck roll side of the pillow is gentler and softer than the traction side of the pillow. For someone starting for the first time using this pillow, we would recommend that you start with the neck roll side.
Don't feel that you have to sleep with the pillow the whole night thru from the very beginning. Slowly get used to it. Start by sleeping on the pillow for about 15 minutes. Let your neck muscles get used to it and relax as much as you can. Then put the pillow away and use what you normally use. The next night, use the pillow for 20-30 minutes. Same thing - relax and allow your neck muscles to get used to the new pillow. The next night, try for one hour and go from there. You can sleep on your side or on your back.
You can see the two parts of the arc4life traction pillow here in this picture.
The Traction V Side **May** be hard to get used to (for Some).
As we noted previously, using the support side of the pillow will be easier in the beginning for most patients.
However, lets say you have a very painful neck condition, and you really want to get some relief. Especially from something like a herniated disc, bulging disc or neck arthritis.
Use the Arc4life traction pillow as a traction unit. Set a timer for 10 minutes to start. Lay on the traction V side for 10 minutes on your back. This is similar to using a traction unit such as the posture pump or over the door neck traction unit. The next time you do neck traction, lay on the V side of the pillow for 15 minutes.
Doing neck traction everyday when you have a neck condition can provide a tremendous amount of pain relief.
"I have used the Arc4life Chiropractic Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow (large) for only a week and most of my neck pain has vanished. Another result has been an improvement in flexibility because I can move my head farther to the right and left." — Tom Robertson (October 2015)
I need specific help with my neck condition and choosing the right product...
Well there is a solution for that. Arc4life has customer service available to help you decide which pillow is best for you. Whether its the arc4life pillow or another pillow altogether. Their customer service # is 1-800-605-7079. There are 2 dedicated pillow specialists who can help you. If they are not available, they will call you back during normal business hours. Just leave your name, number or email address. Customer service turnaround time is pretty quick.
So you fell while playing t-ball with your co-workers and you knee is in major pain and its swollen. Which major pain reliever to you reach for in your medicine cabinet? Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen? Check out the scientific explanation below about how these two pain relievers work on receptors in our brain.
It's good for many to know that Tylenol is Acetaminophen - A good way to think of one thing it does is that it fools the brain so you don't feel the pain. Acetaminophen was actually discovered in the 1800's and is not an anti inflammatory medicine. One interesting fact is that it may work the the system in your body that responds to cannabis. Actually no one really knows.
"Advil" and "Motrin" are Ibruprofen. Aspirin is very similar to ibruprofen. Naproxen, or "Aleve" is similar too. Really, the question becomes: when do I use which one? Aspirin may be tougher on the upper digestive tract; so if you have issues there, like heartburn or ulcers, you may want to use something like "Motrin", or "Advil". "Aleve" seems to work especially well against inflammation.
Ibuprofen was discovered in the 1960's and markets over the counter in 1983. It is anti-inflammatory in nature and is said to stop the production of prostagladins.
The first thing to do is for any other part of the body as well - warm up.
Do some dynamic stretches or warm-ups specifically for the neck. The best are half circles for the neck. Roll from one ear to the other with your head tilted forward. Roll from one ear to the other with the head extended back.
Otherwise a general warm up like a 5 minute jog or a few minutes on the bike will help to get your entire body loosened up.
I like neck half circles but I like to put the neck into all it's ranges of motion and do a stretch in each direction too.
These directions- include:
1. Flexion - tilt the chin down to your chest. For an extra stretch put some light pressure behind the head pushing the head into more flexion.
2. Extension - the exact opposite of the 1st one. Tilt the head back. Use one of your hands to apply light pressure tilting the head into more extension.
3. Right lateral flexion - lateral flexion is the same as bending or tilting to the side. Bring the right ear toward the right shoulder. For a bit more stretch, reach up with the right hand pulling the head into more lateral flexion.
4. Left lateral flexion - done to the opposite side of right lateral flexion, this time bring the left ear to the left shoulder.
