The right pillow keeps your neck in line with the rest of your spine. That is the whole principle, and most of the marketing beyond it is noise.
The test that matters
Lying in your usual position, your nose should point straight ahead and your neck should form a straight line with your upper back — not tipped up toward the ceiling or dropped down toward the mattress.
Side sleepers need more height
The pillow must fill the gap between the ear and the shoulder. That gap is wider than most standard pillows account for, which is why side sleepers so often wake with neck pain.
Back sleepers need less
A thick pillow on your back pushes the head into flexion for hours. Lower is better, with a little support under the neck itself.
Contoured pillows are not automatically better
They work well if the contour matches your neck. If it does not, they hold you in a wrong position more firmly than a soft pillow would.
Two pillows is usually a mistake
It almost always produces excessive flexion. If you need more height, use one thicker pillow rather than stacking.
These are general suggestions, not a prescription. If any movement sharply increases pain, causes numbness, or sends pain down a limb, stop and get assessed. Advice that suits a disc problem can be exactly wrong for spinal stenosis, which is why a diagnosis comes first.
If pain is not settling, or you are not sure which of these applies to you, get a diagnosis first. Call (314) 310-5577 or request an appointment.
Common questions
Is memory foam best?
Material matters less than height and support. A correctly sized fibre pillow beats a badly sized memory foam one.
How often should I replace it?
When it no longer holds its shape through the night. A pillow that is flat by morning is not supporting anything.
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.