Sleep Equals Pain

Once again, I'm having a major sleep crisis. Every time I go to sleep I wake up with a tremendous head, back and neck ache.
Last night I was up from 2-3:30, pacing the floor or sitting in a chair waiting for the Tylenol to kick in.

Then I went back to bed after I got rid of my pillow, and laid flat on my back.
I don't understand pillows, what's the point? To drive your chin down into your chest? To crank your neck at an unnatural angle? If I walked around with my neck positioned like it is when I am laying on a pillow, I would be walking around looking at my toes. The only time a pillow makes sense is if you're laying on your side, to keep your head from flopping down on your shoulder.
I have tried every pillow in the house, the sofa pillows and everything. My wife has bought every type of ergonomic space foam hi tech pillow in the world and they all crank my neck the wrong way. Some are alright for a while, but eventually they all feel like a knife, stabbing me in the back of the neck.
I have never been a good sleeper, but now I'm going through a rough patch, I'm tired and cranky and want to sleep, but every time I sleep I wake up feeling worse than when I started.
I'll just tough it out.