Case Studies

This is material we want to share with you

During the course of our pillow development, as well as once our pillow was fully designed, we employed the use of x-ray technology to determine how various pillows, including the Dr. Marink’s pillows, affect the curvature of the cervical spine, or neck. Norma lordotic curvature refers to the natural and rested state of a healthy cervical spine.

Healthy normal lordotic curvature can be seen upon x-ray (pictured left) by a slight outward curvature of the cervical spine facing towards the chin as the spine runs from the base of the skull to the top of the shoulders.

The x-rays shown below are the actual x-ray studies performed on patients using a Dr. Marink’s pillow vs. other pillow designs that claim their designs put the neck into a lordotic curvature. We have included information about a number of patients who volunteered for this study – they will be referred to as Patients A through F.  The purpose of the study was to expose the claims of pillow inventors that claim their pillows are designed to cradle your neck in the lordotic position.

What we found was that a number of pillows that claim to position the neck in the proper anatomical position do not in fact do so.  However, the Dr. Marink’s pillow allows the cervical spine to achieve a normal lordotic curvature.  This effect was evident in patients who naturally have a normal lordotic curve in their cervical spine, as well as those who have an abnormal lordotic curve in their cervical spine due to previous injury.

Why is it so important that a normal lordotic curvature be maintained in the cervical spine?

To show you what we uncovered via x-ray, we have included x-rays of various individuals who volunteered for a case study. All images can be viewed in more detail by clicking on the individual image to enlarge the viewer.

Patient “A”

Patient “A” has lost her normal natural lordotic cervical curvature due to an injury.

Patient A – Standing
(Reverse Neck Curvature – 68cm deg arc)

Patient A – On Dr. Marinks Back Sleeper
(Normal Neck Curvature +26cm deg arc)

The first image depicts the subject’s neck while standing and naturally holding her head upright, and it shows that the neck has an abnormal lordotic curvature, or a reversed curve when standing due to an injury.

As the center image shows, the subject’s neck is restored to a near normal lordotic curvature when she lays on a bed using a Dr. Marink’s pillow.

In the image to the far right, you can see that the subject’s abnormal curvature of the neck remains when laying on a bed using a polyester-filled pillow that she typically uses on a regular basis. This abnormal curvature remains because the pillow does not have the proper design and support.

Patient “B”

Patient “B” has lost her normal natural lordotic cervical curvature due to an injury.

Patient B – Standing
(Reverse Neck Curvature – 26cm deg arc)

Patient B – On Dr. Marinks Back Sleeper
(Normal Neck Curvature +30cm deg arc)c)

The image to the far left depicts the subject’s neck while standing and naturally holding her head upright, and it shows that the neck has an abnormal lordotic curvature, or a reversed curve when standing, due to an injury.

As the center image shows, the subject’s neck is restored to a near normal lordotic curvature when she lays on a bed using a Dr. Marink’s pillow.

As you can see in the image to the far left, the subject’s abnormal curvature of the neck remains when laying on a bed using a down-filled pillow that she typically uses on a regular basis. This abnormal curvature remains because the pillow does not have the proper design and support.

Patient “C”

Words are missing here

Patient C – Standing
(Normal Neck Curvature +20cm deg arc)

Patient C – On Dr. Marinks
(Normal Neck Curvature +21cm deg arc)

Patient “D”

Words are missing here

Patient D – Standing
(Normal Neck Curvature +17cm deg arc)

Patient D – On Dr. Marinks
(Normal Neck Curvature +21cm deg arc)

Patient “E”

Words are missing here

Patient E – Standing
(Reverse Neck Curvature -130cm deg arc)

Patient E – On Dr. Marinks
(Normal Neck Curvature +24cm deg arc)