Chiropractor Recommended Pillows

Walk into any chiropractic office and you will find a display of pillows that claim to help relieve neck and shoulder pain, promote a better night's sleep, and even help open airways to stop snoring. Unfortunately, there is no miracle pillow that will work for everyone. The pillow that works best for you will depend on how you orient yourself for sleep and your personal preference.

• Latex pillows can be either natural or synthetic and come in different levels of firmness. The latex pillow is an alternative to memory foam, which can break down and even mold. Latex tends to last longer. One negative to latex is that it might have an odor.

• Water pillows allow the firmness of the pillow to be adjusted by adding or removing the water from the center. The pillow is designed to ease neck and shoulder pain and to help fight insomnia. The water pillow does not absorb heat, alleviating the need to flip the pillow over to get to the cool side. However, the pillow is difficult to travel with since the water makes it heavy.

• Cervical pillows are pre-molded to help keep the neck, head and spine in alignment during sleep.It is best for back sleepers. Those who toss and turn or sleep on their sides might have a difficult time adjusting to this pillow.

• The D Core Pillow is designed to support the neck while keeping the head and neck in alignment. The pillow has raised edges and the letter D is depressed where your head goes. It claims to open airwaves and reduce snoring. This pillow is good for back and side sleepers.

• There are other pillows on the market, including feather, foam and buckwheat pillows, that you might not find at the chiropractor's office. Any of these pillows also might help reduce neck pain if they have the correct firmness and provide support. You don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money to find the pillow that works best for you.