This is an odd-looking pillow, right? I have always had issues with my neck and shoulders being tight. When I told my massage therapist that my neck seemed to be stiffer than normal in the morning, she told me I should try sleeping without a pillow. Sleep without a pillow? That’s like asking me to sleep without a mattress. So, I opted to try the Tri-core Cervical Pillow for $33. I read the reviews on amazon.com, and took heed to the warning that it would take a few days to get used to. It actually only took about two nights before I could sleep on it the entire night and now I love it. The cradle in the middle allows you to tip your head back, which takes all the pressure off your neck. Goodness gracious does it work!
Here are some specific details from the manufacturer:
Our best selling orthopedic pillow, the Tri-Core, is prized for its ability to help relieve neck pain and correctly align the spine, while supporting the neck in its natural position. This helps relieve headaches and neck pain for side and back sleepers alike.
Its patented overall design: a unique trapezoid center and two neck lobes which cushion the head and support the neck, make it the highest quality cervical support pillow available. The Tri-Core is suitable for the Correct and Maintain stages of care.
Hypoallergenic, the down-like feel of Tri-Core pillows provides a sense of long-lasting freshness and superior pillow life. Carefully designed and constructed for better sleep.
Because the cervical curve is supported in its neutral position, using Tri-Core pillows helps to correct nerve malfunction and promotes healing of injuries. More importantly, Tri-Core pillows promote good health while providing maximum comfort by preserving the normal curvature of the neck and spine. The end result? You’ll experience an increase in sleeping comfort within a couple of days of using Tri-Core pillows. Others may require up to two weeks before the neck and back muscles adjust to their proper position. At last, restless nights due to pain will be diminished with the use of Tri-Core pillows.
Tri-Core Full size – 24×16″ (61cm x 41cm)
MidSize (Mid-Core) – 22×15″ (56cm x 38cm)
Petite-Core – 19×12″ (48cm x 38cm)*Note: The difference between standard support (firm) and gentle is subtle. The gentle support option contains less fiber, which slightly reduces the height and firmness of the pillow.
Specifications:
- Most Requested Fiber Orthopedic Support Pillow.
- Designed to correct and maintain cervical alignment.
- Tri-Core pillows are beneficial to those who sleep on their side as well as for back sleepers.
- Tri-Core pillows’ unique trapezoid center cradles the head and supports the neck to help align the neck and the head in their proper positions.
- Because the cervical curve is supported in its neutral position, using Tri-Core pillows helps to correct nerve malfunction and promotes healing of injuries. More importantly, Tri-Core pillows promote good health while providing maximum comfort by preserving the normal curvature of the neck and spine.
- Two different sized lobes provide better fit for different sized sleepers.
- Bottom: Smaller Neck Support
- Top: Larger Neck Support
- Side Lobes are taller than the trapezoid center, to accommodate side sleeping.
- High resiliency fiber springs back when compressed. Blended cotton cover is breathable and soft. Fiberfill provides softer support and lasts longer.
- Tri-Core is a premium product with 240 thread count, deluxe material and a very high quality soft luxurious fiber that lasts a long time and offers correction and comfort.
- Smaller versions available to fit petit and child body types. (Mid-Core & Petite-Core pillows)
What is an Orthopedic Support Pillow?
- Orthopedic Support Pillows: Support pillows are designed to help a. correct and b. maintain proper cervical posture/alignment while sleeping by providing the right amount of resistive feedback into the cervical & upper thoracic musculature.
Special Note: Support type pillows are orthotic devices (like a custom orthotic in your shoe) and therefore may take time to get accustomed to. Healthcare providers should give patients proper education regarding the time needed for training the musculature in accepting the pillow. Although some people can react positively to this type of pillow immediately, others may take up to 2 weeks of gradual increased use through the night. Patient should use pillow to waking tolerance and then switch to previous pillow for the rest of the night. Each successive night, patient should increase time support pillow is used through the night.
Examples: Tri-Core Standard; Tri-Core Gentle; Double Core & Double Core Select Pillows.
- Correct: Helps eliminate symptoms by treating the cause of the condition. Helps correct the cause of pain, supports treatment to regain proper function.
At this stage, orthopedic pillows are often prescribed to assist in correcting the diagnosed condition and to help the patient regain proper function. Allows tissue to heal functionally. Prepares for the maintenance stage. Corrective pillows can help alleviate headaches; neck muscle and joint strains, arthritis and whiplash discomfort and help restore proper nerve function. Supportive pillows are used in this stage of care.- Maintain: Ensures continued good health by helping sustain the body in its proper, natural posture. Complements care to help prevent recurrence/progression. Pillows selected for the Maintain Stage should ensure continued good health by providing proper positioning and helping preserve the natural curvature of the neck and spine. For ideal maintenance, the pillow should provide maximum support and comfort. In fact, most people discover that once the normal curvature of the neck is restored, they crave the comfort of maximum support – the reason supportive pillows have grown more popular. Supportive pillows are used in this stage of care.
Orthopedic Pillow Uses
Natural placement of the head and neck, accomplished with the many different styles and shapes of Core cervical pillows, can help relieve intense pain by providing natural and correct posturing in supine (back) and side-sleeping positions.
Cervical support pillows are used when a cervical hypolordosis (less than normal curvature of the spine) exists, to prevent hypolordosis, or when cervical spasms or strains occur. These pillows are orthotic devices (apparatus used to align or support) used to help relieve spasms, remove minor tensions and maintain or resume the natural cervical lordotic curve while at rest.
By providing proper neck support, cervical pillows can help with:
- Neck muscle and joint strains and sprains
- Tension headaches
- Whiplash injuries
- Arthritis
- Morning hand stiffness and swelling
- Temporomandibular disorders
- Stiffness
- Snoring (in some cases)
If you don’t always sleep on your back that’s okay too because you can rest your head on the sides of the cradle for side sleeping. I was sleeping with my shoulders arched in a tense, idiotic way that I could not correct until I got the cervical pillow. Now I wake up with my shoulders and neck all relaxed and ready to take on the day!
