Suffer from sore muscles and headaches? This could be the pillow of your dreams

he word ‘orthopaedic’ may be mostly associated with the elderly, but in fact, anyone can suffer from orthopaedic issues.

The term refers to musculoskeletal issues, and most of them are painful. If they go untreated, they can cause a lot of further health problems. While you should always consult a doctor if you have such issues, there are ways to help ease the pressure on your joints - and your pillow can be a great place to start.

The average human head weighs about 11lbs, and if it’s not properly supported at night, it can remain resting in an awkward position until your alarm sounds in the morning. That’s around eight hours of straining your delicate neck muscles and holding your spine out of its natural alignment, which is bound to have an effect on the next day’s concentration, tiredness and related back problems if you leave the situation as it is.

Anisha Joshi from OsteoAllies says: "In clinic I see many patients that come in and complain that their neck hurts when they first wake up. This can be caused by many reasons including stress and poor sleep. Sometimes it may be caused by the kind of pillow you’re sleeping on and this can consequently lead to a poor night's sleep which can exacerbate the pain experienced."

The osteo professional uses the Aeyla Dual Pillow "because I find my head feels supported every night. The pillow doesn’t lose its bounceback and I’ve had mine for over a year."

She adds "It’s important to note that sleep is a key factor when it comes to pain and so ensuring you get a good night's sleep with the correct pillow or having a healthy wind down routine can all contribute to how you may feel."

There are plenty of head-resters on the market, from cooling pillows, cases filled with feathers and memory foam to encourage your noggin to stay in the same position each night. However, if you’re in the market for a specialist orthopaedic pillow, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve done the rounds and collected the best options to shop below and ensure your head gets the support it needs.

Walking the tightrope between support and squish, Aeyla’s osteo-approved Dual Pillow could say goodbye to neck discomfort for good. It's a bit of a Matryoshka-esque design with a smaller pillow sitting within a larger one for improved support without feeling like you're laying on a rock.

A 100 per cent cotton cover keeps the pillow feeling blissfully cool, and there's built-in support along the edges, which helps the pillow to maintain its height with minimal plumping on your part.

Tempur has built its reputation on memory foam sleep products, and many loyal customers won’t sleep on anything else. As well as mattresses, the brand also offers this medium firm pillow specifically designed to conform to the natural curvature of your spine, allowing you to drift into slumber without any distractions.

The unusual shape can take some getting used to, but once you have, you’ll wonder how you managed without it. Ideal for side sleepers, but be warned, as is the case with memory foam, it can feel too warm. Something to note in the summer months. Medium and XL sizes are also available.

Say hello to your new sore neck saviour. This ComfortZone pillow is made from highly supportive memory foam yet is breathable enough to avoid you feeling sweaty come the morning. If you suspect your migraines and soreness may be due to your pillow, this ergonomic contoured pillow may be the answer to peaceful, pain-free dreams.

Don’t dismiss the unusual shape of this Tempur pillow - it’s carefully contoured to slide under that nook between your head and neck to support the area perfectly. It’s on the hard side, but the soft cover, which can be removed for washing, keeps it feeling comfortable. Made from visco-elastic and comes with a three-year guarantee.

With hundreds of glowing reviews, this is one of the finest contoured pillows you can get on Amazon to help keep your spine comfortably aligned as you sleep. It’s crafted with three layers of slow rebound memory foam which you can shuffle and remove to achieve four levels of height.

Everything comes wrapped in a soft and cooling aloe vera pillow cover; sling this in the wash when it starts to get grubby to keep it smelling and feeling fresh. Ideal whether you sleep on your back, side, stomach or prefer a lower pillow.

Pillows have a habit of becoming misshapen over time, but this design incorporates a supportive memory foam layer that bounces back, night after night. It also comes with Octaspring’s trademarked technology, a set of pressure-relieving memory foam springs that are eight times more breathable than traditional memory foam, helping you stay cool as a cucumber through the night. The cover is also washable.

Keep your head, neck and spine aligned with Kally's pillow, specifically designed to address neck pain.

The ergonomic butterfly shape does, at first, take a little getting used to, but you'll soon reap the benefits when you wake up feeling completely refreshed. It's on the firmer side, scoring 7/10 and is made with memory foam for unrivalled bounceback. Best of all, there's a 14 night trial period, so if it's not for you, simply return it for a full refund.

The only downside is that it’s a tad smaller than standard pillows, so you may need to fold your existing linen around it unless you’re happy to get the matching cover too.