Donut pillows (also known as ring pillows, hemorrhoids pillows, hemorrhoids cushions, or sometimes grouped together as a subcategory of coccyx pillows) are round, tubular cushions with holes in the center, which give them the appearance of a donut.

Donut pillow are usually made of memory foam or similar material, enabling the pillow to mould to the user’s unique body shape, but they can also be made from other materials, such as “egg crate” foam. Many donut pillow are even made from inflatable rubber, allowing for easier transportation of the pillow whenever it is in a deflated state.

You may be most familiar with hearing about donut pillow to help relieve pain associated with hemorrhoids; indeed, this is their most common use. However, in addition to haemorrhoid relief, there are a variety of other reasons why someone may find a donut pillow to be a useful or effective tool in their daily life.

 

Not Just a Hemorrhoid Pillow

Women who have just given birth, sufferers from sciatica, anyone with a broken/injured tailbone or other coccyx pain, or really anyone who is suffering from any kind of pain or injury in the lower region of their body may all find relief from using donut pillow.

Even if you are not suffering from any of these particular conditions, you may still find that sitting with a donut pillow is more comfortable for you. Donut pillow can also potentially help to improve posture while sitting.

Let’s take a look at some of the common uses for donut pillow and learn a little more about how they can be used as an effective relief for a variety of issues.

 

Donut pillow for Relief From Hemorrhoid Pain

This is certainly the most common use for donut pillow. Because hemorrhoids usually cause the veins and skin around the anus and rectal area to become inflamed and irritated, the pressure that’s placed on the tailbone just from a normal sitting position can cause severe pain to the hemorrhoid sufferer.

That’s where a donut pillow helps out; its unique ergonomic shape can help to relieve the pressure around the affected area (distributing the weight more evenly across the buttocks instead of directly on the tailbone), and thus has the potential to lessen some of the pain associated with hemorrhoids.

It should be mentioned that donut pillow should not be considered to be an appropriate preventative measure against hemorrhoids; there is no conclusive proof to show that sitting on a donut pillow can actually prevent hemorrhoids before they occur.

Nor can it be conclusively stated that donut pillow will necessarily speed up the recovery process from hemorrhoids; usually one must simply wait for hemorrhoids to run their course. However, donut pillow are certainly a very helpful way to find fast relief from the pain and other symptoms associated with hemorrhoids.

 

Donut pillow for Women Who Have Recently Given Birth

 If you've ever given birth, you're aware of how physically demanding the process can be. It can be painful and uncomfortable in the days and weeks following childbirth as your body recovers from the massive task of physically pushing a child out of your own body.

Perineal tearing is a common problem for many women, and depending on the size and severity of the tears, it can be excruciatingly painful, which is exacerbated when sitting in a normal position. 

Perineal tearing pain is frequently combined with hemorrhoid pain during pregnancy or after giving birth, resulting in a double whammy of discomfort and pain in the vulvar/anal area.

Many women find that using a donut pillow to relieve pressure around painful areas relieves their pain significantly after childbirth. Though not every woman will need or want a donut pillow after childbirth, many women say it is one of the simplest and most beneficial investments they have made for their own comfort.

Ice packs, witch hazel, and sitz baths can all help relieve pain after childbirth, and combining these treatments with the donut pillow can help new mothers who are recovering from the process of bringing new life into the world sit more comfortably and relieve pain.

 

Donut pillow for Relief From Sciatica

Sciatica is a type of pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, which can affect the lower back, thigh, or knee.

Sciatica is a complex condition that can be difficult to treat effectively; doctors have yet to agree on a single cure that will work for everyone who suffers from sciatica, and most patients will have to experiment to find the right combination of treatments for them.

Although a donut pillow can help relieve some of the pain associated with sciatica, it should not be regarded as a miracle cure.

There has not yet been much research on the effectiveness of donut pillow in helping with sciatica, so definitive conclusions cannot yet be made. However, because donut pillow have been shown to bring greater seating comfort to users in general, there is certainly the possibility that someone who suffers from sciatica may be able to find some relief through the use of a donut pillow.

Paired with other treatments, a donut pillow is certainly worth a try when looking for relief from sciatica. Of course, there is no easy solution for the pain caused by sciatica, but a donut pillow may be beneficial in helping to alleviate some of the pain.

 

Donut pillow for Coccyx Pain and Other Injuries

A donut pillow can help relieve pain from a broken or injured tailbone in the same way it can in the other conditions we've discussed: by removing direct pressure from your tailbone and more evenly distributing your weight across your bottom.

Regardless of the cause of your tailbone pain or injury, the direct pressure that a normal sitting position places on your coccyx (tailbone) can aggravate the pain, and a donut pillow can help provide relief.

 Even if you have not had any sort of specific serious tailbone injury, but you are experiencing general discomfort and pain in your tailbone area from prolonged sitting, you may find that a donut pillow can be a great way to lessen that tailbone pain and give you more comfort.

 

How to Use a donut pillow

Donut pillows are simple, straightforward, and straightforward to use. Place the cushion in the middle of the seat, pushing it up against the back of the chair.

Your tailbone should be centred directly over the hole in the middle of the cushion when you sit on it, and your buttocks should be comfortably seated on the cushion itself.

Lean forward slightly when sitting on the cushion for maximum comfort. This will relieve tailbone pressure even more. You shouldn't be hunched forward or putting any undue strain on your back or any other part of your body while doing this; it should feel natural and relaxed, and it should actually be improving your posture.

The office will be the place where most people use their donut pillow the most; hours spent seated in a desk chair can take a toll on your tailbone, and as we've seen, a donut pillow can help relieve the pain and pressure caused by prolonged sitting.

Of course, the office isn't the only place where a donut pillow can be useful. Donut pillows are easy to take with you wherever you go due to their portability. Aside from office seats, the donut pillow can be used in a car or on a plane, as well as at home, or really anywhere you plan to sit.

 

What Type of donut pillow is Right For Me?

Donut pillows, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, come in a variety of styles; the most common materials used to make donut pillows are memory foam, "egg crate" foam, or inflatable rubber/plastic.

You can also find more complex pillows, such as combinations of donut pillows with other coccyx pillows or with extra raised lumbar support beneath the donut part of the pillow, depending on how much money you want to spend.

Which type of cushion you choose is entirely up to you, as each has its own set of benefits. Comfort foam pillows are popular because they can provide both back support and bottom relief.

Other types of donut pillows are heavier, less flexible, and may have less ventilation and airflow than egg crate foam.

If you want to take your pillow with you on the go, inflatable pillows are a great option because they can be deflated for maximum portability. Inflatable pillows are also advantageous because they can be inflated to different levels depending on how much support you require.

I would recommend that if you are considering the purchase of a donut pillow, you take a look at the website found here for purchasing donut pillows.

 

Conclusion

As you can see, the donut pillow has a wide range of applications and can help with a variety of conditions and issues.

Of course, no one should mistake a donut pillow for a magical cure for any of these ailments. If you are experiencing pain in your lower body for any reason, you should consult your doctor to determine the best treatment plan for your specific problems and requirements.

While it appears unlikely that a donut pillow alone will be able to completely "cure" the pain or its underlying causes, what we do know so far is that a donut pillow can be a comfortable seating aid for many people, as well as a quick and effective way to find relief from anal or coccyx pain due to a variety of causes.

Even if you don't have a specific condition or injury, a donut pillow can help you sit with better posture, more ventilation, and overall more comfort, whether you're at work, at home, or on the road.

 There are many ways in which donut pillow can be useful in daily life, and there are virtually no known drawbacks to sitting with one, so if you think you might want to start using a donut pillow for whatever reason — then give it a try!