Many people continue to suffer from different types of back pain, especially lower back pain in the lumbar area. Sometimes this is caused by poor posture when seated and other times it’s related to the growing problem with obesity. However, what makes matters even worse is when a mattress isn’t properly supporting your back in ways that elevate some of the pain.
Can You Diagnose the Cause of Your Back Pain?
Sometimes there will be medical reasons why back pain is a reoccurring theme. It can be due to degenerative disc disease, a disc put out of alignment, the spine could have been partially pushed out of its natural position or a muscle in the back could have been guarding, having been strained when leaning over to pick something heavy up off the floor.
There is a difference between not having pain but noticing it’s starting to occur after you’ve slept on a certain mattress or having almost daily recurring back pain, which feels either the same or worse after trying to sleep through the night. In the first instance, the pain would likely be due to poor sleep posture or an unsupportive mattress. In the second instance, an ongoing back pain problem would suggest a medical issue that a poor mattress may be exacerbating but is not the direct cause of.
Is It Worth Getting Medical Treatment?
Whether it’s worth seeking out help from a medical professional depends on the severity and location of the pain. For instance, a compression of the spine or poor spinal alignment could be rectified by visiting a chiropractor who specializes in the Palmer approach. Many of their techniques used to resolve spinal issues are less severe and suit people who have never visited a chiropractor before.
The cost of a single assessment and treatment isn’t that expensive compared to surgery or other options. The medical professional will likely have suggestions for how to improve your posture and which sleeping position is best for your frame.
Getting a Better Mattress When It’s Causing the Pain
If you’ve identified that a bad mattress is causing lower back pain, then a replacement is surely going to help. A super plush mattress is usually too soft to provide proper spinal support when there’s a back issue. A super firm mattress is equally too hard on your back with insufficient bounce and adjustability. Most people require something in the middle, up to a medium-firm support level, to get what they need.
When choosing a mattress for a bad back, you need to consider whether you want an innerspring, memory foam, or latex mattress. The innerspring uses a layer of springs to provide greater bounce but lacks much of a sink-into- it effect unless it has a pillow-top. With memory foam, it usually has multiple layers for added comfort and will mould around the body shape to cradle it while supporting the spine. A latex mattress is a bit springier than memory foam, is equally supportive but some people have allergic reactions to it even though it’s hypoallergenic.
Whether an old mattress with a coil spring is sticking through to your back or a sagging middle is causing the issue, all mattresses should be replaced every few years to maintain good spinal alignment and posture. When compared to the cost of surgery, it’s well worth it.
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