Wedge Pillow for Acid Reflux, GERD, Heartburns and more (2024 Update) Here you are, having that last piece of desert or meal of the day. You’re tired and about to go to sleep (hint: without a wedge pillow). It’s been a long day and the last thing you need is some physical discomfort. Granted, you might have ingested a bit more than you can handle. But hey you’ve been able to handle it in the past. You jump into your pajamas, make your way into bed, grab your pillow, pull the sheets, lights off…and AH! Something is burning you from the inside out! It’s called acid reflux. The acid in your stomach is making its way back to your throat, and it hurts pretty bad. Here’s why: There are a lot of causes for why Acid reflux/GERD or heartburn happens. I won’t really go into the details here. What we’re concerned about is the fact that because of your posture in bed, the acidity in your stomach is making it’s way back up the esophagus or your throat. It happened to me quite often in the past and I’ve decided to write an article about it. On how to go about getting a proper acid reflux pillow, which is actually a wedge pillow that keeps you inclined during the night so the acid that is used for digestion stays where it’s supposed to. I’ll be reviewing some of the best bed wedge pillows that are conveniently available on Amazon. This review will cover most of the different price ranges and options available. Some of them are specifically designed for side sleeping, others are for general sleep and some are more oriented towards sleeping on your back. Some of the most convenient ones also uplift the whole bed so you can save on actually purchasing multiple pillows if more than one person is sleeping on the bed. At a glance | Comparison table Table of Contents Overview | acid reflux and the body Wedge pillows | how they help Wedge pillow considerations | initial assessment Product comparison | overview (Direct review links below) InteVision Foam Wedge Pillow Cushy Form Bed Wedge Pillow with Memory Foam Brentwood Home Therapeutic Foam Bed Wedge Pillow Medslant Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow with Memory Foam Avana Contoured Support Wedge Pillow Avana SuperSlant Wedge Pillow Avana SuperSlant Full-Length Wedge Pillow Conclusion Recommendations Overview | acid reflux and the body Acid reflux, known medically as gastroesophageal reflux (GER), is common in the United States, and chronic acid reflux – or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – affects 20% of the nation’s population. [1] Acid reflux occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly and thus allows stomach acid to move back up into the esophagus, irritating its lining and causing discomfort. [2] The telltale symptom of GERD is recurring heartburn, typically occurring more than twice a week to constitute gastroesophageal reflux disease and not just reflux. However, not every person affected by GERD experiences heartburn; they may also experience nausea, vomiting, dental erosion, and bad breath. [3] While Categorized as a digestive disease, GERD is often regulated foremost by changes in diet to include less acidic foods. Eliminating such things as chocolate, citrus, garlic, and tomato products, among others is recommended. However, other physiological factors can also induce symptoms of GER(D). Spinal health, for instance, affects every other facet of physical health. According to Nobel Prize winner Dr. Roger Sperry, “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine.” [4] A misaligned spine can lead to serious pain in the neck and back, as well as inhibit organ function. This impaired organ function can then lead to acid reflux, among other plights. But wait – there’s more Proper spinal alignment is imperative to an optimally functioning body. Subluxations, or spinal misalignments, can put “unnecessary and often detrimental amounts of pressure on the delicate nerves coming out of the spine.” [6] Extra nervous pressure can easily impede proper organ functioning, such as in the stomach. Specific subluxations in the lumbar and thorax areas of the spine can actively displace the stomach, which may result in a hiatal hernia. [7] A hiatal hernia occurs when the “top part of the stomach pinches through the diaphragm muscle,” resulting in acid reflux. [8] Thus, the connection between spinal health and acid reflux is firmly supported, and it is important to take these issues seriously and perhaps even preempt them. Natural remedies for acid reflux are becoming increasingly available, including chiropractic care, which can help your whole body function better. One simple, at-home measure for sufferers of GERD is to invest in a wedge pillow, which employs the benefits of chiropractic treatment while you sleep, helping to restore proper alignment to the body while simultaneously eliminating symptoms of GERD in a natural, effortless way. Wedge pillows | how they help Whether the acid reflux is caused by malnutrition, obesity, pregnancy, spinal subluxations, or other physiological factors, a wedge pillow provides a natural remedy during slumber. A wedge pillow is an elongated, ramp-like pillow that will physically adjust your sleeping position so that the head is elevated in comparison to the hips and feet. This employs gravity in keeping the esophagus positioned above the stomach, preventing the backflow of bile that can irritate the esophagus lining and result in uncomfortable heartburn. As an added benefit, the incline of a wedge pillow may also help to alleviate sinus congestion and snoring or symptoms of sleep apnea in the process. However, simply piling pillows at the head of the bed is not a comparable solution, as that can affect spinal health in the neck which may, in turn, create further subluxations. A proper wedge pillow, on the other hand, will also do what a good mattress should do: keep your spine in alignment (or help to restore its correct alignment) and thus prevent any harmful subluxations that may worsen acid reflux symptoms or even merit surgery down the road. It gets better Researchers at Cleveland Clinic have delved into the specifics of wedge pillow success. The short version: Yes, a wedge pillow helps! Those who participated in their two-week study showed “significant improvement in symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation,” as well as “sleeping better and not being as irritable or tired the next