Six months ago, I experienced one of the most humiliating moments of my career.
I was demonstrating a shoulder mobility exercise to a 68-year-old patient - Robert, a retired electrician with chronic side-sleeping pain.
Mid-demonstration, my own shoulder seized up so badly I couldn't lift my arm above my head.
"Doc, you okay?" Robert asked, genuine concern in his eyes.
The irony wasn't lost on either of us. Here I was, a physical therapist specializing in neck and shoulder rehabilitation for 17 years, unable to perform a basic movement because of my own untreated pain.
"I'm fine," I lied. But I wasn't fine.
As a side sleeper, I'd been waking up with dead shoulders, stiff necks, and pounding headaches for six years. The pain had gotten so bad it was affecting my ability to do my job.
I'd spent over $800 trying to fix it:
MyPillow ($29) - went lumpy within two weeks, shoulder went completely numb by 3 AM every night
Tempur-Pedic ($220) - too firm, shoulder couldn't sink in at all, crushing collarbone pain all night
Purple Pillow ($150) - same problem, zero give, bore all my weight on the shoulder joint
Costco Charcoal Bamboo pillow - $60. Went completely flat in six weeks. Woke up with my ear touching the mattress.
Contour cervical pillow ($65) - forced me onto my back, spent all night fighting it