What is the rolled neck of a pillow?

It’s the “roll” that makes it a “neck pillow.” A neck pillow is just a regular pillow that gives your neck the necessary support. Some other common names are chiropractic pillow, cervical pillow, and orthopedic pillow. It is often called a chiropractic pillow because chiropactors are all about spinal alignment. It is called a cervical pillow because it supports the neck or cervical spine. Orthopedists care about the spine and other bones, hence the name “orthopedic pillow.”

The most important aspect of any neck pillow is the “neck roll”, maintaining alignment while on your back and on your side. When on its side, it keeps the spine level. When on the back, it helps to re-curve the neck.

That said, your pillow can still look like a “pillow.” I say this because I’ve seen some really funky looking pillows …

But, the most important thing is that it does its job and is comfortable. For most, this also means that they sleep well. Many also want their posture to improve.

Your posture will improve as you align your spine. When we do this, a common by-product is symptom relief. As we improve posture (in other words, align our spine), we take the pressure off our nerves, and all sorts of good things happen.

One of the most common postural misalignments is a forward head shift. This is when the head sticks forward. If you look at someone from the side, the ear lines up with the front of the shoulder. If your shoulders are sloping significantly forward, adjust it.

Now often when the head is forward, the normal “C” curve tends to decrease. In fact, some develop a military (or straight) neck.

So what can be done to fix this problem? First, you can consult a chiropractic doctor. He may send or take a lateral x-ray. This will show you the curve; They can also be adjusted, exercise, and do neck traction. They may also recommend a neck pillow.

This is something you would definitely do, as you are correcting your spine alignment while you sleep. You can also do traction at home, as well as stretching and exercises. A couple of good exercises can be head retractions and extensions.

Lastly, you can lie on a neck roll (or your neck pillow) periodically throughout the day, for alignment. I have a video on YouTube where I demonstrate using a neck roll.

Best of luck, email us if you have any questions.