A good pillow provides your head and neck with proper support while you sleep, helping to maintain normal alignment of your spine and allowing the muscles in your neck to relax. A poor choice of pillows can cause you to spend excessive amounts of time in a bad position resulting in discomfort and potentially leading to permanent structural changes which can negatively affect your health.
Many people realize that a cervical pillow provides better support than a typical pillow. However not all cervical pillows are the same and one size does not fit all. I recommend a particular brand of cervical pillow (available in my office) which comes in various sizes to suit most patients young and old, small and large. To determine how good your current pillow is, lie on your side and see if your head dips down toward the bed or angles up away from it. It shouldn’t do either; your head and spine should be in a straight line.