I have mild nagging lower back pain for many years, it happens every so often and worse if I did something stupid to aggravate the condition. Usually it goes away after stretching exercise, heat pad and some painkillers for a few days.
For the past few months, it seems my lower back pain is here to stay, it does not impede my daily activities, but it is very annoying, have to be careful not to further aggravate it. I thought of getting a new mattress to replace the old one, and H bought a 2 1/2" memory foam mattress topper instead. He read about how it contours the body shape and the associated benefits. So, I have been sleeping on it for over a month, for some reasons my lower back pain seems to worsen and it does not ease up even I have done everything that worked in the past, I can’t figure it out. And then I read about a “firmer” mattress is better for those who have back problem.
Please share any experience and suggestions. I have a check up appointment in July and will mention this issue.
I went through this also. When I purchased my first bed in the mid '80’s it was a platform bed with a center support and 2 rows of thin perpendicular slats rolled out across the length of the bed. There was no box spring or solid platform to support the mattress. I bought 3 mattresses over the course of the time I had the bed, consulting with mattress sales staff with each purchase to make sure I had one suited to the bed. I would wake up with terrible stiffness and soreness in my lower back and legs. I was also prone to muscle strains and pulls in my lower back every other month or so. Every time, the mattress would sag within a few months of purchase. I also tried the foam topper and found it to be no help. Finally, I told my husband on our 20th wedding anniversary that I wanted to replace the bedroom furniture, and we purchased a bed that requires both box spring and mattress. The difference and relief was immediate. I did not buy a mattress labeled “firm”. Ours is a “plush” tight top version, not a pillowtop. It has been about 8 years now and I can say that I am still without back and leg aches and the mattress does not show any sagging or overt signs that it needs replacing.
Firm isn’t necessarily better, as you need a matress that will contour to your body’s curves and provide support. This is probably even more true for a side sleeper than a back sleeper or front sleeper. If you’re a side sleeper, I believe some mattresses actually use different strength springs, with softer ones where to shoulders and hips land. Although that’s always seemed to be a bit sketchy to me given the variation in people’s heights.
Anyway something to try while you’re matress shopping if you’re a side sleeper is a body pillow. You put it between your legs to help keep your spine in a neutral position. Good luck and I hope you find some relief soon.
After terrible back pain for both DH and I, we purchased a Serta Icomfort Memory Foam Gel infused mattress for $2300 18 months ago. We practically raced to go to bed! The back pain stopped for both of us, he likes softer and I like firmer…and it worked. It was just magical, really! Until about 8 months of having the mattress and it started to lose the same great support. We turn it, but it’s not the same. We are ticked that at this amount of money it’s not holding up. They said 7 - 10 years. pffffttt to that.
So, yes…memory foam will most likely help your problem (not just a topper). Ours was the medium firm. However, I think this particular bed is a stinker and have been reading reviews that people are experiencing the same issues…great for 6 - 12 months then it starts losing support. I’m now wondering what memory foam doesn’t? Termperpedic? But we love these gel infused ones, as they don’t’ get hot.
I have osteoarthritis in my lower back and was having acupuncture for years until we got this mattress. I haven’t been for my back in 18 months…but now it’s starting to hurt a little more without the great support. I think we will have to replace it in a year or so.
We bought the really thick memory foam Select comfort. H loved it, I hated it because I made my lower back hurt like heck. Yes, it was “supporting” my lower back, but it felt like it was forcing that area into an uncomfortable arch. I went back to the store and they said their memory foam mattresses are not recommended for people with back pain. Since I never had had lower back pain, I never thought to ask.
Fortunately ours was a split top, so I swapped mine out for a more traditional mattress with a bit of a pillow top. It works much better. They now have a memory foam with a pillow top. That might be an interesting combo.
We’ve had a sleep number mattress/box springs for about 10 years. It’s incredibly comfortable, firm and supportive but still soft. It hasn’t sagged or otherwise degraded.
The best thing I’ve found for lower back pain is this video:
There is also an upper back version, and I’ve had both for years. I almost never use the upper back version, but I use the lower back version several times a week. It completely relieves pain and stiffness in my back and hips. Although it’s called yoga, it doesn’t seem like yoga to me. It’s gentle exercises in a particular sequence that somehow is very powerful. I’ve recommended it and given it to many people, and they all found it helpful.