day.” [9] What you may not know is a research-proven secret: One side is better than the other. The Cleveland Clinic found that sleeping on specifically the left side proved the most helpful. It “separates food and acid from the valve,” keeping it further from the sensitive esophageal lining. [10] Sleeping on a wedge pillow on your left side may, therefore, eliminate any symptoms of GER(D), all with pretty minimal effort other than choosing and purchasing a wedge pillow or bed wedge. Finding a good wedge pillow can also save you costly payments for acid reflux medications. These medications may also be laden with side effects that rival or are even worse than acid reflux, such as diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, and increased susceptibility to bone fracture. [11] Also, medications often are dangerous or completely prohibited for women who are pregnant or nursing. Just think about it A wedge pillow, by contrast, is an easy and natural solution that can be used by virtually everyone. A wedge pillow uses only gravity to help lessen your symptoms, as opposed to potentially harmful chemicals and hormones with unpleasant side effects. There’s no telling how long you would need medication or how many different medications you would go through to find one that works, or even if any of them would work after putting your body through such rigors. Your body will never develop an immunity to gravity, so the wedge pillow is a viable, natural, and long-term solution with virtually zero side effects – in fact, it may improve your quality of life in more ways than one. Therefore, selecting the right wedge pillow is imperative for not just acid reflux relief but overall health, as well. It may also have additional health and lifestyle benefits, enumerated in the next section. Wedge pillow considerations | initial assessment To help guide your assessment of pillows, consider these ten helpful questions as you shop: How much money can I spend on a wedge pillow? Is it worth the price? How high of a slope can I comfortably sleep on? Does the wedge pillow hit my torso in the appropriate place so that I feel supported and aligned ? Will I still need to use another pillow on top of this wedge pillow? And will the wedge pillow induce tension in my neck? Will the width of this wedge pillow be appropriate for my sleeping habits? Would I need two? Is the material or cover of the wedge pillow comfortable ? Will I need an additional layer? Can the wedge pillow be used under a mattress as well as on top of it? Do I need to travel with this wedge pillow? How often? Does the wedge pillow come with a washable cover or another case? Is the texture/firmness of the wedge pillow vastly different from that of my mattress? Product comparisons | o verview When shopping for a wedge pillow, it is important to go into the process knowing which of the above features are most important to you. For example, if you don’t travel much, the weight of the wedge pillow may not have much bearing on your decision. It is also definitely worth deciding beforehand how much you are willing to pay for your preferred features. Naturally, a higher priced wedge pillow tends to be made of a higher quality material, which will affect the support and durability of the pillow, although it is not impossible to find a quality wedge pillow for less than top dollar. Remember that you will be using this wedge pillow every night, so it may not hurt to give yourself a somewhat flexible budget to make the investment worthwhile. But that’s not all It is also worth noting that sleeping on a wedge pillow will take some adjustment. That period of adapting can take anywhere from a few nights to a few weeks. You might already have an inclination of how long it may take you, based on how quickly you fall asleep, if you’re someone say, that “can fall asleep anywhere,” etc. It can also be largely dependent on the degree of the incline. A steeper slope on a wedge pillow may take longer to get used to, whereas a slighter and more gradual slope may only take two or three nights. Some pillows may also impede your ability to toss and turn, which can mean either a more restful night’s sleep or one sore side if that’s your reason for turning throughout the night; however, some are designed specifically for side-sleepers and will hopefully result in a deeper and more comfortable sleep. Now, let’s take a look at some of the pillows and wedges available: InteVision Foam Wedge Bed Pillow As a wedge pillow with a steeper incline than many of its competitors – not to mention an Amazon 1 Best Seller – the InteVision Foam Wedge Bed Pillow may be the perfect pillow for those with particularly severe GER(D) symptoms. Its thick, structured foam provides spinal support as well as upper body elevation – and for a comparatively low price. With Built-in Channels to enhance air circulation, memory foam and highly resilient polyurethane foam Dimensions : 25 x 24 x (choose your height) inches Slope : 12 inches at head narrowing to around 1 inch at the end (approximately 30-degree incline) Weight : 4.7 pounds Material : Urethane foam with an additional 1-inch layer of memory foam Other : Comes with a removable cover You have a choice of 2 Sizes – InteVision 7.5″ Incline Wedge Pillow on AMAZON – Intevision 12″ Incline Wedge Pillow on AMAZON Pros The InteVision wedge pillow is only $39.99, which is a relatively low price for a pillow with a memory foam layer (note that the Avana SuperSlant, which has the same feature, runs around $200); the dual-foam layering will ensure both proper positioning and comfort. The slope of the pillow is also higher than that of many other pillows, which typically range from 5 to 7 inches. This is also a one-person pillow, so if you share a bed with a partner who does not need or want a wedge pillow, this will keep the adjustment to your side of the bed (so long as the pillow stays above the mattress and not under it). The material is also hypoallergenic. Cons Unlike some other pillows that come in an array of sizes, the InteVision pillow is only one size and would work well for someone with a twin bed but not necessarily for someone with a full, queen, or king bed who tends to roll around. Some customers have also found the pillow to be too stiff or have had difficulty sliding down it due to the steepness. Depending on your height, you may also find the length of the pillow uncomfort