new mattress = back pain?
Jan 31, 2011 11:45 AM
Joined: Jan 31, 2011
Points: 2
Hi there--

Husband and I recently bought a new mattress; we went with a firm Simmons Beautyrest without a pillowtop.  My husband had been suffering from back pains, and thought our old mattress was to blame; I thought I could sleep on anything, so when he found the Beautyrest and really liked it (and I tested it as well), we went for it.

We've been sleeping on it for about a month now, and while his back problems seem to have been alleviated, mine seem to have started!  For the last two weeks, I've felt like my entire back was just tight--like it just needed to stretch out or pop or something.  The last two days my lower back has been increasingly sore...I just can't get comfortable when I'm sitting or standing.

The one place I AM comfortable is lying in bed...I sleep soundly, and my back feels good when I wake up...but within an hour or two of my normal routine, the pain is back.  Is it possible that this mattress is too firm for me (would that cause back pain like I'm describing)?  Or is it unrelated to the mattress?  I'd welcome anyone's thoughts...we have a 90 day free exchange on the mattress, but I'm hesitating to go that route since the bed SEEMS to be comfortable when I'm in it.

TIA for any thoughts/suggestions!

Re: new mattress = back pain?
Reply #4 Jan 31, 2011 1:41 PM
Joined: Oct 15, 2009
Points: 966
Slomack wrote:

Thanks for the thoughts!

 

Haven't started any new exercise programs or done much differently lately...but I could be doing something--sitting differently--without really realizing it, I guess.  The mattress was the obvious difference, so I thought I'd start with it as a possibility.  As you mentioned, I'd typically heard about people who had back pain initially in the morning (with it gradually getting better), but not the other way around as I'm experiencing it (great in the morning, gets worse over the course of the day).

I am a side sleeper, but the mattress does not feel too firm to me (no pressure points or anything like that); in fact, it feels very comfortable to me when I lay on it.  Haven't paid attention to my hip alignment, but I'll check that out.  The mattress appears firmer than my old mattress (I particularly notice this when I sit on it), but not dramatically so.  I've also spent a couple of nights on my sister's much softer, pillow-topped mattress, and the pain was still present the following days...but I wasn't sure whether one or two nights away from the problem would be enough to "magically solve" mattress-induced pain...

 

 


It is hard to say.  2 nights on your sisters bed might not be enough time to see a change.  Have you ever had back issues before on any other types of mattresses, or is this the first time?

Since it has helped your husbands back, the mattress does seem to be making a difference.  I assume it was too soft for him before, and his back is a bit better with the new one.   If it is a bit too firm for you, you might be sleeping in a bit different position to get more  comfortable (or again maybe your hips are a bit out of alignment).  That could be fatiguing/straining some of your lower back muscles and it only shows up later in the day.  It is a mystery though why it would not show up first thing in the morning.

I know when I am on too firm of a mattress, I tend to slump over a bit more on my stomach to relief the hip pressure.   That can give me a sore back, but I usually feel it first thing in the morning. 

If had something softer to add on top, like 1-2" of memory foam or latex, then it would be a good experiment to try that for a few days to see if it makes any difference.

One issue you may end up having is getting it right for you and your husband.  That is one benefit of having mattresses that can customize the firmness of each half.


 

Re: new mattress = back pain?
Reply #5 Jan 31, 2011 11:46 PM
Joined: Jan 26, 2011
Points: 19
If your comfortable in bed I don't think the mattress could be the problem. 

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