The 10 Best Cervical Pillows For Neck Pain

Back sleepers who want a firm, fixed neck roll should start with the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Neck, which AARP named its top firm pick for neck pain. The dense foam keeps its wave shape all night instead of slowly flattening, and the knit cover zips off for the washer. It comes in three heights, so check the sizing guide before you order. It is very firm, it holds heat, and stomach sleepers will find it far too tall.

The Coop Home Goods Original suits people who roll from side to back to stomach in one night, because you set its height yourself. It's stuffed with shredded memory foam and fiber, so you unzip it and add or pull out fill until your neck sits level with your spine. A spare bag of fill comes in the box, and the cover goes in the washer. New foam can smell for a few days, and the fill can bunch.

Fit matters most with the Therapeutica Sleeping Pillow, which is sized by measuring from the base of your neck to the edge of your shoulder. It's molded from springy foam rather than memory foam, with raised wings for side sleeping and a dip in the middle that cradles the head on your back. A softer version exists for people who want less push. Expect a week or two to adjust, since the shape feels strange at first.

Water sets the height on the Mediflow Water Pillow: a sealed pouch sits under a layer of vented memory foam, and you add or pour out water until it feels right. A small 1997 study of people with neck pain found that a water-based pillow brought less morning pain and better sleep than their usual pillows, though it covered an older design. Once filled it's heavy, it can slosh when you turn, and it's hand wash only.

For a sculpted foam shape that doesn't feel like a brick, the Royal Therapy Contour Pillow has a curved neck edge and inner foam layers you can take out to lower it. Its medium foam has some give, so the first night is less of a shock, and the quilted cover zips off. It suits side and back sleepers who like a softer landing. It can feel too soft to hold a heavy head up.

Latex springs back the moment you lift your head, which is why the Malouf Z Talalay Latex appeals to people who find memory foam slow and sinking. This one is a solid block of natural latex with air holes, made in the U.S. and wrapped in a cotton cover. A five-year warranty backs it. The fresh latex smell can linger, the plush feel won't suit everyone, and anyone with a latex allergy should skip it.

Budget shoppers still get a full contour shape in the Osteo Cervical Pillow, a butterfly-cut foam pillow with a hollow in the center where the back of the head rests. The raised wings support the neck on either side, and a thin insert comes out to drop the height a notch. The mesh cover washes, but the foam itself should never get wet. Its firmness splits people, and it smells for a day or two.

Four heights in one is the appeal of the UTTU Cervical Pillow: pull out its middle foam layer for a lower profile, then turn it around to use the taller or shorter curved edge. That lets one pillow suit a side sleeper on one night and a back sleeper the next. The foam is slow to rebound, and the cover zips off for the washer. Finding your setting takes a few nights of trial and error.

Stomach sleepers need a thin pillow, and the Nuzzle Adjustable Pillow gets there with removable inner layers: keep only the slim one for your stomach, the medium one for your back, or both for your side. It's filled with springy polyester fiber instead of foam, and the cover is made to feel cool to the touch. It can feel too soft to keep a heavy head level, and the fiber needs regular fluffing.

Plush is the point of the DreamyBlue Signature, a shredded memory foam pillow with a soft bamboo-rayon cover and an extra pouch of fill. Side sleepers can leave it full and lofty, while back sleepers scoop some out until the head sits lower. Comfort and the freedom to tune it draw steady praise. The foam has a strong smell out of the bag, so plan to air it out before the first night.