My mum turned to me at lunch this week and informed me she was taking 6 nurofen a day for neck pain. Astonished, I asked her when, why, how, etc etc. Turns out it only started recently - but she forgot to tell me.... and now it was so bad she was desparate for help....same old story for an osteopath! So I put on my osteopath hat and started checking through my neck pain first aid check list with her: "Well Mum" i started ..."Have you checked your pillow?". "My pillow is superb" she replies "State of the art, memory foam, cost me £40. Completely sorted my neck pain out 2 years ago. DOn't ask me to change my pillow - it's working wonders for me". I looked at her, and continued staring, with a smurk on my face, "It's not my pillow" she continues, " It can't be the pillow..it took my neck pain all away" "BUT....'" I reply "You are taking 6 nurofen a day for neck pain, so clearly it isn't working any more" She was unconvinced ( I have to say I was impressed at the power of a pillow to pursuade it's own importance and necessity in one's life..it can't even speak". It's a funny thing about pain, we often refuse to see the most blindingly obvious cause of it, totally convincing ourselves otherwise. After much begging and cajoling I eventually managed to pursuade her that whilst the pillow had once been a magic cure, CLEARLY it was no longer having the same effect. Whilst completely disagreeing with me, she did agree to try a different pillow for 1 night only. It was like I was taking a child away from her. The next day I asked her how her neck was: she had no pain for the first time in weeks. So here's the thing: your body changes. Your muscle tension levels change. You change in response to the weather, stresses and strains in life, events and activities, ec etc. Your body's needs change, and even though a pillow may completely resolve you pain once, it doesn't mean it will continue to do so FOREVER. You will need to change it again, and again, and again. So if you found your magic pillow, and your neck pain comes back, try a different one - in fact, have a few magic pillows and rotate them around at different times of the year!!! Don't discount the pillow as the villain!!! Happy Holidays! Ps. Have you tried our un-beatable back pain home program? Try it here: www.beat-backpain.com