And regarding the fainting or near fainting when laying down, did you already read the thread- “Do you feel sick when you lie flat on your back, or have you ever felt “paralyzed”?” on this forum?
A soft neck collar brace may be helpful? (I didn’t like it myself, but most people here do.) Instead, I roll a towel and use that at the very top of my cervical spine. I never was able to lay on my sides before, and just couldn’t figure out why- it’s like my shoulders, neck, everything collapses… But now I will not lay down without a rolled towel to support my upper neck. That suggestion (found somewhere here on pretty ill) changed my ability to lay down. I had to figure out exactly where to place the towel for support, but it helps on my side, my back when elevated to watch TV. etc.