There has been an ongoing debate over what is the best mattress for your back pain. Many recent studies conclude that a firm mattress is better those folks with back problems. There are also studies that seem to indicate that the firmness of the mattress does not matter. As for those studies, many of the conclusions point to a subjective measure of comfort. Said another way, there does not seem to be a hard and fast rule about firmness. In fact, some studies suggest that it is up to the sleeper, or if it feels good, use it rule.
Mattress manufacturers use a combination of spring count and spring wire thickness to control the firmness of the innerspring mattress. With the introduction of memory foam and greater use of latex foam, manufacturers have more design options when it comes to controlling firmness.
Controlling Firmness
Controlling firmness has been made easier by the introduction of air beds. These beds use air-filled chambers to control the firmness of the mattress by increasing or decreasing the volume of air in the chamber. Similar to a soft-sided waterbed, air beds are built around the air chambers, which are encased in foam and covered with mattress fabric.
It is important to remember that there are many causes of lumbar back pain that are not related to muscular or skeletal problems. Serious and life-threatening medical conditions can be easily dismissed as just a backache. Conditions such as kidney stones and even cancer can be the cause of severe back pain requiring immediate medical treatment. It is important to rule out a serious medical condition by seeking advice from a qualified medical professional. Never assume that muscle strain or old age is the cause of lumbar back pain.
What Do Doctors say?
Only a qualified medical doctor is able to correctly diagnose and treat lumber back pain. There is no substitute for receiving quality medical care that includes an accurate diagnosis. Always ask your doctor if the use of a car lumbar support is appropriate for your situation.
Is your back bothering you? Are you losing sleep at night because of the pain? Are you looking for the right mattress to sleep in? Here is a guide you can use to find the right mattress for you. How to look for the best mattress for back pain without breaking a sweat.
Suffering from back pain can be quite a painful experience. People with this condition find it hard to move around because of the pain. Any sudden movements can cause shooting pain to the persons lower back.
This is also a problem when sleeping. The slightest movements can cause pain. This makes sleeping impossible. However, there are ways to make sleeping possible. One is through pain killers. However, dependence on medicines may have a bad side effect.
Mattress Material That Conforms With The Spine
There is another solution. There are specially made mattresses that can be used by people with this condition. These mattresses are made of a special material that conforms with the spine. This gives full support and prevents pain. It does this by distributing the weight on the whole surface of the mat. Ordinary covers sag under your weight. All the weight is concentrated on the sagging area. This causes the spine to curve and causes pain.
Aside from that, the same material is soft and really comfortable. You can really get a restful sleep with this kind of mattress. Even people with back problems can rest easy with this kind of mattress. The material used will surely give them what they wanted.
Another unique feature of this type of cover is its ability to absorb movement. Any movement made on the bed is absorbed by the bed itself. So if you move even the slightest bit, it will not affect your spine. The movement is absorbed by the bed. This makes for a distraction-free sleep even if you move a lot.
Sleeping Alignments
Back pains are quite challenging conditions to handle. Moving around takes a lot of effort. Sleeping becomes a painful experience. You spend the night worrying about your position. A slight nudge would result in pain. The use of these special mattresses enables these people to get the sleep they want. These beds are designed to reduce pain by weight distribution. They are also comfortable to sleep on. This is another added bonus. So sleeping with this type of condition is now possible. No more worries about painful nights of tossing and turning. All you will get is a good nights sleep.
A great contributor to the cause of many cases of back pain comes from the mattresses that are being slept on. Most people spend about a third of their life’s in bed, which is a pretty big chunk and if you spend it sleeping in the bad posture you are hurting your future back health. A mattress that is not fit for you can cause back soreness, lack of sleep, and fatigue throughout the day. When you don’t get enough sleep people can be unlike there normal selves grumpy, unfriendly, and snappy.
