Why Does the Arc4life Neck Traction Pillow Work so Well?

There are two big components to the arc4life cervical traction neck pillow. The first one is the neck roll. This helps to improve ones cervical curvature while back sleeping. On your side the pillow keeps your head level, in other words, keeps your spine straight when looking at it from the front or back. When viewing the neck spine from the side you have the perfect c curve.

Keeping a c curvature in the neck or cervical spine is important. This keeps pressure off of nerves. You may think to yourself, "I have no pain, My spine is great.". However, this isnt necessarily true. Only a small percentage of nerves actually detect pain. With millions of nerve impulses every minute you better believe that nerves control other things. The nervous system is our master control system, and we need to keep it free from interference.

This brings to the next big component of the traction pillow - the "V" in the center of the pillow. This opens up the nerve holes on each side of the spine to free up the nerves. The c curve only only opens up the holes or the intervertebral foramen, but allows the spine to function at its best. If the spine can function at its best, so can the nerves, and so can your body.

Additional Resources:

• The Arc4life Pillow comes in a large size and an extra firm support level
• How to Use the Traction Side of the Arc4life Pillow for Maximum Pain Relief and Better Sleep
• The Top 10 Factors to Consider when choosing a neck pillow
• The New pillow Pedic at the Neck Pain Relief Shop
• Herniated Disc In the Neck - Treatment options

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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Is it Normal For there To Be An Adjustment Period With Using a New Cervical Pillow?

Using a new pillow at night?

Is is normal for there to be an adjustment period for using a new neck pillow? I recently received this question from a customer who had ordered the tri core orthopedic neck pillow. The short answer is YES. This is normal. When you use a new pillow, you are engaging different muscles for sleeping both on your back and on your side. Different neck muscles that you are not used to using. So just like exercising for the first time, your neck may be sore.

For anyone who experiences chronic neck pain, has a lot of sensitivity in their neck, or has other symptoms associated with neck pain such as numbness and tingling or shooting pains, then Yes, there can be an adjustment period with using a new pillow. Sometimes it can take up to two weeks to get used to a new pillow. Sometimes longer. For some lucky people there is no adjustment period.

Usually a new pillow has cervical rolls on it that help to align the cervical spine. These special pillows are better to use then your average fluffy pillow you would buy at the local department store. The main reason is that it aligns your neck spine while you sleep. With long time use, this will help you maintain good spinal alignment and prevent neck pain and stiff neck.

If you do have neck pain or a lot of sensitivity in your neck, then just use your neck pillow for a small amount of time to start. For example, lets say you purchased a basic cervical support pillow because you have occasional neck pain. Here is how you would start getting used to your pillow: Start by sleeping on your pillow for 20-25 minutes and then use the regular pillow that you have been using. The next night, sleep on your new support pillow for a few minutes longer, maybe up to 30 minutes. The next night, try 40 minutes. This process can help you get accustomed to a new orthopedic pillow.

Also, if you do wake up with pain, here are some things you can do to ease the neck pain: take a hot shower in the morning, and do some gentle neck stretches while in the shower. Also during the day, use a hot pack with or without a tens unit for 10-15 minutes.

If you recently purchased a new neck pillow and have any questions on how to use it, send us an email.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Neck Pillows for Neck Pain
• Neck Exercises
• Are You Waking Up with A Stiff Neck? Natural Treatments to Get Rid of the Neck Pain ...
• Pinched nerve in the neck
• Choose the Best Neck Pillow for Preventing Neck Pain

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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A Wireless Solution for Back Pain Relief: the WiTouch

What is a great solution for muscle spasms, muscle pain and inflammation in the low back? T.E.N.S - A tens unit works to relieve neck pain, muscle tension and stiffness in muscles. One of the more technologically advanced tens unit new on the market this year is the WiTouch Wireless Tens Unit. Pretty Cool !

The WiTouch Wireless Tens Unit for Low Back Pain

The innovative thin design of the tens unit is great for placing on your lower back as it contours perfectly. You simply use a remote control to set the intensity and time for therapy. No belts, lead wires or wraps to deal with. You can even wear it under your clothes- so discreet. Very comfortable for travel as well.

