Still wondering how my pillow gave me a forward neck? Well, it is a long story that I shall share with you in brief.
First and foremost, let me state that a bad neck posture is one wherein the head does not align with the cervical spine vertically.
In my case, my head was sliding 2.5 inches ahead of the neutral alignment of my cervical spine. So, if I looked at myself in the mirror, it appeared as though I was hunched. It was an awkward sight that forced my head to be way ahead of my shoulder blades and ear lobes.
So, what caused me to develop a bad neck posture?
Well, there are several reasons for the same. Nonetheless, one of the main reasons was my nightwear. No, I am not referring to my night suit but towards my pillow.
So, how did a pillow cause my head to slide several inches forwards (from its natural position)?
Simply read on to find out:
>>> Want to Learn How I Fixed My Forward Head Posture at Home??? Click Here to Find Out! <<<
“How My Pillow Gave Me a Forward Neck” Article Index:
1) How I Discovered My Forward Neck?
2) Why is My Bad Neck Posture a Serious Cause for Concern?
3) How did My Pillow become the Prime Reason behind My Forward Neck Posture?
4) What Were the Drawbacks of My Normal Pillow?
5) What were the Advantages of Using a Cervical Pillow in Treating My Forward Neck?
6) How Did My Cervical Pillow Fix My Forward Head Posture?
7) Takeaway
How I Discovered My Forward Neck?
It was by accident that I discovered my forward neck posture. Until recently, I thought that everything was normal. After all, almost every other person I knew, maintained a similar cervical posture.
It was perhaps the current work culture that was forcing people to slide their head forward. After all, working on the computer or watching videos on the cell phone for hours at length, does requires aligning your neck to meet the screen.
This “awkward meeting of the screen” forces the head to slide forward. Therefore, this incorrect alignment of the head with that of the cervical spine, is what leads to a forward head.
In my case, my nerd neck was a handiwork of the both my computer related work and my pillow.
Please Note: An ideal neck posture is one wherein your ear lobes are in sync with your head.
An incorrect choice of pillow can create that “unwanted” gap between the natural spinal posture and the “forced” posture. Well, it sure did in my case.
Why is My Bad Neck Posture a Serious Cause for Concern?
Did you know that I had to literally force my head backwards in order to look at eye level?
This is what really surprised me one day.
I was told by one of my office colleagues that I was literally forcing my head back in order to look at what lay right in front of me (at eye level).
So, since when did that become a serious issue?
After all, (as I’ve mentioned before, almost every other person has a forward head posture these days).
Well, here is why:
@ My neck pained and was rather stiff. This stiffness was persisting in nature. So, I had a rather tough time shifting my head from one side to another.
@ I had started to experience nagging pain on the upper portion of my back. This in turn implies that my upper back was feeling as if blunt needles were being priced onto them.
@ I was also facing trouble breathing. This was because my forward head shift was compressing my esophagus. This weakened the muscles of my neck and caused obstructive breathing.
@ My forward head posture was adding 40+ pounds of added weight onto my cervical spine. This is because my head was sliding forward at a 30 degree angle.
@ My longus colli, trapezius and the scapular stabilizing muscles had definitely become weaker.
@ My shoulder elevators, shoulder protractors and cervical extensors has shortened.
@ Finally, it was my jaw. It had started to pain as well. This was once again because of my vulture neck posture.
Please Note:
All the above mentioned complications had not taken place overnight. It had taken a few years of me consistently maintaining bad neck posture to transform the natural curve of my cervical spine.
How did My Pillow become the Prime Reason behind My Forward Neck Posture?
The issue that I am talking about TODAY is the pillow. Yes, you heard it right. It was indeed my choice of pillow to blame.
Apparently, the main issue with my pillow was its inability to handle the natural curve of my spine.
The fluffy and comfortable pillow that I had been using diligently to rest my head and neck onto at night, was NOT adequately supporting my cervical spine.
As the natural curve of my neck was not being maintained for 8 hours at stretch (considering the fact that I usually slept 7 to 8 hours at night), my spinal alignment was being jeopardized with each passing NIGHT.
How was My Normal Pillow Made?
First and foremost, I am not even sure of the material of my pillow. All I know is that it has a rectangular shape, which is not even ideal for spine alignment.
While I do agree that it did sink in the moment I placed my head onto the pillow, there is no way that my body got the much desired comfort. My body simply sank into the pillows confines (simply disappearing if I placed my head forcefully).
