Neck arthritis pillow

Hi. I just wondered if you might have any recommendations for pillows to support arthritis pain in neck. This has recently become a real problem for me and the pain is reducing me to tears.
Thanks
Paula

Comments

  • Brynmor
    Brynmor Member Posts: 1,755

    Hi Paula and welcome to the online Community. I'm so sorry to hear that you are experiencing such bad pain from your arthritis.

    Pillows is a subject that crops up regularly in the discussions and can appear as part of many other conversations. To ferret these out I typed in "Pillow" into our Search box, getting far too many results!

    However, there are conversations with pillow as the main subject, such as this one from April last year. I'm sure you will also get additional comments from our members.

    Best wishes

    Brynmor

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Since starting that thread off last April I have continued to spend loads of money on even more pillows! Only last week I bought a couple of pillows that were recommended on a couple of sites that I found in a Google search; they comprise chopped up bits of memory foam, the idea being that you can add or remove the foam bits to make the pillow exactly right for you. One has to try to get the pillow the right height to keep the spine and neck in alignment thereby minimising pain apparently; however without someone to lie on the bed behind me to check the alignment it is going to be hit and miss (the cat is useless!) Having used the new pillow for a couple of nights so far I can report no overall change to the pain that wakes me up screaming after a couple of hours. I will be adjusting the contents later today and will give them a go again tonight.

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520

    I use a Tempur shaped pillow, I opted for the extra large size. I rest on the higher edge during the day then sleep on the lower side. I still wake due to pain, my neck is still stiff due to tension due to pain elsewhere but what sleep I do get is marginally more comfortable than it was with a 'traditional' Tempur pillow. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
    edited 13. Apr 2020, 06:54

    Not a pillow but - having not slept properly for years and waking up screaming with neck pain I am more or less obsessed with trying to find something to help. Anyway this morning I spotted an article for something called "Neck Relax" on the Cornwall Live website and followed the link, read about it, thought it was worth a try so ordered it from the company as there was a 50% discount for readers, paid £60 by PayPal.............then after a bit I Googled "Neck Relax" and found it on Amazon for less than £30! Duh! Normally I Google before I order anything to find whatever I want cheaper but failed to do it this time and got stung! I've put it down to tiredness!!

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    I am pleased to report that the new pillow which contained chopped up memory foam in a zipped and adjustable cover actually worked last night! After it being useless the first couple of nights I took out a carrier bag full of the foam to make it thinner under my head and tucked a corner of it under my chin (side sleeper), still only got 3 hours kip but I had hardly any neck pain when waking and didn't disturb the cat by screaming like I normally do. Hopefully the new pillow, being the umpteenth that I have bought over the past couple of years spending £hundreds in the process, will continue to work effectively. I really hope it just wasn't a fluke, we'll see!

  • Joycamb
    Joycamb Member Posts: 1

    Hope the new pillow continues to work for you. I am now going to Google and maybe try it myself. I have the same problems with my neck

  • YvonneH
    YvonneH Member Posts: 1,076

    Hi Joycamb,

    It's great to meet you, welcome to the online community. How lovely of you to make your first post one of support - I do hope you find something suitable. I can cope with a lot if I've had a good nights sleep, but when I don't the least thing is magnified.

    I like warmth for my neck and have a thin 'hot water bottle' that goes in the microwave that has been very helpful for me. Do you tend to sleep in the one position because to turn over wakes up all manner of pains? If so, once I've got back into a good place I try some muscle relaxation, I just travel around my body, noticing my feet and see if I'm holding them tense and tight and if so try to relax and then move on to the next bit.

    Good luck - if they did a PhD in pillows you would have it Mike1

    My fingers are crossed for tonight for all of you (and me)

    Yvonne x

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Well, it was a fluke! Woke up in agony again this morning. Ah well, will have to try again. ☹️

  • Choosey
    Choosey Member Posts: 3

    Hi. After trying several ‘neck pillows’ over a number of years I have finally found one which helps me.

    it is called ‘a Sleep Easy’ pillow and I think it is around £30. They have a website and definitely worth a look. Not a full size pillow

    but it is very comfortable.

  • PeterJ
    PeterJ Administrator Posts: 877

    Hello @Choosey and welcome to the community

    From your post I can see that you are looking for some support for your neck so is this the area you have problems with? Perhaps you could post a bit more about yourself and why you joined the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and and I hope that that will be your experience as well and that others will share their experiences with you.

    In the meantime do have a look around our website and search function, it contains a lot of useful information. To help I've put a couple of links below.

    Please do keep posting and let us know more about why you joined and also on your progress. I hope you enjoy being part of the community

    With very best wishes

    Peter (moderator)

    Need more help? - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    I have spent £ hundreds over the years on pillow and found that none of them, even the shaped memory foam ones, help much at all. What I use now is a V pillow and, as I sleep on my side, I tuck it around the front and back of my neck. I usually get about 3 hours kip before I wake up screaming!

  • Hi @Mike1

    Thanks for posting on this thread. I’m sorry that, despite all your efforts (and investment), you still haven’t found a suitable pillow to help with your neck pain.

    You might want to check out the pillows on the Arthr website, a social venture powered by Versus Arthritis, which works with and for people with arthritis to develop products to make daily life easier.  

    You can check out pillows, including the Arthr Butterfly pillow here:


    You can contact the team on 0808 196 7834, email them at info@arthr.com, or use the chatbot on their website to discuss your needs and how you can get involved.

    I hope this is helpful.

    Best wishes

    Mags

    Helpline Team

  • Tilly
    Tilly Member Posts: 4

    Hey I am new on here today I clicked on to Choosey & could not believe my eyes at the subject "PILLOWS" I to have been struggling for years to find the right pillow for me, & spent a small fortune, as I also suffer from Arthritis in my "collar bone"!? surprised yes I was when my Knee surgeon told me what it was... I have not yet been to my GP to find out more about this yet I shall tell you why, I also suffer from "Sleep Apnea" & use a "CPAP" machine at night that has a hose connected to it & this "HOSE" Often gets in the way of my face & pillow that it makes sleeping a wrench for me in fact a nightmare every night.....

    Sorry or long post I shall try out some of the links & also see my GP???? or Practitioner Nurse.. I shall get back & let you all know the outcome maybe some time with the way the dr surgery are at moment Thank you Tilly🥀