Best Pillow for Neck and Shoulder Pain

Suffering from persistent neck and shoulder pain? Finding the right pillow will make a world of difference in your nighttime sleep! Apart from minor discomforts, the wrong kind of pillow can cause disturbed sleep, migraines, Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), and stiff neck.

Best Pillow for Shoulder Pain or Neck Pain?

Of course, there are thousands of orthopedic pillows all over the market, which one is right for you? If you are prone to neck and shoulder pain or if you spend a good amount of time tossing and turning in bed because of uncomfortable pillows, here are 5 of the most highly rated therapeutic pillows we recommend:

Shredded Memory Foam with Kool-Flow Bamboo Cover by Xtreme Comforts

The wrong pillow could cause improper alignment of the neck, cutting off the flow to the cervical nerve, leading to persistent neck and shoulder pain. The Shredded Memory Foam with Kool-Flow Bamboo Cover by Xtreme Comforts eliminates the usual complaints users have over conventional memory foam pillows. Traditional foam pillows are typically thicker with less air ventilation. The lack of air ventilation causes heat spots, which leads to tossing and turning in the bed. You won’t have that problem with this pillow!

Pros

• Excellent neck and shoulder support
• Breathable cover
• Ergonomic design

Cons

The Shredded Memory Foam features a “Kool-Flow Bamboo Cover” that improves airflow, reducing heat build-up while you sleep. It is not a solid block of memory foam so you can adjust the thickness or thinness of Xtreme Comforts’ pillow with ease.

This therapeutic pillow provides the right level of support to alleviate muscle soreness and stiffness. Xtreme Comforts’ orthopedic pillow is ergonomically designed to conform to the shape of your head, neck, and shoulders, ensuring proper alignment for the most comfortable sleep.

According to Xtreme Comforts, the company’s ergonomic pillow is guaranteed to reduce allergies and asthma, while minimizing neck and shoulder pains.

According to an Amazon reviewer, this pillow eased her husband’s post-surgery discomforts:

Immediately after unwrapping they puffed up like a marshmallow and were remarkably comfortable. My husband who has had multiple back surgeries was pleased with the comfort the pillow gave him.

Classic Brands’ Cool Sleep Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Gusseted Pillow

Classic Brands’ ventilated gel memory foam pillow is a large therapeutic pillow made from cool-pass fiber. It features a durable knit cover that eliminates heat spots while you sleep. The material is designed to wick away moisture from the body, reducing uneven temps for a good night’s sleep.

Pros

This gel pillow offers a unique material, which is a viscose-elastic memory foam infused with gel particles, to boost airflow and maintain plushness throughout the night. The material is also nice and cool, spreading the body temperature evenly on the surface of the pillow to prevent tossing and turning.

The cool sleep gel foam responds to body temperature and pressures differently from an average foam pillow. It adjusts to fit your shape without affecting the level of support for the head, neck, and shoulders. The pillow’s material forms an X shape across the top layer of the pillow to improve moisture absorption and heat dissipation. This product is perfect for all types of sleepers, particularly side and back sleepers.

One Amazon buyer claimed that this therapeutic pillow felt heavenly:

The soft gel memory foam gives and molds to the user, leaving no pressure points whatsoever. In spite of the sinking in and “molding”, this pillow is extremely breathable and tends to stay cool and not stuffy or sweaty. On repositioning or flipping it over, it quickly regains its form.

Shredded Memory Foam Pillow by Coop Home Goods

Coop Home Goods’ memory foam pillow offers the right amount of support to release tension from the neck and shoulders. Unlike down pillows, which are too soft to offer any kind of support, the Shredded memory foam pillow adjusts to the contours of your body, reducing muscle pain and cramping while you sleep.

Pros

If you think this therapeutic pillow is like any other memory foam pillows, think again. This product is not made from molded foam so there is no heat buildup; it’s neither too thick or thin to cause any discomfort.

In addition, Coop Home Goods’ proprietary blend of rayon viscose – derived from bamboo and polyester – offers excellent shapeability, allowing you to adjust the thinness or thickness of the pillow according to your needs. Regardless if you are a side sleeper or you sleep on your back, this pillow stays fluffy and cool all night long. We love that this pillow is hypoallergenic, making it the perfect alternative to down pillows.

This orthopedic pillow features an ergonomic, 4-position pillow design that supports the head, neck, shoulders, and arms. It relieves shoulder and neck pain and promotes relaxation. According to Coop Home Goods, this orthopedic pillow reduces migraines, TMJ, snoring, and insomnia too. One Amazon reviewer said the pillow made him a shredded memory foam convert:

With the solid gel foam pillow, you get complete density without the feel of a down type pillow. With the shredded foam, you get a lot of density with the ability to rearrange the inner fluff just like a down pillow.

Therapeutic Design Contour Memory Foam Pillow by IKSTAR

IKSTAR’s therapeutic pillow is a memory foam pillow in a heart-shaped design. Its unique shape gives the head, neck, and shoulders excellent support, molding to your contours to reduce muscle tightening and soreness. This designer pillow – which is made from memory foam – boasts of 4-position-support, offering head, neck, shoulder, and back support. This is a great pillow for side or back sleepers who are constantly plagued with a stiff neck, sore cervical nerves, or migraines.

Pros

IKSTAR’s memory foam pillow is also designed to improve head to the neck as well as spine alignment, reducing pressure on the nerves and muscles to ensure a restful sleep.

Because it’s made from memory foam, this therapeutic pillow is perfectly allergen-free and skin-friendly. The zippered pillow is removable and machine washable. The inner covers are also treated with anti-mite for a safe, comfy sleep environment.

Finally, the brand is offering a 100% money-back guarantee on this pillow. If you are not completely happy with this orthopedic pillow, simply return it for a full refund. One memory foam user who tried IKSTAR’s ergonomic pillow left this positive review:

Best pillow ever! I sleep on both my side and my back and this works both ways, no more neck pain and shoulder pain.

Shredded Memory Foam Pillow by Quiesta

Quiesta’s memory flake pillow offers just the right level of support – not too soft and not too firm – to promote a luxurious night’s sleep! This ergonomically designed pillow cradles the head, neck, and shoulders perfectly, distributing weight evenly on the pillow to reduce muscle stiffness. What’s more, the pillow is just as soft as any down pillow but without the sniffles! Thanks to its breathable material, there is enough airflow to reduce heat spots while you sleep. It reduces stiff neck and shoulder pains by gently easing the head to the perfect alignment. In addition, the flake memory foam pillow works great for all sleepers. Its soft Visco memory foam material is infused with natural bamboo fibers so it stays soft yet firm night after night.

Pros

We also love that Quiesta is offering a money-back guarantee on their products, the memory flake pillow included. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the quality of this pillow, you can return it for a refund, no questions asked.

85% of Amazon reviewers gave this pillow a 5-star rating, making it one of the most highly rated therapeutic pillows on the website. One user gave a glowing review of Quiesta’s memory flake pillow:

I can honestly say that after using this pillow for 3 weeks, my neck pain is no longer an issue for me. I believe this may be due to how supportive this pillow can be, and I’m very thankful that I have this to sleep on every night.