Here are the exact specifications of this tens unit.
# of Channels: Single channel
Waveform: Asymmetric biphasic square pulse.
Pulse Amplitude: 0 ~110 mA = 0 ~ 55 volts, adjustable (at 500 ohm load) Pulse Frequency: (Hz) 5-120
Pulse Width: (μs) 120 - 240
Timer Control: (mins) 30
Power Supply: Device: Two (2) AAA batteries (Internally Powered) Remote Control: One (1) CR2032 Lithium battery (Internally Powered)
Size: (D x W x H): 0.7” x 7.5” x 3.5” (18 mm x 191 mm x 90 mm)
Weight (including battery): 4.8 oz (136 g)

Additional Reading Resources:

• Arc4life: for low back and neck pain relief
• Lower Back Pain Relief Products
• WiTouch Wireless Tens
• Vibration Massage: Relaxes the Muscles
• Positioning Pillows, wedges and Bolsters

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What to LOOK for When choosing a neck pillow...

Choosing a neck pillow can be hard to do. It can be a decision that may not come as easy as you think. Especially if you have a difficult time sleeping at night or suffer with neck pain.

Here's the top 10 factors to look at when choosing a pillow:

• Size of the Pillow
• What is the pillow made out of?
• How much support does it offer
• Is there a neck roll?
• Is it Adjustable?
• Is it Comfortable?
• What Sleeping position works best for this pillow?
• How Firm is the pillow?
• How long does it last? When Will You have to Replace it?
• What does the pillow Cost?

Source: Top 10 Factors to Consider Before Choosing the Best Neck Pillow

Additional Reading Resources:

• The Queen of Neck Pillows
• Choose the Best Neck Pillow: The Neck Pain Relief Shop
• Use my Neck Contour Pillow or My Regular Pillow?
• Remedy for A Stiff Neck
• How to Make Your Own Neck Pillow at Home for Neck Pain and StiffNess

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My Neck X-Ray Shows Zero Curve in my Neck…Can A Neck Pillow Help Me?

Military Neck 

When we have loss of our cervical curve, a neck pillow alone may not correct this issue but it WILL help. This is precisely what a neck pillow does. It helps to support, maintain, and correct alignment.

Oftentimes your medical doctor or the radiologist reading your radiograph may not mention loss of curvature. If there is no tumor, fracture, etc., this may not be addressed. This is why your chiropractor or osteopath may take their own x-rays. Keep in mind that your primary care doctor often just reads a report the radiologist sends him.

With a lost cervical curvature, problems such as neck pain or strain will occur. Things may feel fine now but you better believe someone with a lost cervical curvature will have problems before someone with a normal neck spine. 

Additional Reading Resources:

• What is a Neck Pillow?
• Cervical Khyposis or Military neck Can be the Cause of Neck Pain. 
• Choose the Best Neck Pillow for the Best Sleep and Posture
• Understanding the cervical traction neck pillow by arc4life
• Proper Neck Alignment: what is the abnormal and normal for the neck curve?

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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How to Make Your Own Pillow At Home for Neck Pain and Stiffness.

What to Do when you need a Neck Pillow and You are Away from Home?

Everyone has a favorite pillow- a pillow that they have to use for sleeping. Without this pillow they may wake up with a headache or a stiff neck. Well what happens when we are away from home and we need to sleep well and wake up refreshed? Sometimes your favorite neck pillow is not able to travel with you. So what to do?

Simple Solution: Create your own neck roll at home using a terry towel- it functions as a great a neck pillow that will support your neck in great alignment and it will support your cervical spine.

Additional Reading Resources:

• America's #1 Neck Pillow: The Arc4life Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow
• Remedy for a Stiff Neck
• Neck and Shoulder Pain
• They Told me I have Cervical Radiculopathy? What is It? Is sounds really bad.
• Cervical Neck Traction to Get the Curve Back into your Spine

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Kinesio Tape and Sombra Gel used by Athletes' at Major Golfing Tournament

For the 2012 US Open Golf Tournament at The Olympic Club in San Francisco Sombra Gel will be present in the Medical tents. These tents are manned by chiropractors, acupuncturists, physical therapists, massage therapists and other medical professionals.

 Just like Kinesio Tape for example, professional athletes need every kind of natural edge they can get. But, let’s face it, not only do just the pros deal with aches and pains, we all do. Sombra gel is a great product that’s been used by many for years.




  Additional Reading Resources:

• Kinesio Tape for Sports Enhancement
• The Benefit of having a handy ice pack or hot pack
• The "Hunchback" Posture- How to Correct this Area Of Your Upper Back That Sticks Out !
• Side Sleepers, A pillow made just for you
• Sombra, a warming gel for you

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Do you take care of yourself as good as you could?...

