How to choose an orthopedic pillow?

Orthopedic pillow

Sleep and rest are necessary for normal human activity. It is not uncommon for many of us to feel weak, frazzled and tired when we wake up in the morning. Help find a restful sleep and cheerfulness in the morning, provide high performance and good spirits will help to use orthopedic products. Consider how to choose and buy a pillow in Kiev, as well as what benefits it has.

Why do you need an orthopedic pillow?

Traditional sleeping pillows are made of natural or synthetic materials (down, feather, sintepon). At first glance, such products seem soft and comfortable to sleep on. In reality, conventional pillows do not provide proper support for the head and cervical vertebrae and place unnecessary stress on the intervertebral discs.

Orthopedic pillows are specially designed for a quiet comfortable sleep, taking into account the peculiarities of the curvature of the spine. Their use during sleep contributes to:

  • the anatomically correct position of the head and neck during sleep;
  • normalization of breathing;
  • the flow of normal amounts of oxygen to the tissues;
  • to create physiological support for the spine;
  • relaxation of the musculoskeletal system;
  • normalization of cerebral circulation.

Products for sleeping with orotopedic effect are recommended for people who suffer from regular pain in the cervical spine, after injuries to the neck, young children with torticollis or muscle hypertonicity and all those who experience discomfort and discomfort, leading to insomnia, irritability and chronic fatigue.

How to choose an orthopedic pillow for sleep

With all the variety of models, making the right choice can be difficult. In addition, unlike conventional products, the pillow with orthopedic effect requires a few days to get used to it. To make this process go as quickly as possible, you need to understand how to choose an orthopedic pillow for sleep.

Choosing an orthopedic pillow

The selection is guided by the following criteria:

  • model manufacturer;
  • the size and shape of the product;
  • filler composition;
  • height;
  • level of rigidity;
  • case type.

The right pillow must have a roller, be made of resilient and safe for health materials, and keep its shape well for a long time. The list of mandatory requirements includes registration as a medical product and compliance with modern international quality standards.

Let us analyze these criteria in more detail.

Size and shape

Modern manufacturers are very creative in the production of orthopedic products. Among the variety of shapes you can find cushions in the form of a horseshoe, a roller, a rectangle with a notch in the center, a square, a crescent, a butterfly. There are also wavy pillows with two rollers and products with a notch for the shoulder.

The most versatile pillows are rectangular shaped with a recess in the middle. They are the most suitable for sleeping, as they ensure the correct position of the cervical spine when resting. Pillows in the form of a roller or a horseshoe are more suitable for short-term rest or during travel.

How to choose an orthopedic pillow

There is no need to strive to buy a large orthopedic pillow. The optimal size of the bedding should be 40x60 cm, and for men of dense build - 50x70 cm. For most users, models with a height of 10-14 cm are suitable.

Filler

Pillows that support the cervical spine and head in the correct position can have the following types of fillers:

  • natural or artificial latex - one of the most common materials for padding, has antibacterial properties, protects against dust mites and bacteria;
  • Polyurethane foam - provides strength, elasticity and hygiene of the product;
  • polysterol - filler in the form of small, well-distributed balls;
  • buckwheat husk is an environmentally friendly material;
  • Viscoelastic foam is an expensive filler that creates the effect of weightlessness.

Fillings of an orthopedic pillow

Other types of filler may include mini springs, bamboo cloth, silk, and cooling gel. The best option for sleeping is latex pillows. This material comes in natural and artificial.

Natural latex is made from rubber extracted from the sap of the Hevea plant. It has a yellowish hue, but it is environmentally safe and very rarely causes allergic reactions. The artificial counterpart is snow-white in color, but less resistant to moisture and other negative external irritants. A pillow filled with natural latex is more expensive, but will last much longer.

Height

Among the criteria that you should pay attention to when choosing an orthopedic pillow, the height of the product plays an important role. There are no uniform recommendations, but when buying a pillow you need to choose according to the height and stature of the person. Users of high growth should pay attention to a higher pillow.

Height of orthopedic pillow

When choosing the height also take into account the position in which a person prefers to sleep. The most suitable height for a pillow when sleeping "on your back" is 10 to 14 cm, if you prefer sleeping "on your side" the optimal height is 12-16 cm.

Stiffness level

The filling of the product should be of the optimum density level. Overly soft pillow does not fulfill its function - to support the cervical spine in the right position. Many manufacturers claim that the first nights everyone will inevitably feel discomfort due to high stiffness, and then there is a gradual habituation.

This statement is only partially true. An orthopedic pillow is always stiffer than a regular pillow, but if it is too hard, it will be very difficult to sleep on it. Most often these are cheap products, which can be recognized by a pungent smell and a short warranty period.

orthopedic pillow hard or soft

Products made of quality natural materials from proven manufacturers have a long warranty period and have the optimum level of rigidity, providing a therapeutic effect.

