In this post, we will showcase the best pillow for shoulder pain.
Having trouble sleeping because of constant shoulder pain? The pillow you are sleeping on, the mattress you are using, and the sleeping position that you are most used to (below) all may be possible causes of why you may experience shoulder pains.
Causes
Tendonitis is the most common cause of shoulder pain. This is usually developed if you tend to do repetitive motions with your shoulder(s), or constantly keep your shoulder in one position.
Other possible causes include:
- pinched nerve
- arthritis
- torn rotator cuffs
- dislocated shoulder
Solutions
- Asking a doctor for a shoulder sling (video below)
- Physical therapy will help you regain mobility if you follow the set of stretching and exercises prescribed by the therapist.
- Surgery. This should be your last option, even though most people who undergo this surgery experience a full recovery.
Possible Medication Options
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (cheaper) or Advil (more expensive ibuprofen)
- Corticosteroids such as cortisone, hydrocortisone and prednisone
CertiPUR Certification
Look for pillows with CertiPUR certifications to have a peace of mind. A CertiPUR certification means that your pillow is made free of hazardous materials:
- Made without ozone depleters
- Made without PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP (”Tris”) flame retardants
- Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
- Made without formaldehyde
- Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million)
Good news:
All of the pillows we are recommending below are CertiPUR certified!
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#1. UTTU: Sandwich Memory Foam Pillow
Positives
- This pillow’s memory foam has the right amount of firmness, resulting in a comfortable and supportive pillow. If it is too firm, you can adjust the layers (see below bullet point)
- Lowers neck and shoulder pain with its featured adjustable thickness. There are a total of three layers, and you can add/remove the layers to your heart’s content. Each layer uses a unique material, so you can mix and match.
- Does not deflate easily
- Suitable for all kinds of sleepers (side, stomach, back)
- Pillowcase that it comes with is soft cotton (organic!)
- CertiPUR certification
Negatives
- Some customers have said this is way too soft, some had said way too firm, so this one will be a swing factor. However, this pillow can be easily returned, so no worries there.
- A long pillow lengthwise, may require a king-sized pillow case
#2. Coisum: Cervical Contour Pillow for Neck and Shoulder Pain
For those who never know what to do with your arms when you sleep, this pillow comes with a special place to put them.
Positives
- The pillow supports a large range of medical conditions, such as people with bursitis, fibromyalgia, pinched nerve, chronic neck/shoulder tension, etc
- Great for all kinds of sleeping positions, stomach, back and side sleepers
- Right amount of firmness
- No odor
- Migraine-relief
- CertiPUR certification
Negatives
- The pillow may feel extremely firm or tall than expected to some.
- Longevity may be an issue – the pillow may flatten out sooner than expected. However, it looks like Coisum, the company, is more than happy to refund or send a new pillow if this happens to you.
#3. Xixi Home: Adjustable Hypoallergenic Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Positives
- Adjustable shredded memory foam feature, in which you can add/subtract filling if necessary. You might be imagining a messy process whenever we mention adding/subtracting filling, but rest assured, this process is not messy.
- Foam is not lumpy
- Relieves neck and shoulder pain
- Soft with great support
- Keeps the shape well, even though it feels like a down pillow as opposed to a memory foam one
- Does not have an odor
- CertiPUR certification
- Low cost, budget friendly
Negatives
- Does not necessarily come with enough memory foam for some users
- Despite fluffing up the pillow in the dryer, this pillow may not keep its form as well as other pillows. The foam tends to drift towards opposite ends of the pillow, leaving the middle area with not enough foam.
#4. Simply Sova: Bamboo Shredded Memory Foam Pillow
Since this pillow arrives in a rolled-up cylinder-shaped bag, be sure to fluff it up and air it out so that the pillow can be used as intended.
Positives
- Comes with an extremely soft pillow cover, while having the right amount of firmness on the inside – combines the benefits of both down and memory foam pillows. Removing the pillow’s inserts also makes the pillow softer if needed
- “Molding” feature: you can make it taller or shorter by “molding” the pillow’s foam
- Quality material: Simply Sova did not skimp out on the shredded memory foam stuffing, which is already premium material over regular foam.
- Diminishes shoulder and neck pain
- Great for side sleepers
- CertiPUR certification
Negatives
- May be difficult to wash as the seam and stuffing do not seem to stay in place
- Height adjustment is not as customizable – there are only two inserts, so the pillow may be too high or too low for some people.
You may recall from above, that the pillow comes “overstuffed” with shredded memory foam. We speculate the reason for this overstuffing is because there is no contraption to adjust the pillow’s height higher, only lower. Taking out one of the removable inserts may make the pillow too flat post-removal.
Related Items:
Pillow Massagers for Shoulder Pain (for under <$100)
In the above, we have talked about our top picks for traditional pillows that ease shoulder pain. If those traditional pillows do not fit your needs, we are going to pivot to a different, but related section:
There are also many different massager pillows that help with shoulder pain. Shiatsu massage, a Japanese form of massage, is great for relaxation and for relieving stress and muscle tension.
See the following video below on “what is Shiatsu?”
These massager pillows usually sell for over $100. We picked two that were of decent quality but also cheap:
#1. Snailax: Shiatsu & Percussion Neck and Shoulder Massager with Heat (SL-665)
This massager is designed for people that sit at the computer all day (desk job), and want a cheap option to help relieve muscle tension and pain.
Positives
- There are two modes, Shiatsu and Percussion, where you can switch off the different modes
- Three different levels of heat
- Sells for almost half price of other shoulder & neck massagers
- Even though it is not cordless, the cord it comes with is very long
- Heavy, indicating good quality materials
Negatives
- If you have tender/fragile muscles, use extra caution. The rolling balls may feel hard on the skin. Be sure to put a towel on top of your shoulders/back if it gets too intense for you. However, the massage itself has the right amount of firmness and strength.
#2. LiBa: Shiatsu Neck/Shoulder/Back Massager Pillow with Heat (Cordless)
Positives
- Heating feature it comes with helps alleviate many different types of pain, particularly shoulder and neck pain, headaches/migraines, and muscle tightness/stiffness
- Cordless, so you don’t have to worry about annoying cords tangling up
- Portable, high quality, good size
- Comes with a 1 year warranty
Negatives
- For a massager with heat, this product is not really that expensive, and so you get what you pay for:
- Longevity of the product may be an issue for some – Each charge normally lasts 2-3 days for two 15 minute massages. However, some users have reported the massager lasting only 15 minutes after a few months. Contact the company to receive a replacement if that happens to you. Keep the box just in case you receive a defective one on accident.
- Does not include a charger
- Some users do not feel like the amount of heat is enough for their needs
Drop us a comment below if you found this guide helpful.
If you have any tips or feedback for us, please also let us know!
We have already done a positive review of this Simply Sova pillow on our “Best Pillows for Shoulder Pain” page, linked here.