Best Orthopedic Pillows for Neck Pain of 2023

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What is an orthopedic pillow?

An orthopedic pillow is a pillow designed to support the head and neck in an anatomically natural position.

In order to ensure healthy support for your head and neck, the design of an orthopedic pillow meets the following essential conditions:

Traditional pillows are often made of foam, down or synthetic material.

Orthopedic pillows are usually constructed of memory foam or latex.

• Memory foam is a temperature- and pressure-sensitive material that takes on the shape of the body.
• Latex is usually a combination of natural latex (sap of the rubber tree) and synthetic latex. Latex is known for its resilience, comfort and stability.

A good orthopedic pillow helps to ensure a healthy night's sleep.

Orthopedic pillows can provide relief from specific conditions, including sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia, breathing problems, blood circulation problems, acid regurgitation, gastroesophageal reflux, low back pain, sciatica pain, neck pain, whiplash, ...

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What are the beste orthopedic pillows?

Our top 5 best orthopedic pillow of 2021

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1. Quiesco Pillow

The Quiesco orthopedic pillow was developed based on more than 30 years of sleep expertise. Thanks to the cooperation with various physiotherapists and sleep ergonomists, there are already thousands Quiesco ambassadors around the world.

Design & Features

Quiesco's orthopedic pillow has a unique design that provides natural support for your spine. Moreover, it fits all sleeping positions due to a construction in different zones: zones for side sleeping and a zone for back sleeping.

The pillow is available in 3 versions: Soft, Medium and Firm according to your body type. Furthermore, the pillow is sleepable on both sides. This gives you the option between a pronounced or a subtle neck support.

Finally, the core of the pillow is made of latex. Latex is the best pillow material. It has many different advantages over other pillow materials. Latex has excellent supportive properties and ventilates exceptionally well. More on the advantages of latex.

Strengths +

• Correct, healthy support of the spine
• Suitable for all sleeping positions: unique smart design 
• Suitable for all body types: 3 different hardnesses
• Two different neck supports: subtle and pronounced neck support side

Weaknesses -

• Not suitable for stomach sleepers
• Not suitable in combination with a mattress with very hard shoulder area

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2. Plumka Theraflex Pillow

Het Plumka Theraflex pillow is avery good orthopedic pillow. The pillow is suitable for both back and side sleepers. It is especially recommended for persons with a slightly longer neck because the neck roll is wide. 

The Theraflex feels particularly soft. The softness is created by the many perforations in the latex core of the pillow. The more perforations, the softer the pillow. In addition to the vertical perforations, the pillow also has horizontal surface profiles. These notches also make the pillow feel extra soft. In comparison with the Quiesco pillow, the neck support of the Theraflex gives less support.

The cover made of tencel is also of excellent quality. Tencel is a natural material with high moisture absorbing capacity.

Thanks to the high quality of the tencel cover, the pillow is also very comfortable to sleep in.

Strengths +

• Very soft comfort
• Good support
• Suitable for different body types
• Suitable for people with a long neck
• Two-sided sleepable

Weaknesses -

• Not suitable for stomach sleepers
• Not suitable for people with long heads
• Neck roll (too) wide

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The Mahoton Butterfly Pillow is a very high quality pillow. It is a soft and comfortable pillow.

The latex core of the Butterfly pillow is built in different zones. Thus, the head section of the pillow functions independently of the neck section. This also gives you a subtle built-in neck support that slightly stretches the vertebrae creating traction.

Because the pillow is made of latex it has a solid shape, is elastic, non-temperature sensitive and ventilates well. In short, the Butterfly pillow is a great orthopedic pillow.

Strengths +

• Correct, healthy support of the spine
• High permanent density, thanks to the latex
• Suitable for all body types: 3 ≠ densities and 3 ≠ heights

Weaknesses -

• Not suitable for stomach sleepers
• Not suitable in combination with a mattress with very hard shoulder area

Design & Features

The core of the pillow is made from 100% latex, also called natural rubber. This gives it all the advantages of a latex pillow: it is elastic, non-temperature-sensitive and ventilates well.

Secondly, the pillow has a built-in neck support which allows the muscles to relax optimally. The head tilts slightly backwards. The shape of the pillow causes the vertebrae to move apart (traction method). Moreover, it is suitable for both side and back sleepers.

The Butterfly pillow is available in 3 densities: Soft, Medium and Strong according to your body type. The pillow is also reversible.

The Mahoton Butterfly pillow usually comes with a less flexible return service. You do, of course, always have a 14-day cooling-off period.

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4. Sissel Pillow

The Sissel orthopedic pillow (Deluxe version) is also made for anatomically correct support of your cervical vertebrae. The cushion is made of visco-elastic foam.

Design & Features

The specific shape of the pillow provides good support for the neck and shoulder. Due to the high neck support the shoulder gets enough space so that a neutral position of the spine and shoulder area is obtained.

As with many orthopedic pillows, the clear neck support can feel uncomfortable at first. The Sissel pillow can feel very hard on the cervical vertebrae. For many people, the neck support zone is too narrow. As a result, the pressure is distributed over a small area. This can lead to a lot of pressure on the neck. An adjustment period of two weeks is recommended.