My experience is that firmer matress helps.
I have had this pain for many years. Once it has sent me to emergency on the streatcher, the most painful trip in my life. I got rid of this pain completely after I started swimming DAILY. I used to swim only in a summer. I used to rollerblade in a fall and spring. I decdied to abondon my rollerblading due to age (I loved it and still miss it a lot and I could do it even with the back pain because of the certain back angle while rollerblading)
As a substitute, I joined a second gym that has in-door pool and started swimming year around, every day. I have noticed that my back pain was completely gone. Then, I heard from 2 of my friends that they were told about swimming by their docs. None of us are avid swimmers who have been swimming competitively. Nope, just recreational swimmers who are in a pool every day because we do not want to have a back pain back in our lives. We are in mid 50s / late 60s and it has been working for all 3 of us.
I can second the recommendation for swimming. I used to swim at a Y, and I remember older women in the locker room telling me that they solved their back problems this way. One woman told me that she had been wearing a custom back brace for years, until she started swimming and was able to throw it out.
@Kajon, glad to hear others had similar experience and not me being weird, H is away, when he gets back, we just got to check out mattresses. A traditional mattress with pillow top sounds interesting. I just remember H bought son a brand new twin mattress a few months ago, the mattress is kind of firm but with a soft top layer. Maybe I should sleep in his bed and try it out, lol.
@NYMomof2, thanks for the video, definitely check it out, I have been doing basic lower back exercises and not helping at all, that’s why I am thinking the memory foam topper aggravated the condition.
@MiamiDAP, I am a non swimmer, afraid of water, you will never get me on a cruise, so swimming won’t work for me, though a couple of my friends are like you, they swear by the benefits of swimming. My feeling is that firmer mattress may work for me, older mattress is getting too soft.
After waking up all achy for a long time, I bought the Novaform gel foam mattress in a box from Costco. It was very reasonably priced, and I didn’t even discuss this purchase with my H because Costco has such a good return policy and because I was sick and tired of discussing mattresses with him. We have been very pleased with this mattress over the past three years.
My first course of action was buying a thick memory foam gel topper from Costco. It helped for about 2 years. Finally after waking up every morning with sore hips I told H we were buying a new mattress.
I read somewhere that you should bring a book and lay on each mattress for 20 minutes. My first stop was Macys. They have a good selection and the sales people helpful but not pushy. A good mattress person will be able to direct you. My first order of business was deciding if I wanted a memory foam mattress. I found out pretty quick that I didn’t like them. We went to a couple of different stores. At 1 they had a bed that you lay on and it analyzed your sleep style and recommended a firmness based on how you lay.
Also at one of the stores I had a nice sales woman who suggested that I might need a different pillow. She was patient and brought me different style pillows to try. Like Thumper I found the new pillow to make a difference.
I think everyone looking for a new mattress should stop in at a select comfort store to learn where their pressure points are and take that info with you as you search for a bed in the store of your choice.
Here is why: the Select Comfort store in my area has a bed that you lay on and some sort of a system that shows you how your body interacts with the mattress. You can look up at the ceiling and see the visual for yourself. If you are a side sleeper then do the test on your side. For me it was dead on. My right hip is my problem area and I could see on the visuals how this is true. Left hip showed up as a tiny red spot and the right one was a huge red spot. My other other contact points were a lesser yellow or green. For my H it was his shoulder and somehow their system nailed it.
Re swimming, I was raised to be afraid of water, my parents were not strong swimmers, and while I had swimming lessons over several summers, I never swam enough to be comfortable. ( also am very nearsighted, as was my dad)
When I got older, I made myself go white water rafting to get over my fear.
It was a blast.
Both kids know how to swim, one D was even on swim team in high school.
I still didn’t swim much, until my arthritis made water exercise the only activity I could do without much pain.
After the knee replacement, I still go swimming two or three times a week, and it makes other activities easier.
We have a foam mattress, which I tolerate, but I prefer traditional springs, we did get an insulating cover so it isn’t so hot in summer.