Ever since I started experiencing chronic pain 10+ years ago, I have always been on the lookout for comfortable pillows, seating options, and other tools that would help me with pain management. One of the brands that has consistently impressed me with the quality of their products is Yogibo, a company that specializes in creating sensory-friendly products and alternative seating options, and I have built up quite the collection of their products since I first learned about them on a trip to the mall. Here are the Yogibo products that I use to help manage Chiari Malformation and how I use Yogibo for chronic pain.
This post is not sponsored by Yogibo, though after I initially published this post in 2017 they did send me a free product I had been planning to purchase on my own, which was a very nice surprise!
What is Yogibo?
As mentioned before, Yogibo specializes in creating sensory-friendly products and items that prioritize comfort and relaxation. Their flagship product is large bean bag pillows and chairs that feature small beads and a stretchy, smooth fabric. The beads are much smaller than a traditional beanbag chair’s contents and feature zero pressure points, so people can sit or lie down comfortably without feeling their weight sinking to the ground. Yogibo also makes several other products such as aromatherapy wraps, pillows, blankets, and much more. Yogibo products can be purchased online, in their retail stores, or on Amazon.
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Yogibo Max
The first ever Yogibo product I purchased was the Yogibo Max, which is a rectangular bean bag that’s slightly smaller than a twin-size bed. It can be positioned to be a recliner, couch, bed, or chair, and can be used with other Yogibo products to create more specific seating arrangements. While I was not able to fit this item in my college dorm due to limited floor space, I have used my Yogibo Max back at home so that I would have a place that I could easily lie down that wasn’t my bed, or as seating for when friends visit. I also spent lots of time relaxing on the Yogibo Max when I broke my ankle, as I found it easy to elevate my injured foot in a way that was comfortable.
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Caterpillar Roll
The Caterpillar Roll is a long cylindrical pillow that stretches across the length of a Yogibo Max, or about six feet. I purchased the Caterpillar Roll for my college dorm room because I kept rolling into the wall while I was sleeping at night. While the Caterpillar Roll was great at preventing me from hurting my face while I was sleeping, I also use it as a backrest or for wrapping around my body to provide compression. Outside of my dorm room, I can also add it to the backside of the Yogibo Max to make it feel like a more traditional couch with a backrest.
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Yogibo Support
The Yogibo Support was another item originally purchased for my college dorm so that I could use it as a backrest- the U-shape is perfect for leaning against while sitting in bed after a migraine. Several of my friends would also use the Yogibo Support when they came to visit because they found it was extremely comfortable, and one of my friends even bought one for themselves. I also like leaning against the Yogibo Support while typing in bed, since it is firmer compared to other traditional backrests I’ve had over the years.
ZippaRoll
The ZippaRoll is a flat sectioned pillow that can be converted into multiple shapes to support the back and neck. I typically use it while traveling in the car or put it underneath my knees while resting in bed or on the Yogibo Max. This was one of my favorite neck pillows I used after I was in a car accident and was dealing with intense neck pain, and I like that I can store it easily compared to other neck pillows.
Moon Pillow
The Moon Pillow is a crescent-shaped pillow made from the same fabric and beads as the Yogibo Max. I love using it for additional back support with the Yogibo Max, or for resting my shoulder when I feel like I need to lie on my side for a bit. While a lot of people like to use it to rest their head, I thought this was uncomfortable due to my Chiari Malformation pain being concentrated in the back of my head- it felt too firm for my preferences.
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Shoulder Wonder
The Shoulder Wonder is a popular aromatherapy product that combines a hot or cold therapy weighted shoulder wrap with soothing lavender scents. The Shoulder Wonder can be heated in the microwave (or put in the freezer) and then rested on top of the shoulders to help relax muscles. When I have trouble sleeping due to shoulder pain, I find that heating this in the microwave and applying it to my shoulders helps me relax enough so I can sleep.
Yogibo Mate
Yogibo Mates are stuffed animals that are made of the same stretchy material and beads as most of the other Yogibo products. While they are great as stuffed animals, I used my Yogibo Mate to elevate my wrist following a sprain and to help position my arm when I’m getting an IV. They come in several different iterations, and I own both the sloth and the hippo.
Related links
- Choosing Stuffed Animals For Kids With Visual Impairment
- How I Use Pillow Pets To Help With Balance Issues
CozyBo
The CozyBo blanket is a soft, smooth lightweight blanket that is filled with a light polyester-like material. While I like this blanket for sitting in the car or at my desk, my brother actually considers this to be his favorite Yogibo product- in fact, when I first ordered it and had it downstairs, he took one look at it and brought it upstairs to take a nap, and told me I had to order another one because he wanted to keep this blanket for himself!
SleepyBo
The SleepyBo is a pillow that is filled with a soft material that provides similar comfort to the traditional beads, though I find it is less dense feeling than the other material. This makes it a great pillow to sleep on, and it is one of the main pillows that I sleep on at night. The SleepyBo was especially helpful after my eye surgery, as the cover irritated my eyes less than other pillows. The same is the case for trigeminal neuralgia- the pillow does not put as much pressure on my face compared to others.
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Bonus- Ms. Bliss Weighted Blanket
This product was sent to me for free by Yogibo after they found this blog post back in 2017 and I had mentioned wanting to buy this item in the future- it was not sent in exchange for a review or testimony, just as a present for being a huge fan of their products. That being said, the Ms. Bliss is the only weighted blanket I have ever liked, since I find a lot of weighted blankets put too much pressure on my feet or otherwise trigger chronic pain. The Ms. Bliss is half the size of a traditional blanket and extends from my shoulders to slightly below my waist so that I can get the comfort of a weighted blanket without the pain triggers that come from it. The Ms. Bliss can also be put in the microwave or freezer for hot or cold therapy, though I found it didn’t fit in my small microwave.
Product links roundup
- Yogibo Max
- Caterpillar Roll
- Yogibo Support Backrest
- ZippaRoll Neck Pillow
- Moon Pillow Crescent Pillow
- Shoulder Wonder wrap
- Yogibo Mate search results
- CozyBo blanket
- SleepyBo sleeping pillow
- Ms. Bliss Weighted Blanket