Finally, there is no way I felt the pillow to be aligned in a way that it complimented my cervical spine. So, the comfort factor that I was seeking from my pillow was simply amiss.
What Were the Drawbacks of My Normal Pillow?
I have already mentioned, I was making use of a normal pillow. It was fluffy, comfortable and sunk like a sponge, the moment I placed my head onto it.
Nonetheless, as my cervical neck was given the ‘double trouble’ coupled with the aches and pains of my neck muscles, I decided to visit a sleep therapist.
My sleep therapist said that my pillow was a major cause behind me experiencing a forward neck or a crane neck posture.
So, this is what the sleep therapist had to say about my choice of pillow:
@ My normal pillow was unable to support the nature curve of my spine. So, it was not helping much in maintaining the natural shape of my cervical spine.
@ My spinal alignment was getting jeopardized during the night as no support was being provided to it by my current pillow.
@ I had also started to snore while I was asleep. This was a recent development that heightened owing to my forward neck. My pillow was the one to blame for the same.
@ When I woke up in the morning, I felt soreness onto my neck and upper back muscles. This was again because of my pillow.
@ I did like the overall comfort that the pillow provided but it did so at the cost of compromising my spinal health.
@ As my turtle neck worsened, I was finding it awfully difficult to fall asleep at night. Lately, I used to stay away for over 2 hours before finally drifting off to sleep. This again was owing to my pillow.
@ I never felt ease and relaxation in my muscle groups. It was again owing to the old pillow that did not provide comfort to my muscles.
What were the Advantages of Using a Cervical Pillow in Treating My Forward Neck?
So, when I was advised by my sleep therapist (who also doubled up as a physiotherapist), I learnt the importance of using a cervical pillow. This is when I listed out its benefits.
Let me share the benefits with you:
@ I was able to maintain the normal posture and curve of my spine. This enabled me to maintain optimal body posture while sleeping.
@ After using a cervical pillow, I was able to reduce the pain on my neck and upper back considerably.
@ The ergonomic design of my new cervical pillow enables me to maintain optimal cervical spine posture.
@ I was able to sleep quickly. I no longer had to wait for hours before falling asleep. Now, I could sleep within a few minutes of hitting the sack.
@ My sleep quality was enhanced considerably. I was also able to feel relaxed when I woke up in the morning. The earlier muscle pain and discomfort that I had experienced (using the old pillow) simply vanished.
@ My spine regained its lost alignment only with the aid of the new cervical pillow.
How Did My Cervical Pillow Fix My Forward Head Posture?
When I learnt that my seemingly comfortable pillow lacked the ergonomics to support the natural curve of my cervical spine, I decided to switch to a cervical pillow.
I was glad that I did so.
Within a month of using it, I was able to feel a lot of difference in my head posture. The aches and pains in my upper back and neck also diminished considerably.
While a cervical pillow did not completely treat my forward neck, it did help make a vast difference in my cervical posture.
Here is what I found really good about this pillow:
@ It was shaped in such a manner that it first supported my shoulder and upper back before giving the required support to my neck.
@ I took an adult size cervical pillow and it seemed to fit the heads of both my spouse and even my kids. So, I did not have to buy separate sized pillows for them.
@ My cervical pillow had a special memory foam. This enabled it to take the natural shape of my neck and head when I lay down.
@ I chose a pillow that was made from anti-allergic material. So, I never experienced sneezing, itching or similar allergic reactions when I lay down to sleep.
@ Another aspect of this pillow was its removable and washable outer covering. I was able to clean it in the washing machine and place it back onto the pillow without a fuss.
@ I never experienced sweat when I slept on it. This was because of the superior material that enabled a sweat-free sleeping experience.
Takeaway
Your choice of pillow plays a major role in determining the overall health and comfort of your cervical spine.
If you are experiencing physical and mental discomfort owing to your forward head posture then, do consider upgrading your existing pillow. If you ignore your bad neck posture, the discomfort caused by it shall simply multiply several folds over.
So, never take your neck pain lightly. Always check your profile in the mirror or seek help from a medical representative to confirm your forward head posture.
Once confirmed, do take necessary steps to fix your forward head posture fast.
>>> Want to Learn How I Fixed My Forward Head Posture at Home??? Click Here to Find Out! <<<
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