About.com Rating


Updated January 25, 2013.



I have an impressive collection of spare pillows in my closet. Impressive in number, not in quality. The quality isn't lacking because they were cheap. Actually some cost plenty. But their usefulness was short-lived as they became flat and no longer supported the proper alignment of my neck -- if they ever did! Proper support for someone with neck arthritis is essential.

I've always gotten excited when I found a pillow that I was sure was "the one", only to become quickly disappointed.


To some people, a pillow is a pillow. But to someone who has arthritis, like me, the perfect pillow is a real find.

The SymphonyPillow by Tempur-Pedic

After decades of searching for the perfect pillow, I ended up with it, sort of by accident. I went to the retail store looking for a flat pillow to put underneath my regular pillow. Two regular pillows together are too high. One regular pillow is too low. This seems to be the case no matter the brand, price, size, or labeled firmness of the pillow. I had done this before and wanted to try it again -- putting a flatter pillow underneath a fluffy pillow. The combination seemed to be the best solution I could come up with.

The night before I went shopping for the pillow, I had tossed and turned from discomfort. I was feeling quite achey, miserable, and fatigued, so this had to be a one-stop shopping experience. I was determined to go to only one store and find what I wanted. As you know, nothing is ever that simple. I was not able to find a flat pillow to serve as the second "underneath" pillow.

I looked at every pillow in stock. Then I looked again, a second time, through all of the pillows. As usual, prices varied widely, and of course, there was size, shape, and firmness to consider. I stood there asking myself why one just didn't jump out at me. And then it did. There was one pillow that seemed different from all the rest.

A Harmonious Pillow

The pillow that seemed so different was called The SymphonyPillow. It is made by Tempur-Pedic, a company more famous for their mattresses than pillows, but they make both. What I noticed first about The SymphonyPillow was that it seemed flatter than most pillows, more firm than most pillows, and it was heavy.

The box it came in described The SymphonyPillow as being made with TEMPUR, pressure-relieving material only offered by Tempur-Pedic. It was described as slightly plush, yet supportive. What was most interesting was that it has a unique dual-sided design. One side of The SymphonyPillow is slightly arched, specially designed to give extra head and neck support to back sleepers. The opposite side is not arched and is recommended for side sleepers. But it's up to you which way you choose to flip it. I am a side sleeper and prefer the arched side up.

Other Features of The SymphonyPillow

The SymphonyPillow comes with a removable cover that is resistant to allergens and mites. It has a 3-year limited warranty. It comes in only two sizes -- standard and queen size. I purchased the standard because it was less expensive (approximately $99) than the queen size (approximately $129). I have come to realize that I would have preferred the queen size. Being a side sleeper, as I roll from one side to the other, I have to pull the standard pillow over to get it in position for my head to rest on it. Is that a big problem? No. Would it have been worth the extra $30 to get the queen size so this wouldn't be an issue at all? That's a personal decision which largely depends on your financial situation. If money is not a problem, I'd recommend the queen size.

The Bottom Line

Sleep disturbance has been associated with hip and knee osteoarthritis. Proper alignment of your neck and spine also impact sleep. The SymphonyPillow is not inexpensive. But a pillow that offers proper support and comfort to someone with arthritis has value beyond any price -- it's priceless.

I have slept soundly, through the night, ever since getting my SymphonyPillow. It has eliminated tossing and turning to try and find a comfortable spot. The pillow provides support and proper alignment in a way that muscles can relax.

Just as a test, one night, I switched back to a regular pillow. I wondered if I had been giving my SymphonyPillow all the credit for sleeping well and having less neck pain when really it was due to something else. I can tell you with certainty, the credit I gave the pillow was appropriate. I couldn't last on the old, regular pillow for 15 minutes! I switched back to my SymphonyPillow and there I'll stay.