5. Right rotation - turn the head to the right, fingers or the hand on the left temple with a little pressure will put you in extra rotation.
6. Left rotation - the exact opposite of right rotation, or I probably should say the mirror image. Do the same thing but turn the head to the right.
Afterwords I like more sustained stretches. So for example bringing one ear to the shoulder and holding 15 seconds. A "cool down" is good too... Finish with a 5-10 minute light bike ride for instance; even do a little neck massaging.
I am not one to take pain medications regularly. In fact I have taken OTC (over the counter) pain medications maybe 1-2x per year or not at all. Recently I had to get a tooth removed, and I was in a lot of pain. Like 10/10 pain level, we are talking high intensity.
When something is hurting, maybe it's in the middle night, we just want to take something to go back to sleep and get out of pain. You might be looking in your medicine cabinet and have a glazed look on your face...which medication to take and get rid of the pain?
Here's the usual OTC - Over The Counter list:
Acetominophen (Tylenol) - this basically tricks the brain and tells you there's less pain; used as a pain reliever and fever reducer.
Ibuprofen (motin or advil) - helps reduce pain and inflammation, often easier on the stomach than aspirin.
Aspirin (bayer)- also helps bring down the inflammation, relieve aches and pain, and is also used as a blood thinner.
All of these can be used for those minor pain episodes like a headache, neck pain, toothache, fever, etc.
That being said you need to read the directions and follow your doctor's advice. Make sure there's no side effects or complications with other medications you may be taking. Also before you go out and drive, make sure its okay to be taking one of these pills. All of these over-the-counter medications can be easily found at the drugstore and often at your grocery store which has a pharmacy as well.
A few other points....It's also recommended and probably states on the bottle to take with a full glass of water. Follow the directions and don't exceed the amount that is recommended. Also only take on an as needed basis.If pain persists or changes for more than a couple days really need to see your doctor.
Finally, check the expiration date on your over the counter medications in your medicine cabinet. If you dont' use these a lot its easy to lose track of these dates.
There are multiple kinds or forms of neck traction. One form is simply a stretch of the neck. The other, which we will call "true neck traction", is a stretch but also puts curve into the neck.
Of theses two forms there are multiple kinds of traction devices and ways to do them. There is in office traction and there is home traction. A lot of the home devices are used in an office or by your therapist as well.
The first kind of traction is manual traction. This is where your doctor or therapist literally stretches you. He or she gently pulls on the head.
Another way to do this is hanging upside down. Many of you have heard of inversion tables for the back. Well the neck gets stretches too. There is also over-the-door traction and something called the Trac-Collar. These are both devices that do the stretching.
Next we have that true neck traction. Something like the Posture Pump or Pronex is the way to go. You essentially lie on a soft bulb under your neck that you pump up to work the "C" curve in the neck and stretch out the neck.
Why does a person typically get recommended neck traction? Usually it because they were diagnosed with a pinched nerve. This may be causing neck pain or possibly arm and hand symptoms.
Solely stretching the neck will open up the foramen in the neck. These are the holes in the side of the spine where the nerves travel of of the spinal cord to the rest of the body. When we work the neck curve in as well we will automatically get this as well as keeping it that way.
Head retraction exercise may be one of the most commonly prescribed. Forward head carriage is one of the most common postural misalignments out there. Plus as we move to an even more technology based society it will probably only get worse. Now I'm not saying becoming more techie is a bad thing but it just mean more heads glued to the computer screen on down on their phones,etc.
They are essential to do when working to correct forward head and neck. For the reasons mentioned previously we are constantly fighting this BAD posture an a daily basis.
How should my head posture be normally. If someone is looking at you from the side, the middle of the ear should line up with the front of the shoulder. Keep in mind that your shoulders may be rolled to far forward also. Make sure they feel like they are in a comfortable position and have someone look at you from the side. You can even have them snap a picture with their phone. I know my iPhone lets me do a "grid" which can help you see the posture too.
Some have forward head so much they don't even really have to look from the side. After awhile a hunch in the upper back may even form. Is that you??