Best Mattress To Sleep
The best mattress to sleep on is the one that keeps your spine the straightest when you lay down on your side. If you look at the picture above the top position is the right position to be sleeping in with a straight noncurved spine angle. Over time depressions can form into your mattress which causes you mattress to not support your back the way it used to when it was new. The depressions form just from mattresses getting old with the springs wearing out where you normally lay down at. If your old mattress is leaving you with back pain and making it hard for you to sleep at night, then it is time for you to get a new mattress.
Sleeping on the Wrong Mattress can cause serious problems
- Chronic back pain
- Lower back pain
- Losing sleep
- insomnia
Traditionally doctors recommended firm mattresses to help cure back pain. But recent studies have proven that many patients who suffered from back pain found more comfort and relief from medium-firm type mattresses. Recommended options on mattress types are not always what you need, as a personal preference for comfort is what will work best for you.
Shopping for the Right Mattress
When shopping for a new mattress don’t just look around feeling them, sitting on them, and looking for the most expensive. And don’t fall for all the special mattresses that are supposed to cure back pain, because it may work for others and not work for you. There is no mattress out there that works for everyone, so personal options are important in choosing the right mattress.
The mattresses are out on display for a reason so don’t be afraid to jump up on a mattress and lay down like would on your own bed. It’s like when buying a car, no one wants to buy a car without test driving it, you gotta feel out what you’re getting before you invest your money in it. It’s your money and you will be using the mattress for a long time so picking the one that is right for you is very important.
You should try all sorts of different mattresses from firm to the softest, and ones with different arrangements of coils. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to mattresses salesmen. Explain the back problems that you are having and they will surely have an idea what mattresses are most suitable for you. The mattress that is most comfortable and that gives you the best back support will be the mattress to help cure your back pain and other sleeping problems. Continuing to sleep on a mattress that is not fit for you can eventually lead to long term back problems, so finding the right mattress is very important to you and your future health.
Pick The Best Mattress
Picking the right mattress is crucial to making sure that you get the right amount of sleep as well. Our adult bodies require a certain amount of hours, between 6 to 8 hours of solid, undisturbed rest. This is what helps our body, as well as, our emotions to find a balance. Through sleeping, our bodies are not only able to rest, but also recharge our bodies but our minds. While sleeping, your mind goes through REM sleep, which is the actual time in which the mind itself is resting.
In order to hit this stage in our sleep, we require at least 3 to 4 hours to get to this point. If our bodies do not fall in a deep enough sleep, our minds remain too active to allow itself to fall into REM. If we awake during this particular cycle, we will have to start over again, and most of those that have nine to five jobs, entering back into this stage are quite impossible.
Best Mattress Buying Guide
Our emotions can be affected if we do not acquire the right amount of sleep. The term “waking up on the wrong side of the bed” is a true testament to those who wake up irritated and disgruntled with the entire world for no apparent reason. This emotional flux is due to the lack of serotonin administered to the emotion center in your brain. This is where your emotions are controlled and handled, and if that portion of your brain does not obtain the right amount of rest and relaxation, then the above term can prove to be very true. Studies have shown that a portion of the world that suffers from depression is due to their sleeping schedules.
How To Select A Mattress
It may seem like something that we may brush off, but scientists and their research are continuously stressing sleep, getting the appropriate amount, and retaining a schedule. It is suggested that if you wake up at 7:35 am for work, then you should try not to adjust it during your weekends, for people have experienced emotional fluxes, sleeping in will cause disorientation upon waking, and some have even complained of headaches.
With the combination of the right mattress, leading into the right about of sleep can have an extreme change on your body and mind that you almost wouldn’t believe that it could be due to just because you bought a new mattress. Those who take sleeping pills will find that, unless it’s for medical reasons such as narcolepsy, they will no longer need sleeping aid. The importance of sleep, especially in today’s world, is something that our society is constantly being nagged about, but for very good reason.
Helping you choose the best mattress for back pain
Selecting the best mattress for back pain
The mattress should not be a controversial piece of furniture. It is, after all, just a chunk of hefty materials engineered to cushion the human body at rest. But there are so many mattress choices today, choosing the right one is about as confounding as car shopping.
