Using a Body Pillow for Back Pain
If you are one of the thousands upon thousands of Americans who suffer from back pain so bad that it interferes with sleeping, you have probably explored many different options for relief. You may have tried drugs to dull the pain, but most people don't want to take such drugs every night because of the cost and the risk of long-term side effects from many pain relievers. You may also have tried using a firmer mattress or a softer mattress. In this article, we will discuss the options for using body pillows to attain the relief you seek.
The first thing to determine is why exactly you are experiencing the pain. Do you overwork your muscles by doing heavy physical labor? Or have you suffered an injury such as a slipped disc that causes shooting pains in your back? Each of these situations is different, and the type of body pillow you use, as well as the way you use it, is dependent on the cause of your pain.
For those who suffer from muscular pain, you might want to use a softer pillow that goes behind your shoulders and upper back. This is especially true for larger people, especially men. You won't find body pillows for men listed in most places, so you should just look for a larger version, or a firmer pillow if you have a large frame and you are looking for more support. If your pain is muscular, a body pillow may not offer as much relief as some other form of treatment such as a massage.
For nerve pain, you will want a pillow that helps you maintain your spinal alignment. This can be done with a wedge shaped pillow behind your knees, or with a body pillow that supports you from either the front or back, and helps to remind you not to twist your spine out of alignment.
