Microbead Squish Pillows
Finding comfort after a surgical procedure or when confined to bed can be an elusive endeavor. But patients are experiencing comfort from something typically thought of as a toy. Have you heard of microbead squish pillows? If not, you’ve likely seen them.
Popularized as a children’s toy item, you have probably noticed these pillows stamped with cartoon characters or made in different fruit or animal shapes. Affectionately referred to as squishy pillows, cush pillows or Moshi pillows, these small pillows are filled with tiny BB sized Styrofoam beads.
The beads allow them to conform to the body, to ‘squish’ and lend just the right amount of support to arms, legs, back or neck. Kids have loved to play with these pillows for years. Now several new groups of microbead squish pillow fans have emerged — people healing after surgery, recuperating in the hospital or battling cancer.
These pillows have found a new fan base because their unique “squishable” design provides comfort to patients at a time when they really need it. Patients who have just had surgery, for example, find comfort can be elusive as they often can’t move well, are confined to bed and are likely experiencing some pain from the surgical procedure. Because the microbeads move and conform to support nearly any tender spot, aches and pains after a procedure can be reduced.
Several sizes of microbead pillows are useful for different situations. A smaller neck roll sized pillow, measuring approximately 10 inches long by 5 inches wide and shaped like a cylinder, is useful for supporting the head and neck.
While they can be used anywhere, people resting in a hospital bed have found these pillows can make their stay a little more bearable because they can prop an aching neck, arm or head. It always seems there aren’t enough pillows in the hospital, and those that are there don’t tend to be very comfortable.
A small neck roll sized pillow is also useful as a gentle prop behind the lower back. Its small size fits nicely into the small of the back, which is very comforting for patients who have had a spinal procedure, epidural or even abdominal surgery that has made their back tense, tight and sore.
Because of its smaller size, the neck roll sized microbead pillow is also useful for adding some cushion in a wheelchair. The tiny microbeads are “squishable”, so the pillow can be stuffed down in a wheelchair to help support the hips and back. If elbows are sore, this small size can be placed under an arm or elbow joint to keep it from rubbing against the chair.
Some patients prefer a larger mid-sized pillow, measuring around 13 inches long by 7 inches wide. This larger shape actually flattens out a bit more than the neck roll style so is good for supporting a larger body surface like a hip, leg cast, chest or shoulder.
This mid-sized microbead pillow has been described as a “life-saver” by more than one patient after surgery. A pillow underneath a hip that has had joint replacement helps bring comfort to a tender new joint and helps relieve pressure in that area.
This size is also helpful after chest surgery to help protect and cushion the chest and arms when sleeping. Double mastectomy patients have used this size pillow to help cushion incision sites from a seat belt, and for supporting the chest and side when sleeping. You can also use a larger sized microbead pillow under an arm or leg cast to provide support in bed, on the couch or in the car.
Either sized pillow is useful for patients confined to bed for long periods of time because they can help reduce bed sores. Propping elbows, heels, hips and other bony protrusions with a pillow can help reduce bed sores because the pressure on the skin is reduced in that area.