Mattress matters when it comes to getting quality sleep. Back pain sufferers insist, and rightfully so, that the mattress is as much a piece of health equipment as it is a part of the furniture. The right mattress should provide enough support to the spine and the spine curvatures, in the eight or so hours that a person sleeps, to prevent morning-after misery, especially for those with lumbar complaints.
Back pain and bed rest
Chronic low back pain afflicts about 80% of the population, at one point or another. This type of pain involves a dull and persistent ache centered in the lower back. A moderately firm mattress is recommended for this condition. Different back problems can be eased by a different mattress type. Lumbar disc problems with shooting pain from the buttock radiating to the lower leg and foot, accompanied by numbness would require a firmer mattress. On the other hand, a softer mattress would be helpful for spinal stenosis patients to relieve pain and cramping.
A mattress for every need
Today’s mattress options are varied. Mattress engineering has even made it possible for people with different requirements to share the same mattress. But the best mattress for back pain relief is determined by different features.
Hard versus soft what really works
Old school advice took for granted that the body would get the most benefit from a harder mattress than a softer one. A study done in Spain and published in the Lancet indicate that the best mattress for back pain sufferers is somewhere between firm and soft. The study showed that a medium-firm mattress diminished the pain experienced while lying in bed, upon rising and through routine daytime activities. Apparently, a mattress should be firm enough to distribute the user’s weight while sleeping but not overly firm that natural spine alignment is affected.
New versus old – how long before a replacement is needed
The average mattress has a shelf life of five to seven years, depending on usage and quality. A double-blind study conducted in Germany using hotel guests’ feedback, revealed that there is a significant correlation between sleep and mattress quality, indicated by age of mattress. For those suffering from back pain and sleep apnea, sleep quality declined on older mattresses. It must be emphasized that as the human body ages, sleep positions and anatomical pressure points change. Thus, it is a good idea to test new mattresses to find one that will support back pain therapies.
Finding the right mattress
Mattress shopping has been elevated to a sport. There are so many options and special features on mattresses today, making it difficult to decide on the best mattress for back pain sufferers.
- With traditional or innerspring coil mattress, the core of inner springs supports the body while the links between coils allow the mattress to hold its shape. More coils mean greater mattress flexibility, a plus for back pain relief. With a pillow top comfort cover, this kind of mattress can provide adequate support for the back.
- A memory foam mattress, made from polyurethane and other poly-elastics, comes in different thicknesses, weight, and formulations. The foam mattress allows the body to shift easily during sleep. The best mattress for back pain will support the natural curves of the back to avoid further stress on pressure points, so foam mattresses are definitely worth comparing with other options.
- Waterbeds provide smooth and even support to the body as the materials will conform to the shape and weight placed on the mattress. This eliminates pressure points and improves sleep quality as it cuts down on tossing and turning. Infused with heat, the waterbed can be a therapeutic mattress for back and muscle pain relief.
- A hard mattress like a futon pad is still preferred by some, believing that the firmness provides needed support for the aching back. A limited study conducted in Denmark indicates that back pain sufferers found some relief when using a foam mattress or a waterbed. However, the study was not broad enough to define significant differences in back pain relief in relation to mattress structure.
Ultimately, the choice of mattress for back pain relief is a subjective decision at best. Because everyone’s body is different, the sensible way to choose the right mattress is to try it out before making a commitment. Spend at least ten minutes reclining on the floor models to make a reasonable comparison. Additionally, inquire about warranties and return policies. It might take a little time for the sore back to give some feedback on the change in mattress system.
What are the common causes of back pain?
Common Causes and Reasons for why you suffer from Back Pain
Reasons for Back Pain: A Flashback
1. Did our ancient humans also have back pain problems?
There are many reasons for back pain. Back pain is one such problem which has been affecting millions of people for times since eternity. Previously it was thought of to affect people with old age. Indeed in our ancient times, most of the people who suffered from back pain were elders and old aged people.
In those times very few young people used to suffer from back pain, even most of those had some serious undiagnosed bone related problems(mind you many of the present diseases were not even discovered than.)