The pillow must have a fabric cover, which preserves the appearance of bedding and protects it from external negatives.

How to choose an orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a lesion of the intervertebral discs, vertebrae and joints. Due to the fact that the disease is provoked by a sedentary lifestyle, doctors have recently noted an increasing number of young people suffering from this disease.

The main sign of the pathology is pain in the neck, occiput, and shoulder girdle. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and numbness of the extremities are also common.

Orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis

Among the various methods used in the treatment of this disease, doctors recommend the use of a pillow with an orthopedic effect. It promotes:

  • The right position of the body and vertebrae, which, in turn, ensures relaxation of the muscles;
  • speeding up the flow of oxygen to the brain;
  • improving the tone of the neck muscles;
  • normalization of air circulation;
  • improving the quality and duration of sleep;
  • Prevent insomnia, feelings of chronic fatigue.

Use orthopedic pillow can be used to prevent diseases of the spine.

Anyone looking to figure out how to choose the right orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis should follow these recommendations:

  • check how the product retains its shape;
  • choose a pillow with at least one roller;
  • buy the product with the appropriate certificate only in specialized stores;
  • Inspect the cushion, it should not have any threads or other external defects;
  • Before buying, you should lie on the pillow for a while to get a rough feeling of how comfortable it will be.

The right pillow, combined with other treatment methods, gives good results in the fight against cervical osteochondrosis. Cheerful mood after waking up, no discomfort in the neck and no headaches indicate that the pillow is chosen correctly and gives a good therapeutic effect.

How to choose an orthopedic pillow for a child

The question of whether a newborn baby needs a pillow has always been controversial. Most pediatricians agree that an infant does not need this bedding, because the body proportions of infants differ from the anatomy of an adult.

The first pillow may be needed when the baby is one year old and sometimes later. The question of how to choose an orthopedic pillow for a baby may arise if the infant has certain abnormalities. This product is necessary when:

  • Curvature - cervical muscle dysfunction causes the head to tilt to one side and increases the risk of scoliosis;
  • Hypo- or hypertonicity - the pillow is needed to correct the condition of the muscles;
  • birth traumas of the cervical spine;
  • skull deformities.

How to choose an orthopedic pillow for a child

In the presence of these disorders, the pediatrician may advise the use of different types of orthopedic pillows for the child. They come in different shapes and purposes. Here are examples of the most common types of pillows:

  • with a slope of up to 30 degrees - promotes normal breathing and prevents regurgitation;
  • A fixation product - used for babies right after birth, helps support the baby's body in the correct position;
  • with rollers and depression in the center - recommended by pediatricians for curvature, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, cranial deformities;
  • against suffocation - the material with large pores eliminates the risk of poor air access to the child;
  • Side - secures the infant in the side position;
  • Butterfly-shaped pillow - supports the infant's body in the correct position, recommended from 2 months to 2 years of age.

Orthopedic pillow for children

Natural and artificial materials are used as the inner filler of the child's orthopedic pillow. The best choice of stuffing material would be latex, polyurethane foam, bamboo, comforters. Wool and down can provoke allergic reactions, and sintepon is poorly ventilated. These types of fillers are not suitable for children's products.

Buckwheat husk as a filler has a massaging and relaxing effect, but makes specific sounds, so many parents refuse it.

Until the age of two years, the use of such bedding is justified mainly for medical reasons. Pillow for children over 2-3 years is designed to support the head and spine in the correct position and prevent the development of scoliosis. The product selection criteria are the same as for pillows designed for adults.

How to understand that the pillow is chosen correctly

You have made a firm decision to buy an orthopedic pillow in Kiev, and now you want to know how to determine the correctness of your choice. The pillow is effective if:

  • After waking up, the person feels alert and is in a good mood;
  • no desire to switch back to a regular pillow;
  • a person's sleep is sound, without heavy dreams;
  • pain and discomfort in the cervical spine are reduced;
  • the ability to work increases.

How to understand that the pillow is chosen correctly

There are also criteria that can be used to determine if a pillow is poorly selected. The desire to put your hand under the product while sleeping signals that the pillow is too small. Shoulder and cervical pain is also a sign of wrong choice: the pillow does not correspond to the person's height or build.

A good combination of a correctly selected orthopedic pillow and a quality mattress promotes a good night's sleep. If it is too hard or too soft, the therapeutic effect of the pillow is reduced.

Following the simple rules of choosing and using a pillow with orthopedic effect will significantly reduce the negative symptoms of osteochondrosis and improve the quality of sleep.

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