According to the American Chiropractic Association, 31 million people are experiencing back pain at any given time in the U.S. with over half of all working Americans suffering from back pain each year. It’s often an injury that causes back pain but it can also be caused by something as simple as the wrong shoes, a heavy backpack, poor posture, or a bad mattress. People who get the recommended amount of sleep each night, at least 8 hours, spend a third of their lives lying on their mattress. If you don’t have the right mattress, that’s a lot of time not getting the back support you need.
For a mattress to be good for your back, it needs to be extra firm, like you’re sleeping on a board, right?
Wrong. If your mattress is too firm or too soft, you won’t get the right support needed to keep your spine aligned as you sleep. Usually, a medium-firm mattress will give you the middle ground to keep your spine properly aligned with enough give for hips and shoulders as it supports your back.
Memory foam mattresses are great for your back. The foam springs back after it molds to your body all night. Unfortunately, sometimes they become soft over time and temperature control can be an issue as they hold heat when it’s warm and can get hard in cold temperatures.
Adjustable number beds are also a good choice if you have back problems. Adjustable beds use air pockets to provide support where you need it anywhere on the mattress. However, like memory foam mattresses, they can be expensive. A medium-firm, medium-priced mattress should be able to give you enough support to keep your back in alignment.
The main problem that people have with their mattresses is that they keep them too long. Standard, inner-spring mattresses should be replaced every 10 years but you may need to get a new one sooner than that. If sags or bumps are visible or you find that you’re not getting quality sleep anymore, it may be time for a new mattress. An old mattress with bumps or dips is going to cause you to not get a good night’s sleep and it isn’t going to give you the support your body needs during the night.
Your sleep position is important for your back too. If you sleep on your back, a pillow under your knees will give support. For side-sleepers, a pillow between your knees keeps your spine in line. If you sleep on your stomach, put a pillow under your abdomen for support.
At North County Pain Relief, we offer a natural, drug-free approach to healing and put the health and wellbeing of all of our patients above all. If you’re experiencing back pain or any other type of pain, call us today at (314)731-4201 and schedule an appointment. The sooner you do, the sooner we can help relieve your pain and get you on the road to recovery.
