Jul 2, 2009 5:49 pm US/Eastern
Pillow Talk - Do You Have The Right Stuff?
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Do you ever wake up with neck or back pain and figure you just slept wrong? Unfortunately, it could be more serious than that. You could be sleeping on the wrong pillow, which could lead to chronic pain.
Karen Rigg is like many Americans; she often wakes up with a stiff neck. "Initially, I thought it was because of how I slept. But as time progressed I realized it is getting worse rather than improving."
"I think having the proper pillow can definitely help people particularly with neck pain," said Dr. Christopher Brown with Orthopaedic Associates USA in Plantation.
He said the wrong pillow could certainly be part of the reason for neck and back pain.
"Some people have underlying conditions and depending upon what type of pillow they use, it may actually aggravate it," explained Dr. Brown.
Beyond pain, other symptoms of a neck or back problem include numbness or tingling down the arms or in the hands or pain in your legs.
There are a number of pillows that can help you avoid these symptoms. The most common are cervical neck pillows.
"In general, what they do is support spinal alignment in the cervical spine. So whether you sleep on your back or on your side it's going to keep the natural curve of your cervical spine supported," said Richard Jordan, Regional Manager of Relax the Back.
Then there's the J pillow for side sleepers. "This helps to separate the hips and take the pressure of the hips and allow for spinal alignment, when you're sleeping on your side," said Jordan.
And there are wedges for the legs to take pressure off the lumbar spine and wedges for the back for certain medical conditions. "Some people have other reasons why they need to be propped up. Maybe they have acid reflux or respiratory problems," Jordan explained.
If you're waking up with neck pain, it might be worth getting evaluated so that you can get a good night's sleep.
"We sleep one third of our lives, so if you are sleeping in a poor position while your body is trying to heal, you won't be able to get rid of the neck pain you're waking up with," warned Jordan.
The pillows discussed above can cost between $80 and $200 but you can find memory foam pillows for less. The only downside is you won't get a custom fit if you don't go to a specialty store.
To reach Dr. Brown at Orthopaedic Associates USA,
visit his website.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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