Strengths +

• Good, correct support in lateral position

Weaknesses -

• One neck-support side
• Not suitable for stomach sleepers
• Not ideal for back sleepers
• Ventilates less well
• No trial period

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5. Tempur Pillow

The Tempur Original pillow is also designed with a focus on proper support for your neck. The pillow is recommended for those who have needs for a more therapeutic sleeping position, for example, to reduce neck or back pain.

Design & Features

The shape of the pillow follows the natural curves of your body. The ergonomic design aligns your spine for comfortable head and neck support.

Strengths +

• Good, correct support in lateral position

Weaknesses -

• Only one neck support side
• Not suitable for stomach sleepers

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Does an orthopedic pillow help with neck pain?

Yes, a good orthopedic pillow can reduce neck pain.

Be aware that many pillows are incorrectly called "orthopedic. The term "orthopedic" is often misused to create the illusion of a scientifically, correctly constructed pillow.

For us, a pillow is not orthopedic, but "becomes" orthopedic when it contributes in practice to a relaxed spinal position. "The proof is in the sleeping." Is your head and neck getting healthy support that makes you sleep relaxed? Then your pillow is orthopedic.

In short, the pillow that gives you the ideal support and comfort may be described as a good orthopedic pillow.

Features of a good orthopedic pillow

A high-quality orthopedic pillow meets the following characteristics:

1. The pillow has the right height.
2. It has a solid form.
3. The pillow is elastic..
4. It is not temperature and pressure sensitive.
5. It ventilates well.
6. It is fungal and anti-bacterial.
7. Adapted to your body type.
8. Adapted to your sleeping position.
9. Free long trial period.

Learn more about the characteristics of a good pillow through the article below:

 Gerelateerd: 9 tips to buy a good pillow.  

Almost 80% of the adult population has neck, and/or shoulder pain. A good orthopedic pillow can reduce these physical complaints.

If you suffer from neck pain, we recommend that you definitely read through this page as well: hoofdkussen nekklachten.

Orthopedic pillows are known for their supportive qualities. There are pillows in the craziest shapes and sizes, labeled "medical" or "orthopedic." The essence of an orthopedic pillow is that your head and cervical vertebrae are supported in their natural position so that you adopt a healthy sleeping position.

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Orthopedic pillows and sleeping positions

The most common sleeping positions people take in bed are:

Sleeping on your side

The most common of the three. According to the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, two out of three people sleep on their side. This position is considered the most appropriate because it reduces the incidence of snoring, sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea, it helps with respiratory clearance and it is the most useful position for pregnant women to reduce uterine pressure. It is twice as common in women as in men.

The inconvenience of this position is that most of the body pressure rests over arms and shoulders causing neck stiffness and frozen shoulder. This can be solved with a side cushion that allows for proper positioning of the neck, arms and shoulders.

Sleeping on your back

Unlike side sleeping, this position may favor episodes of snoring and sinusitis, as well as back pain. This position requires soft but firm support for three critical curves of the body: behind the neck, in the middle of the back and lower back. To this end, an orthopedic pillow with neck contouring and a wedge under the knees can allow the back sleeper to lie in safety and comfort.

Sleeping on your stomach

Belly sleeping is more common in infants and small children than in adults. This sleeping position is considered harmful to the neck (neck pain, neck ache and stiffness). Sleeping on your stomach is without a doubt the least good sleeping position. When you sleep on your stomach you make a torsion with your neck. If you don't then you sleep with your face right in the mattress. So nobody sleeps like that.

Other types of orthopedic pillows

In addition to orthopedic pillows, there are several other orthopedic pillows. Indeed, there are orthopedic pillows for almost every part of the human body.

• Cervical pillow or contour pillow: synonymous with a good pillow, ergonomic pillow or orthopedic pillow. A sleeping pillow often with a curved design adapted to the head, neck and shoulder c for back and side sleepers. Can relieve neck pain, "frozen shoulder," stiff neck, and headaches, among other things. It can also help improve breathing and reduce snoring and sleep apnea symptoms.
• Neck pillow or travel pillow: pillow shaped like a horseshoe that fits around the neck. Usually used by travelers to keep their necks straight while sleeping in a seated position aboard aircraft or other vehicles.
• Wig pillow: triangle-shaped pillow that provides an incline to place the body in a diagonal position. It can be used upright or outright. This pillow is multifunctional; however, it is mainly used to relieve the symptoms of acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) during sleep.
• Lumbar pillow: Semi-moon shaped pillow used at the level of the lower back to relieve lumbar pain and keep the back in a correct seated position. Sometimes the cushion is also used under the knees for leg elevation and as a neck support for relaxation and massage.
• Knees pillow: also known as contoured leg pillow. Hourglass-shaped pillow that, when placed between the legs, allows the lower body to maintain an upright side sleeping position. Some leg wedge pillows can be unfolded and turned into leg spacers to stimulate blood circulation in the legs.
• Body pillow: long curved pillow for total body support that cradles head, neck, shoulders, back, lower back, legs and knees. Replaces other pillows and supports side keels.
• Buckwheat pillow: a bed pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. Buckwheat pillows have a moldable shape, so they can be adjusted to fit the shape of the head, neck, and shoulders.
• Back pillow: orthopedic back pillow used for cervical support while sleeping.

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Discover the Orthopedic Pillow from Quiesco