Okay, let's talk about how to do the retraction exercise to fix posture. First, you can sit, stand, even lay on your back. Suck the chin strait back (pushing the head against the bed) if lying down. Hold for 5 or 10 seconds, relax and repeat 10 times.
Do not tilt your head, glide it back. You can use a finger to guide, pushing gently on the chin. If it causes pain, stop and consult your doctor or therapist.
Heat and Ice are all natural and you can really use either most times. With something all natural, the great thing is that there's no real negative side effects. Whereas taking a simple over-the-conter drug can have a slew of negatives.
That being said, if not used properly or using one when the other is a much better choice can worsen symptoms. Here's what I mean: If using the heat or ice pack directly on the skin can cause a skin burn. Also, using heat when there's inflammation can cause more inflammation to the surface, thus worsening symptoms.
Now, when is heat recommended and when is ice called for? Ice, we want to use when there is inflammation. This is typically when an injury first happened or is in what we call "acute". Use heat to loosen and relax an area. First thing in the morning when muscle and joints are tighter from being in one or two positions primarily, through the night.
So this is what I would do: let that morning hot shower soak on the area for an extra few minutes. In addition, break out that heat pack and put on the area for another 10 minutes.
At the end of the day is typically when inflammation has accumulated in a region. During the day you do a certain amount of tasks and to-do's that may irritate things and cause that inflammation to rise.
What works best for heat and ice therapy. I love these gel packs we have now which can be either hot or cold therapy. Put in the microwave for a few minutes for a hot pack and put it in the freezer for a cold pack.
Whiplash is more common than you think. Really any time we have an injury where the head rocks forward and back quickly can be called a whiplash. We often typically use this term when referring to that car collision type of injury.
You are at a stand still on the highway; you're completely stopped. The person behind you doesn't notice and they plow right into you. Luckily they weren't going very fast because it has been stop and go. No-the-less, even with the seat belt on and the headrest up your neck still gets jolted forward and back.
Bang, welcome to the world of neck pain! And this pain may not start right away. You may get up the next day and the pain hits you. Everyone is a little different.
But guess what, you don't have to get rear ended on the highway but you can fall. take a hit playing ball, hit your head on the fridge... All of these thing may cause a whiplash.
So what exactly happens when your head gets whipped forward and back? Neck strain or neck sprain or both? Is there a difference? And the end result of course - Neck PAIN, maybe numbness and tingling in the hands, maybe a headache, or something else?
Neck Traction has been used for a long time to help relieve neck pain. You may have been prescribed traction by your doctor to do at physical therapy, you might get it at your chiropractic office, yu may even do it at home with a device you can travel with.
Whatever the case is, It Works!
Let's first take a look at our spinal anatomy to fully understand the process. As you can see in the picture, spinal vertebrae stack on top of one another. The neck has 7 cervical vertebrae. From the brain, comes our spinal cord, which travels through that neck spinae all the way to the low back. Off of the spinal cord at every vertebral level comes nerve roots. They leave the spine through holes on the side of the vertebrae called neural foramen.
This is a key point with traction. Often the nerves are compressed here. If we have a slight spinal misalignment, disc irritation, inflammed muscle or arthritic process that has taken place we then have a good chance of nerve pressure and then pain.
Let's say the neck gets knocked out of whack, do you think that hole wil be nice and round and big. Probably not! The we have a greater chance of pressure. What about a bulging disc; it tends to be posterolateral (to the back and side where the foramen are), now that clogs up the whole. How about inflammation - that fills up in the space too. Now a bone spur (arthritis); we have less space again. Now imagine a couple of these issues, maybe all four; You may have pain and pressure all the time.
So How Will Traction Help?
Tractioning the neck helps to open up the spaces where the nerves come out. This frees the nerves from pressure and allows inflammation to dissipate.
Now try taction that is more than just a linear stretch. Let's put the neck curve back too. Restoring that C-curve in the neck will relax the spinal cord and add to the spine staying in alignment. This will also stretch the appropriate muscles and ligaments allowing them to hold spinal alignment as well.
