Facts About Orthopedic and Sleeping Pillows

The typical bed pillow has a square or rectangle shape. It usually comes in three sizes: Standard (20x26), Queen (20x30), and King (20x36). A typical pillow is usually covered with a removable pillow case or slip, which helps keep the pillow clean.

Pillow cases in many European nations have a pocket inside the open end that is capable of enveloping the pillow. In the United States, pillow cases do not have these pockets, and the result is that the pillow can fairly easily come out of the case.

The Oxford-sized pillow is popular in many English speaking countries, especially the UK. Its size is 20 x 30 inches. The Continental-sized pillow is used in many areas of Continental Europe and its dimensions are 26 x 26 inches.

Body pillows can be as long as an average adult body. They give support to the head, neck, knees, legs and more. This category of pillow is often helpful in giving support for those who are side sleepers as well as pregnant women.

The typical cervical pillow provides excellent support for the neck by keeping it inline with the spine. They support the neck by providing a concave area for the head to lay as well as a supportive section.

Travel pillows (also known as Bucky pillows) give support to the neck and head when a person is sitting, as opposed to lying. The shape of the pillow fits around the back of the neck and prevents the head from falling into a crooked or uncomfortable position during sleep. However, travel pillows can occasionally cause the head to lean forward, and this can result in neck stiffness.

Donut pillows are shaped like a donut in that they are essentially round and have an empty space in the middle that is there to alleviate pressure on the tailbone while a person sits. These pillows are popular with individuals who have an injured tailbone area or who have painful hemorrhoids or some other problem with the colon.

Lumbar pillows support the inward curve of a person's lower back when they are sitting. They fill the space between a person's lower back and the back of the chair. These pillows are often used to give support to the lower back of a person when he or she is driving or sitting, such as in an office chair.

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