Best Pillow For Neck Pain
Houston Chiropractor Comments: Every week, at least one patient asks me, “What is the best pillow for neck pain relief”? Choosing the correct pillow and mattress are of paramount importance in getting a good night’s sleep. Without the proper sleeping tools, the bones are not properly supported which does not allow the muscles to completely relax and heal.
The challenge is to find a pillow that works well while you are actually sleeping and moving around in bed, instead of one that feels great when you are just laying on it.
The problem with most pillows with built-in neck rolls or cervical contours is that most people move while they are asleep. These types of pillows work best on patients that do not toss and turn while they are asleep. Once the pillow or the person moves, the neck roll is no longer parallel to the shoulders or the head is no longer being cradled. This causes the head to pitch to one side or causes the neck to bend. Both motions lead to neck pain and do not allow the spine and muscles to relax.
Next is to determine the firmness of the pillow. If the pillow is too firm, it does not allow the neck to fully relax while asleep. If the pillow is too soft, then there is not enough support to ensure a good night’s sleep. Optimally, the pillow should be firm, but allowing the neck to be cradled. Most people respond best to a pillow that gives about an inch when you lay on it.
Next is to determine if you need a pillow with cooling properties. Some patients tend to become very hot at night while asleep. These people benefit from a pillow that will help keep their heads cool while they sleep. Some of these pillows have an external gel layer and some are composed of natural materials such as bamboo or buckwheat husks.
Finally, you need to determine the correct thickness of the pillow. Most of my patients at my Clear Lake City, TX location benefit from sleeping on their backs. For these people, the pillow should be approximately the width of your hand, or about 4 inches thick. For the patients that require a side posture to sleep, the pillow should be about 1 inch thicker, or 5 inches.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Do Chiropractors Really Crack Your Neck?
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: This question, or something similar, is one of the most common questions that I get as a doctor of chiropractic (DC). Unfortunately, most people have no idea what a chiropractic adjustment is like, what is happening to the body, or what is causing the noise (or not causing the noise).
Especially recently, people are watching online videos with the emphasis on the “popping” noise. People tend to think that every adjustment will sound like a board breaking.
Some people are even convinced that I could actually break their neck like they see in the movies.
Some of the techniques that chiropractors use, such as activator or spinal decompression, do not even cause a noise to be made.
An overview of what a chiropractic adjustment is can be found here. What is a Chiropractic Adjustment? (beecherchiropractic.com)
The use of the terms “popping or cracking” is only used to describe the sound that may or may not occur after an adjustment. If you do not want to hear the noise, just ask your chiropractor to use a technique that does not cause the cavitation.
Also, make sure that any spinal adjustment that you receive is from a trained doctor of chiropractic and not another healthcare provider that has not received the proper training. Some providers, such as MD’s and PT’s, think that since it looks easy to perform a spinal adjustment, they can also adjust their own patients. Unfortunately for the patient, they soon find out that the provider cannot in fact perform a chiropractic adjustment correctly.
The risks from receiving a neck adjustment from a chiropractor are minimal, as reflected by chiropractic malpractice rates. And no…we do not crack your neck.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Best Type Of Doctor For Neck Pain
Houston Chiropractor Comments: When I am out of the office, people will ask me what the best type of doctor is for neck pain. They think that I will say that it is always a doctor of chiropractic (DC), but they are surprised with my answer.
The best type of doctor for neck pain depends on the type of neck pain.
For a simple achy pain, such as after driving several hours or spending too much time on the computer, the best type of doctor is … none. This sort of pain will typically resolve on its own. If need, you can put ice or heat (Ice Vs Heat for Injuries – Beecher Chiropractic – YouTube) on it for 20 minutes or do your neck stretches (Neck Stretches – Beecher Chiropractic – Ward Beecher DC – YouTube).
If you are having severe neck pain caused by muscle spasms that do not allow you to move your neck at all, then you should see a medical doctor. This sort of problem needs to be co-managed with medication so that the muscles can be relaxed enough so that the neck can be adjusted by a doctor of chiropractic. Luckily, most medical doctors are now willing to work with us for the benefit of their patients. Several have become patients after seeing the benefit of our care. With the appropriate muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory medication, the muscle will relax enough for the chiropractor to fix the cause of the problem.
For most neck pain, a chiropractor is the best doctor to get quick relief. Neck, along with low back pain, are the two most common conditions that doctors of chiropractic treat. As a result, most chiropractors treat several hundred patients a year with neck pain with excellent results. You can get relief without the harmful side-effects of drugs and you can actually fix the cause of the problem with spinal adjustments and therapy.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Best Pillow for Sleeping
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: A common question that I get from patients with neck pain is “What is the best pillow for sleeping?”. This question usually comes from a person who has had neck pain for a period of time or wakes up regularly with a sore neck.
This is actually a very important factor in getting relief from your neck pain. One of the main factors in getting well, is getting adequate, deep, restorative sleep. The wrong pillow or sleep position prevents that from happening, delaying recovery.
First, I would like to talk about the best position for sleeping. The best position, if possible, is flat on your back. This takes any neck rotation out and allows the muscles to relax in a natural position. If this position is impossible due to acid reflux, breathing issues, or just a snoring partner 😊, then the next best position is on your side.
When I say on your side, I mean literally on your side. Not twisting around with your head turned more than 90 degrees. Usually this will involve a pillow between your knees to prevent your hips from twisting and a body pillow to keep you from rolling towards your chest.
