Many thanks for the reply. Much appreciated. I agree with you that the whole sleeping position side of things is overlooked. And that is odd, because it seems as though many sufferers of C/S report that the symptoms (sore head / feeling unrefreshed / neck muscles stiff) are worst of all in the mornings. After SLEEP!

Many (and by many I mean hundreds of days) is the time when I have felt not too bad during the day, no headache, muscles relaxed. Then off to bed, and when I awake my head, neck and muscles are all hurting - and remain that way for hours making me like a zombie till they relax. When I mentioned to the orthopedic doc that "I seem to be damaging my neck as I sleep", he thought I was being a bit weird...!

I'm currently experimenting with a new bed position that (touch wood and fearful of cursing it) appears to be working reasonably well. This involves 2 large-ish foam pillows followed by a thinner, firm foam pillow - all 3 upright (normal orientation) and each one slightly lower than the other. Almost creating a 'wedge'. A 4th foam pillow for under / between the knees.

The sleeping position is then a 3/4 side-sleeping position (1/4 on my back, 3/4 left side). Head is resting mostly on the front and middle pillows. An optional 5th pillow is used to "hug" and also fill in under the chin.

The net effect is a very relaxed neck position - entirely neutral. No pressure at all on the back of the head or the back of the neck (I'm very suspicious of the pressure that horizontal sleeping gives out). I tend not to move a great deal in that position. And as the pillows are foam - the last one quite firm - it doesn't collapse much during the sleep process.

I'm combining this with a single Norgesic pill (450mg of paracetemol + 35mg of ophenadrine citrate) a muscle relaxant basically. This is to try and break the cycle of overnight muscle spasms and sore heads that I have been getting for months now. I'm also trying to swim most days to keep the shoulder muscles from stiffening up, and do a quick 20 press-ups before bed for the same reason.