Mattress for back pain

[fossyant]

What independent store did you go to?

Might have been 20 years ago !

 

[Buck]

@kingrollo As someone who myself has back issues caused by illness and abdominal operations, your question is too vague and without detail to get the answers you need. In reality, you’ll only get personal opinions that suited that persons circumstances (Including mine!)

Your back issues. Are they muscular or skeletal? Are they through injury?

Are you a back, side or front sleeper?

Lots of other questions around single/double bed, pillows, sprung base, divan etc

What is your physio suggesting?

You need to be clear on the problem you are trying to solve and then work through the components

 

[Dave7]

What independent store did you go to?

What independent store did you go to?

It's an independent store in Warrington. Now called Bruce the Bed King.

 

[CXRAndy]

We went for a Tempura, it's like sleeping on a marshmallow. The opposite of what is suggested. Extremely comfortable and your partner doesn't move when you move, there are no springs

 

[kingrollo]

Went to dreams today and did the sleep match thing.
And tried a selection of beds - one was considerably more comfy than the rest therapur acti gel - lady knocked a fair bit off display price and some free cushions.

I know sales reps are paid to sell beds - but there was no real pressure sell from the lady - in the end that was why I purchased.

Pressure sell and I walk away - surprised how many sales reps seem oblivious to this.

 

[geocycle]

Went to dreams today and did the sleep match thing.
And tried a selection of beds - one was considerably more comfy than the rest therapur acti gel - lady knocked a fair bit off display price and some free cushions.

I know sales reps are paid to sell beds - but there was no real pressure sell from the lady - in the end that was why I purchased.

Pressure sell and I walk away - surprised how many sales reps seem oblivious to this.

We had a similar experience in Dreams. The staff were clearly on commission but knew their stuff and I was impressed.

They also have a 100 day return scheme which gives confidence. We got a Harrison Spinks sprung affair made with Yorkshire flax and wool. The first two nights were agony as it was much firmer than the one in shop, but since then it’s been brilliant. I think mattresses get stored under pressure to save space so need time to expand. With the sprung ones you have to break them in to your shape, rather like a Brooks saddle.

 

[slowmotion]

My back crisis was largely solved by the saintly (but bossy) physiotherapists at Charing Cross Hospital about thirty years ago. Ever since, I've been seeking the perfect, fairly firm bed. We have a pocket spring one that was quite expensive but is very, very comfortable. We added a mattress topper. Personally, I detest memory foam. It's like sleeping on a malignant alien, sweaty too.

Whenever I sleep in a strange bed, I make a note of the brand and model number if I've had a really comfortable night's sleep.

 

[rogerzilla]

Pretty hard, not memory foam would be my general recommendation. Disclaimer: I generally sleep on my side.

 

[kingrollo]

I went through this last year and realized a firm mattress isn't always the answer. Sometimes a decent memory foam topper makes a bigger difference for a "knackered spine" than a whole new bed. Hope you find some relief soon!

Erm - this was last year !!!

The pain has abated since then - but not totally gone. I don't suppose it will at my age now.

A combination of Pilates, Core Work and co codamal gets me by.

 

[fossyant]

I'm very fussy with beds these days. I can sleep in them or not. Fortunately the beds we've been in this week have been good (4 hotels and a caravan). It's not so much my back but my left hip (fractured it 15 months ago) and my right shoulder (severe rotator cuff tear 12 months ago) and I can't sleep for long on either side.

 

[Electric_Andy]

My partner and I both have bad backs, she has it worse than me and also bad hips. We bought a firm one years ago, we've had memory foam and sprung, but nothing seems to make a difference. The eureka moment for me was using a firm pillow under my knee i.e I sleep in the recovery position with a pillow supporting my bent leg. Have you tried different positions before buying an expensive mattress?

I feel I should probably update this as we've had a few weeks (months) to test it out more. The expensive mattress (£1500) is more comfortable for me, but has made very little difference to my partner. I don't think any of them can fully support the bit that hurts; and sometimes even if it can, support may not be what that body part needs. I still think that experimenting with other things in the bedroom, e.g. the use of a groin pillow, can be more effective. After all, all mattresses are designed to be static and for you to be lying down, whereas a pillow or support you can move around until you get comfy