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Pillow for neck pain and headaches due to CS

Posted , 9 users are following.

kevin00858
kevin00858

Hi.

This is my first post. Can somebody recommend the above pillow.

Thanks

Kevin

 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • rachD123
    rachD123 kevin00858

    Posted

    Soft goose pillow really helped my headaches . I got mine from amazon. 
    • kevin00858
      kevin00858 rachD123

      Posted

      Hi. Thanks for the info. Strange I thought something a bit firmer might have possibly been recommended.
    • rachD123
      rachD123 kevin00858

      Posted

      I have tried both. Bought a cervical memory foam pillow first but was really uncomfortable then someone else on another forum mentioned goose feather and it worked for me for the headaches. Really calmed down with less flare ups but now getting shoulder and arm pain/weakness so trying rolled up towel under neck for extra support . I think the muscles like the rest because it's really soft. Good luck 
  • Ram2645
    Ram2645 kevin00858

    Posted

    Hi Kevin.....I've lived with CS for decades now and am constantly searching for the "best" pillow to try and prevent my neck becoming stiff and the awful headaches from developing during the night.  I have pretty much tried everything out there from hard to soft and in between.  Down/feather is too soft for me....not keeping enough support under the neck throughout the night.  Memory foam is too hard for me....need something with more give that I can mold between shoulder and chin and too stiff causes stiff neck as it's not in a relaxed position for me. The best one I found which I have been using for over a year is something called My Pillow.  It is made of lots of little pieces of foam inside so is more easily fluffed and molded into the shape that I need. It does not lose it's shape as much as the down/feather that I've tried. It's not perfect by any means but is the best so far for me.  Goog luck in your search !
  • cheshireguy
    cheshireguy kevin00858

    Posted

    hi kevin

    i went for a tempora pillow, they do two ( at john Lewis ) i went for the firmer one and it's great, i also changed the mattress too to a ortho 1400 again from John Lewis - the pillow seemed odd at first but it's amazing.

    as i had a c5c6 fusion i needed something firmer and a soft pillow is now awful

    hope this helps

    In my local JL store the bed section has the pillows on the beds so you can try befoe buy AS THEY ARE NOT REFUNDABLE... hope you have a JL near you - the service and advice there is amazing.

    • kevin00858
      kevin00858 cheshireguy

      Posted

      Hi. Guys, Thanks for the advice. I have ordered a duck feather pillow from Amazon, I shall let everybody know how I get on.The headaches drive me crazy, when I have flare ups.

      Kev.

  • margaret39080
    margaret39080 kevin00858

    Posted

    Hi Kevine, hope your pillow works when you get it.  No ideal solution but I find that I can mould the feather around my neck and shoulders. anything else just feels like a brick!
  • HC58
    HC58 kevin00858

    Posted

    I use a flat memory foam pillow and a small memory foam roll.  I made the roll by cutting off the shaped edge from another pillow I don't use. It measures about eight inches long and four inches in diameter. I find if I tuck this into my neck it adds support and it is small enough to wedge in at the correct angle. I take it with me when we travel. It has made a big difference in helping with my neck and head pain. I hope this is of some use to you. Good luck with your CS. 
  • Gerry_the_neck
    Gerry_the_neck kevin00858

    Posted

    Hi all

    Just adding my tupp[ence worth.  In the past I've used (still got one) a proper cervical ortho soft pillow (raised ridge all around outside, and raised lump in middle). At the time that worked for easing headache symptom.  Nowadays I prefer to sleep or nap semi upright on a sofa....really works.  Just push 'head' end of sofa against something taller (even the wall) and using 2 or 3 pillows to help support semi upright posture,  get the neck as comfortable as possible before napping or sleeping.  Initially, it takes about 2 days for effects, but gets easdier as you learn the best postures.  Worth a try !

    • Ram2645
      Ram2645 Gerry_the_neck

      Posted

      So interesting how we are all so different.  If my neck is at all bent forward while sleeping it is a sure recipe for that vise stiffness of the neck muscles  to develop which causes the bitch of a headache. For me keeping the neck as straight as possible with the back is key.  However, once the headache is locked in, and if I do need to lie down (generally feel better not lying down) it can only be on my side and I need a little more height with  the pillows so use two flatter ones together.  But again...the head cannot be bent forward at all and sometime bending it a little backward is helpful.  I find taking ibuprofen,, for its anti-inflammatory benefits, is the most helpful.  If headache is really bad I will add a pill containing a codeine and acetaminophen.

       

    • Gerry_the_neck
      Gerry_the_neck Ram2645

      Posted

      Does seem to be different sleeping posture for different people,  perhaps a posture which suits the different grades/types/levels of damage which inevitably will be different for each individual.  I think finding that least strained comfort zone before sleeping is really important,  as it will inevitably reflect on the severity of symptoms experienced on waking.  Different horses for different courses ! Each of us needs to experiment to find what suits best,  but the theory of getting it right for sleeping,  I think is sound....better than 30 years of dubius advise and exercises which didn't fully grasp the dynamics in play.

      I agree with the ibuprofen for headaches,  but always with a small snack to offset any future stomach issues. In my case, I stick with the brand name, Nurofen, which seems to hit the target quicker and more effectively than the generic offsprings. With 'sofa' sleeping/napping I've cut down dramatically on meds,  from an everyday option, to about once a week at most now.  I used to have muggy headaches constantly, particularly in the morning,  but since adopting 'sofa' sleeping as means to encourage postural sleeping alterations,  I seldom get the headaches anymore.  For me, it's the mother of all relief !

      Gerry

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