Neck support pillows: a comparative study.
BACKGROUND
Special neck support pillows claiming to improve rest and reduce neck pain are currently being advertised.


OBJECTIVE
To test whether neck pillows have any positive effect on neck pain and quality of sleep compared with usual pillows and, if so, to find the optimal characteristics of such a pillow.


METHODS
Thirty-seven hospital employees and 18 neck patients were asked to test six neck pillows with different shapes and consistency randomly over the course of 3 wk, to grade them according to comfort and to describe the characteristics of an ideal pillow.


RESULTS
Thirty-six of 55 persons found the pillows positively affected sleep and 27 of 42 found that they positively affected neck pain. The ideal pillow should be soft and not too high, should provide neck support and should be allergy-tested and washable. The pillow that included two firmer supporting cores for neck lordosis received the best rating.


CONCLUSIONS
A neck pillow with good shape and consistency and with firm support for cervical lordosis can be recommended as a part of treatment for neck pain.
Persson
L
L
Department of Neurosurgery, Lund University Hospital, Sweden.
Moritz
U
U
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000592:standards* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires