Mattress Forum

Yes, I've been working over springs the whole time. I did not notice any zoning with the springs themselves - doubtful I think, considering it's a cheap CostCo Sealy. But next time I rebuild my bed I will take a closer look.

Anyway, this formulation I have now is much better - for me - without the zoning.

Now that I think about it, I doubt the springs are zoned for another reason:

Before when I had only 1 x 1" layer of HR foam, I noticed that the springs seemed to be too soft in my midsection. This led me to believe that maybe the springs are shot - maybe from - ahem - having my wife and I work out the springs in the middle of the bed over the years... So that is why I added the 2nd layer of 1" firm foam, and that seems to have done the trick of making it not sink so much in the middle.

My theory is, for my body at least, that the difference in "feel" between the middle section and the top section when zoning is what my body did not like. I'm a bit like the "Princess and the Pea" in that I seem to be able to feel very slight changes in my mattress, and that difference of density between one zone and another somehow bothers me, actually more than bothers me, it caused pain to my back and/or shoulders.

Or maybe it is just that the perfect "zoning" for my body is to have the same density all the way through.

In any way, this "no zone" system seems to be much better; I've been using it for about a week now. Although I STILL wake up with a sore back, it's much less than it was before.

Meanwhile, I went to a neurologist and he did some simple tests and determined there IS somethng wrong with me neurologically. But he's not sure which. He has taken blood tests, did 2 MRI's - one of my spine and one of my brain - and then had a nerve conduction test done on me. (If you have never had a nerve conduction study done on you, I hope for your sake you never do! If you have, then you know what I mean when I say it is very much like being tortured, as they progressively shock you with higher voltage of electricity, then put needles up and down your arm or shoulder or whatever it is, and then run electricity into those and make you move your arm or whatever until you get a sharp pain. This is my 2nd one andI HOPE I never have to have any more. (Admittedly, I'm somewhat squeamish when it comes to torture! ;-) Don't expect me to keep any State secrets under torture conditions!)

I have not heard back from the spinal mri yet but thank goodness the brain mri was normal. And unfortunately the nerve study also was normal - I would have liked to have found an "explanation" for my symptoms through that test. Am still waiting for the spine mri though I suspect it was fairly normal as well or I'd have heard from my doctor.  

It's ironic that the HMO will spend thousands on these tests which do no good at all, but will NOT pay even $500 for what I think I need, which is Trigger Point Therapy or some type of deep tissue massage therapy. So I go round and round with tests and appointments which will probably end up proving nothing - again. (I went through all this 2 years ago before I got tired of it and the doctor I was seeing was clearly at a loss as to why my arms are tingling and my back is chronically hurting.) So it goes.

Thanks. I bought one a few months ago and I use it. Mine is a slightly different design but the same idea.

I like it and sometimes it helps. But sometimes it doesn't. I bought the book on Trigger Point Therapy too but you almost have to be a body worker student to really understand and have a feel for the trigger points - there are so many. I do use it though. And some day I hope to be able to afford a Trigger Point therapist. I'm not sure it will work - thus my reluctance to spend the money now - but I am hopeful.