We’ve talked in the past about the things you must do to improve and maintain your health. You must eat right, exercise, get proper rest, manage stress, and maintain your spine and nervous system.

If you sleep with a neck pillow you cover two out of the five. You can improve and maintain your spine as well as get a good night’s sleep.

The body does a lot of its maintenance and repair when it’s at rest WHEN YOU GO TO BED! A neck pillow has a neck roll that helps preserve and improve the natural C-curve of the neck. Your brain is the main control center and off of that stems the spinal cord and then off of that comes the nerves. You were created with curves in the spine that keep the cord relaxed and allow for the best flow of nervous system messages. Oh yeah, your brain and spinal cord are protected by bone, that’s how important they are! Just using a neck pillow like the Cervical Linear Traction Pillow will automatically improve your health.

Additional Reading Resources:

• The Arc4life Cervical Traction Neck Pillow
• Understanding the Bed Wedge's Multiple Uses
• Head Retraction Exercises for Forward Head Posture
• Proper Neck Alignment - What is the normal and abnormal for a neck curve?
• Top 3 Tips for Chronic Neck Pain Sufferers

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I’ve Been Getting Neck Pain, What Could It Be?

Here’s a list of 3 of the top neck pain contributors:

The top 3 causes of neck pain

1. Your Pillow- This may have been a great pillow one day but has lost its support. Or your pillow is okay, at least it seems okay but really it’s not. A good neck pillow will keep your head and neck in alignment reducing nerve pressure, thus reducing neck pain. Choosing the best neck pillow is one thing you can do to ensure a good nights sleep.
   
   
2. Your activities or work- If your head is always tilted to the right, that’s what your spine looks like. In this day and age of information, cell phones, tablets, laptops and more, you can just imagine yourself and others with hours of head flexion, forward head posture, or head tilt. If you are doing this posture regularly, your spine will start to position itself this way. If certain muscles are always being contracted, those muscles may spasm; or maybe you have an imbalance because the same muscle on the other side of the body is always being stretched and elongated. Again, this is abnormal and will cause nerve pressure and pain.
   
   
3. Constant stress- This could be referring to a stressful work environment or a lot of stress at home. This tends to create more muscle tension right across the back of the neck and shoulders. Not only does stress affect other body functions but it most definitely can contribute to neck pain and neck muscle tension. It can also affect you sleep; this is when our body does a lot of healing – YIKES!
   

Whatever the case, a big positive is to start using the Cervical Traction Neck Pillow. This pillow can help to correct your posture and get rid of the neck discomfort.

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.


Additional Reading Resources:

• How to treat muscle pain in your neck or lower back
• Choose the best neck pillow for your neck
• Arc4life Neck Pillow and Neck Traction Units for stopping neck pain
• Poor Neck Alignment leads to a weaker neck
• I Forgot my neck Pillow, what do I do?

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I Love My Cervical Traction Pillow!

Feedback for the arc4life pillow

One of Arc4life's most popular products is the cervical linear traction neck pillow- check out some recent feedback for this pillow from arc4life customers just from August 2012.

I used to have a lot of neck pain until I bought my traction pillow from Arc4life. I used the traction “V” side of the pillow which really helped my neck pain. When the pain subsided I turned the pillow around and used the Linear Gravity side. This is the side I currently use every night; I don’t know how I lived without it! 

- Dr. Matt Bellinger, Glastonbury CT 08/14/2012

I as described and it seems to improve my neck function, decrease my pain.

- HuskyFan, Connecticut 08/05/2012

This pillow was a great help in relieving the neck pain I have from arthritis.

- Kim, 08/04/2012

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Additional Reading Resources:

• Choose the Best Neck Pillow for the Best Sleep Possible
• America's #1 Neck Pillow; The Arc4life Pillow
• Exercises for the Neck 

The New Arc4life Neck Pillow: Extra Neck Support for those who like a firmer pillow

At Arc4life.com, we are constantly adding new products, new product descriptions, patient testimonials and more information that can help you make the right decision about pain relief.

Recently we added a new version of the arc4life cervical traction neck pillow. It is not yet available on www.arc4life.com, but is available on our sister site: The Neck Pain Relief Shop. It will be available on www.arc4life.com in a few months.

