Core Products Tri-Core Gentle-Cervical Support Pillow for Neck, Shoulder, and Back Pain Relief; Ergonomic Orthopedic Contour- for Back and Side Sleepers; Assembled in The USA- Gentle, Full Size

I have actually been daydreaming about a pillow that basically has a hole in the middle for a long, long time now. I simply discovered that (thanks to my strangely shaped head) my spine is straight when I lie flat on my bed without any pillow under my head, the last issue being that my neck is desperate for support. I see the chiropractor most every week now, and my neck is one of the main reasons for that. Years and years of pillows that were made for other people have done a number on me, but when I lied down on this pillow for the first time, my neck screamed at me, "Yes! This is what I've always wanted!"Indeed, this was made for no other head besides the one that proves to keep your spine straight without any pillow while lying on your bed, this is why I'm INSISTING that you conduct an experiment to find out if you're one of those people before you ever buy this pillow. So try lying down without a pillow, then think tall and straight, and ask yourself if you're looking straight at the ceiling or if your vision is slanting towards the wall behind you at all. And if you can, please enlist the help of a friend to take a look at you from the side of your bed and even take a picture of you, use your own experience along with your friend's and the camera's perspective to determine how close your spine is to being straight without a pillow. If at least 2 perspectives agree that you need almost no lift at all, then I would recommend this pillow, and I mean only then.It's so sad that these pillows are getting such bad reviews, usually from people that don't have the kind of head that this was made for. But also be aware of the fact that this pillow comes in as many as six different sizes and levels of firmness (search amazon for tri core pillow), so try and choose the right one for you if you want this pillow. I got the medium/standard size in the "Gentle" (not firm) variety, and I'm so glad that I did. The "gentle" is actually rather firm and I can't really imagine someone needing the "firm" variety, but it has worked for some people after all. And I don't know how small the petite/small size is, but I'm imagining that it would work well for a child, because my standard size would not work for me if it were just one inch shorter, but yes, I must admit that my head is also bigger than most, but it's still not among the largest of sizes. And I've heard that the large size is very, very huge, and I'd probably need it if my head were but one size bigger, as you do want the room when your head is shaped like so. If you're just plain not sure about which one will make your neck happy, I say be willing to pay for return shipping and try two at once, find out what you do like and what you don't like.And a final note for side sleepers; I honestly have no problem with shifting to my side on this pillow, but I don't position it the way that the picture seems to recommend, as I like to put my face in the dip/hole and leave the back of my head with a slight lift from one of the sides. Be sure and give the pillow a real chance before you send it back and try both the upper and lower sides, as well as different positions while lying on your side.

After searching for years and spending hundreds of dollars for the right pillow, I carefully read the reviews and decided to try this pillow. I have a bulging disc in my lower spine and I was waking up with neck pain after using other pillows so I was hopeful that this pillow would live up to the hype that it received. I selected the gentle support tri-core pillow and I have been using it since I purchased it on June 18, 2015.First, I will say that there was a noticeable chemical-like smell. Perhaps it was stored in a warehouse for months in the plastic bag . . . I'm not sure. I just know that it took at least a week to get rid of the smell. Either way, this was not a deal-breaker for me, just more of a mild annoyance.Second, I, like many other reviewers gave the pillow at least two weeks to get used to. Within the first few nights to the first week, I was still waking up with neck pain after using it. I also disliked having to readjust the pillow stuffing so that it would not bunch or recede in certain areas. Eventually, however, the pillow became more tolerable and I noticed that my neck pain was less and less frequent.Third, after needing to wash the pillow completely, I followed the instructions on the pillow label and allowed the pillow to air dry for several days. I washed it in July and it is now November and I am back to square one. The pillow somehow seems more firm than before and I am waking up with neck pain again. I even notice that my neck cracks more often now that I am using this pillow (which probably isn't a good sign).Fourth, I will agree with other reviewers that it is difficult to sleep on your side with this pillow. I know that the instructions recommend sleeping on the pillow edges on either side, but a) that's awkward to do and b) I feel like my head will slide back down into the middle of the pillow. Therefore, when I sleep on my side, I keep my head cradled in the center nook of the pillow. It unfortunately hurts my ears to do this, so I do not sleep on my side very often.Perhaps this pillow will work for other people, but it did not work for me. I even tried the suggestion of the "Chiropractor" and rolled up a towel, but it produced the same neck pain as other pillows (and this one) had given me.I have tried high-end and low-end pillows--everything from organic, to fiber fill, to down, to down alternative, to memory foam, to memory foam and down alternative fill--nothing has worked! I sleep mainly on my back and I was hopeful that this would work, but it looks like it's back to the drawing board again.