The worse position is on your stomach. Now I know that many of you like this because it “feels comfortable”, but it causes neck problems. When you lay on your stomach you will notice that it feels better turning your head in one direction instead of the other. This causes the neck muscles to stretch more on one side and tighten more on the other. This leads to your neck not being able to properly rest and recover. This also prevents you from having the best night sleep that you can.
Regarding the best pillow, the thickness should be about the width of YOUR palm. For me that is about 4 inches and for my wife it is about 3 ½ inches. This will elevate your head up enough so that it isn’t leaning backwards while sleeping while not pushing your head too far forward, stretching your neck muscles and ligaments. This position will also work well if you need to sleep on your side.
Be careful with pillows with built in “cervical curves or support”. These work great as long as you don’t move and the pillow stays perpendicular to your neck, but if you or the pillow move… you now have your head and neck going off in a slight angle. This will irritate the joint which will produce pain and discomfort when you wake up. Make sure that the pillow is firm enough that it gives you support while soft enough to allow you to properly rest.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Tech Neck Chiropractic Care
Hunching over and staring down at a screen can cause some major issues. If you’re suffering from any of the conditions below, call us today to schedule your chiropractic appointment.
What Can I Do To Get Rid Of This Neck Pain?
Clear Lake City Chiropractor Comments: Neck pain is a very common complaint that chiropractors treat on a regular basis. Most people will experience neck pain during their lifetime requiring professional care and the choice between chiropractic or some other form of health care certainly exists. Chiropractic is a non-drug, non-surgical option many find appealing because of the many side effects of medications and no one wants to consider surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary and everything else has been tried first.
The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders published some good, sound statements about neck pain of which a few include:
- In most cases, don’t expect anyone to find a single “cause” for your neck pain.
- Stay as active as you can; simple exercises and reducing mental stress can help.
- A combination of therapies, including chiropractic care, may be needed.
First, trying to identify the “cause” of your neck pain is often tricky and sometimes impossible to trace. Don’t worry, that’s “normal” as most patients cannot trace it to one specific cause because it’s multifactorial or, caused by more than one event, often over a period of time.
Second, staying active and performing exercises can greatly help to reduce and sometimes prevent neck pain. One particular exercise that can be done multiple times per day and even in public places, as it’s not too conspicuous, is called chin tucks. Let’s try it together! While sitting, look straight ahead and tuck your chin towards your chest or, glide your head backwards. Hold the tucked position until you feel fatigue, which usually takes 5-15 seconds, and then slowly release the head poking your chin forwards in the opposite direction. Looking at this from the side, it sort of looks like a chicken when they walk! Repeat this exercise and emphasize the slow release, as if you’re in “slow motion,” gliding forwards and backwards holding the endpoints for 5-15 seconds per repetition. Start with 5 reps and over time, gradually increase the reps to 10 and repeat this several times each day. As a postural retraining process, when you’re sitting in your car, at your desk, watching TV, or in meetings, partially tuck in your chin so that the weight of your head (which is approximately 15 pounds) is centered back over your upper back and not poking forwards. This will GREATLY reduce the amount of muscle tension that commonly builds up during the day due to the increased muscle activity that is required to hold the weight of the head when it’s too far forward and away from the center of the body. Constantly remind yourself by maintaining a partial “chin tuck” during the day and perform the gliding exercises periodically, at least 3 times a day. Be patient as it takes about 3 months for this “new” posture to become automatic and your new “normal” habit.
If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service. We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Torticollis Neck Pain! What Is This Neck Pain?!
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: “When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t move my neck! Every time I try to move it, I feel sharp pain on the left side of the neck shooting down into the shoulder blade. It just came out of nowhere!”
Chances are, you are suffering from a common condition called torticollis – which is a typical neck pain which can be treated with chiropractic treatment, which literally means, “twisted neck” after the Latin terms of “torti” (twisted) and “collis” (neck). The common name for this is “wry neck,” and it’s basically a painful muscle spasm, like a “Charlie-horse” but located in the neck muscles. Usually, a person wakes up in the morning with this and the cause is often related to sleeping with the window being open or a fan or air conditioner blowing on you. It can also relate to a “cold settling in the muscle” after a cold or flu virus. Trauma such as falling or a car accident can also cause torticollis. However, most of the time, patients with torticollis are not sure what caused the abrupt onset of symptoms.
Usually, torticollis will gradually improve over a 2 week time frame. However, it only takes a few days to a week (at the most) if you receive chiropractic adjustments. Most importantly, without treatments, the sharp pain can last a week and can severely limit your activity, often prohibiting work as well as your desired “fun” activities. Hence, most people prefer having this treated as opposed to “waiting it out.” In some cases, it can last longer than a month and in rare cases even longer, so getting this treated is highly recommended. Also, try to get in for a treatment immediately before the muscle spasm really sets up. We find this to be the most effective approach. Here are a list of symptoms and treatment suggestions for torticollis:
Acute Torticollis Symptoms
- Muscle spasms
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Neck and spine contortion (neck twisted to right or left side of body)
Pain Relief Treatments for Acute Torticollis
- Chiropractic neck and spinal adjustment
- Analgesics
- Hot / Cold packs
- Muscle relaxants
- Rubs and ointments (Icy Hot, BioFreeze)
- Massage with essential oils
- Sleep / Relax
- Supportive cervical collar
If you, a family member or a friend require Torticollis care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service. We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