More Support and More Traction with this
Special Arc4life Pillow

Over the years, we have received many requests for a firmer traction pillow. Well the Extra Firm Cervical Linear Traction neck pillow is now available:  it has about 25% more fiber fill than the regular traction pillow. It is still the same size: 20" x 26" still considered a standard size. However, this pillow offers more support, and is firmer.

Also of note, this is a special order item for Arc4life. We don't make these pillows everyday. This pillow involves more labor, and more material. The shipping on the pillow will take longer, and the usual return policy that applies to our other pillows does not apply to the extra firm pillow.

We have hesitated over the years to make a firmer pillow because for most patients this can be very uncomfortable to use. Especially, when one suffers from a herniated or bulging disc. However, some people want that extra support, and extra traction; we know because it has been requested on a number of occasions by our established customers. Incidentally, one advantage with the extra firm pillow is that it will last longer, because naturally there is more fiber in the pillow: it is more dense, and will break down less than the regular pillow.

Visit the Neck Pain Relief Shop for More Details on this Pillow.

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Extra Firm Cervical Traction Neck Pillow By Arc4life
• How to Choose the Best Neck Pillow for Pain Relief
• Arc4life - Your choice for neck pillows and neck traction
• I need a Firm Neck Pillow
• X-ray shows degeneration in my neck. What are my treatment options?

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Understanding the Bed Wedges's Multiple uses

The Bed Wedge in Use: A muli- functional  piece of foam

Check out newest Arc4life Squidoo lens: The Bed Wedge Pillow - Body Positioning Foam is MultiFunctional- At first glance the bed wedge may look like a simple piece of foam. You may say to yourself, how is that going to help me? You would be surprised, this is one specialty pillow you can use in many ways in your life.

Not just for certain types of pain, for conditions you might not think of right away: difficulty breathing, sleep apnea, spinal surgery, acid reflux, difficulty digesting food, bed rest, sciatica - just to name a few !

Additional Reading Resources:

• Frequently asked questions about the bed wedge
• Buy the Bed Wedge Pillow Now
• Which Sleeping Position is Best For Me?
• Products for Pain Relief: Positioning Products, Wedges Rolls and Bolsters
• Arc 4 Life Products for Better Sleep and Better Posture

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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Is the Arc4life Traction Pillow Better for Side or Back Sleepers?

The great news is that the traction neck pillow is made for both side and back sleepers. Over the years through my own experimentation and from feedback from patients and arc4life customers I have come up with a few conclusions about how to best use this neck pillow. Keep in mind, this is a neck pillow- it is not end all and the be all for everyone. It works for some people differently- these are just a few of my own observations:

• To got the maximum benefit from the traction V Part of the pillow, sleep on your back
  
• For mainly side sleepers, it is more comfortable to sleep on the support side of the pillow. I say this because it is easier to turn from side to side on this side. The V tends to hold one in place. Also, on the support side, some individuals sleep in the middle instead of using the wing of the pillow. It's ok, go with what's most comfortable.
  
• The support side of the traction pillow is softer than the traction side. If you are having a lot of neck pain,this might be the better side to start sleeping with.
  
  

Additional Reading Resources

• America's #1 Neck Pillow: The Arc4life Cervical Traction Neck Pillow
  
• Testimonials for the cervical traction neck pillow
  
• Large Traction Pillow 21"x33"
  
• How to Choose the Best Neck Pillow for your Needs
  
• Neck Exercises
  

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The Traction Pillow For Side Sleepers...

When you look at the traction pillow, you can kind of guess that you need to sleep on your back for full traction. This is true, but guess what? You don’t need to sleep on your back all night. Sleep on your back to start, or at least lay on your back to start. This will ensure that you will get some good treef in for 5-10 minutes. You then may roll over to your side whether you know it or not. The 5 or 10 minutes in the “V” with the roll under your neck is good, and is much better than in the pust when you may have had no support at all.

I just talked with someone who loves the neck traction pillow. Why was I a little surprised? She said she only sleeps on her side. On your side the pillow is good too. First, it keeps your head and spine level versus tilted up or down. Next, just the comfort of the pillow helps many get their best night’s sleep in years.


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

Dr Oz Talks About Forward Head Carriage!

The answer by Doctor Oz says "Neck pain is one of the most common muscle ailments. Watch as Dr. Oz offers tips on how to keep your neck and spine pain-free in this video."


CLICK HERE -> Forward Head Explained by Dr Oz



Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!