Don't worry about the four bumps on top of the Relax Station pillow.
This pillow isn't meant to be slept on.It's specifically designed to take away headaches, reduce stress and alleviate the tension on the neck and shoulders that comes from carrying around a 12- to 14-pound head all day.
It's the invention of Scott Myler, a massage therapist who decided people needed something to take away headache pain when they were away from therapy.
"There's so much pain out there, you wouldn't believe it," said Myler, who lives in Orem and has developed the pillow for his company, Balanced Body Technology.
"This is a pretty big problem."
Myler wanted something that would apply pressure to the body's pressure points at the top of the shoulders and at the base of the neck. He originally cut up a piece of foam with a turkey carver to create what he wanted.
Now, the Relax Station pillow is a sleek, contoured pad that can be placed behind the head on the bed or on the floor. Within seven to 15 minutes it is supposed to provide a sense of relaxation that comes from having the pressure points worked upon.
"It has no moving parts, doesn't require batteries," said Shayne Clarke, vice president of marketing for Balanced Body Technology. "It just uses the natural gravity of the weight of the head and works on the muscles gradually. It's very effective on headaches, in preventing them and in getting them to go away."
Clarke says he used to take medication three times a day for headaches. Since he started using the Relax Station pillow, he rarely needs anything.
He pulls out the pillow each day after lunch and just before bedtime or when he can feel his muscles starting to bunch up.
"I'm a lot more conscious now of my shoulders bunching. I know I'll get a headache so I'll go lay on the pillow. I like to use it, and it gives me a shot of energy," Clarke said.
Many customers who sing the praises of the pillow are victims of whiplash or suffered injuries in car accidents.
"Everybody knows somebody with a headache," Myler said. "This is like selling fire extinguishers to people with a house on fire. There's 45 million people in America suffering from headaches."
The pillows, available in burgundy, navy blue, and black Lycra fabric, sell for $60 each and are available at Relax the Back stores in Utah. They can also be ordered from Body Balancing Technology at 1-888-RELAX-02.
They've been on the market for a little over a year.
In the next few weeks the company expects to shift into high gear with advertising, a national campaign and an infomercial in May.