2. Why our generation has been suffering from Back Pain Issues? Also What is some of the lifestyle changes which are common causes for back pain problem in today’s world?
In the last few centuries, mankind had made so much progress that cannot be even accounted for. We have developed sophisticated tools for all the work that previously needed to be done physically by us. As a result, now most of the work which was previously done physically have been automated for our convenience.
Lifestyle is becoming more and more sedentary day by day. Perhaps the greatest innovation by mankind after “electricity” has been the “mobile phone”. And people are getting hooked on to this innovation so much so that there have been calls to make “limitations in usage for mobile phones”.
In short, Lifestyle has become sedentary and that has, in turn, contributed to the increase in obesity cases worldwide. Obesity is indirectly one of the common cause of back pain related problems. Sometimes I long for that simple life which our elders you to enjoy. Farming, Grinding the flour with hands, plowing the fields, and so many other things that were once very much part of daily life.
No wonder we can see so many people of the past generation who look fitter and healthier than so many young people today. Indeed it is the classic case of something becoming bane instead of the boon(in this case, of course, we are pointing to technology.)
Apart from this, there are still quite a few causes for back pain related problem as discussed below:
1. Bad Posture:
Something as simple as correct body posture can help you a lot if you deal with back pain. Indeed wrong body posture is one of the main reason for back pain in many young people. Always make sure that your spine posture is correct whatever you are doing. People who work for long hours in the office and slouch in their comfortable chairs also suffer from back pain related problems.
Better use chairs in which your back posture is correct. Also, make sure to take small breaks in between the work hours.
People who sleep on the stomach also complain about back pain. Sleeping on the side or back retains the neutral position of the spine. Sleeping on back interferes with the neutral position of your spine and hence is not ideally recommended.
2. Lack of exercise:
Your car needs service in every few months of use, right? So what do you think about your body? Exercise helps you build muscles. Also, exercise helps in the stretching of muscles which helps up build strength. Stretching and exercise help in the relaxation of muscles which have been fatigued or burnt out.
Exercise keeps you fit and your weight in check. Overweight people are more likely to suffer back pain than the ones who are fit and healthy.
3. Muscle Injuries:
One of the very usual causes in many of the working people, athletes, etc. It can happen to anyone, for example, many people who go to the gym unknowingly pull their muscles during their initial days.
Many of the people who are actively involved in sports also face muscle injuries. We see many famous sports personalities taking a break from their muscle injury for the recovery and at times surgery. Some of the muscle injuries lead to back pain.
People who tend to do a certain type of work also prone to spasm or muscle pulling. For example, when I was working as a sales rep in the initial phase of my career, I had a serious muscle spasm problem that occurred due to carrying a heavy bag around the shoulders. Ultimately I showed up at a physiotherapy center to get myself rid of the problem.
4. Age-related:
Many people especially those who have crossed 60 years suffer from back pain. This is more of age-related thing. With time your reflexes become slow. The ability of your body to heal bone and muscle damage slows down. In addition, most of the elder suffer from problems of bone degeneration such as Arthritis and osteoporosis.
5. Bone-related problems or diseases:
Even many of the young adults nowadays are facing problems such as Arthritis. Problems like Arthritis, Osteoporosis and skeletal irregularities such as scoliosis also lead to back pain related problems. Slip discs – a condition more and more people are experiencing nowadays also cause discomfort and back pain.
6. Other Factors:
There are many other things which directly or indirectly cause back pain. Smokers are more prone to back pain related problems as the study suggests. It states that smokings constrict the ability of blood to deliver nutrients and oxygen to the spine. Pregnant ladies often suffer from backache because of the increase in weight and body mass in the frontal part of the body during pregnancy. Obese people also suffer back pain because of the excess weight put on.
How to get rid of Back Pain?
Stated above are some of the factors which are the causes or reasons for back pain related problem. Many of the causes of back pain are lifestyle related and as such can be overcome by incorporating good habits like daily exercising, posture correction, and quitting smoking(for smokers. ) You can also use a specific mattress for back pain which is specially built for the people who suffer from back pain.
Happy Healthy Living!!!!
