Feb 10, 2015

Many patients ask me what kind of mattress is best to purchase if you are suffering from back or neck pain or recovering from surgery. While no two people are alike, and everyone’s back problems may be different, here is some general information to help you make an informed decision:

If a mattress doesn’t provide adequate support for your back, it can worsen your pain. By sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress, you might further force your spine out of alignment and reinforce a poor resting posture that can negatively impact your comfort and mobility.

HOW TO CHOOSE A MATTRESS

The most expensive mattress isn’t necessarily the right one for you. With lots of mattress technologies and materials available, it is best to find one that you feel the most comfortable on, not the one with the highest dollar sign. Many mattress companies offer refunds within certain time frames, so that you can try out the mattress and decide how it feels. 

In the past, it was considered best to have a firm mattress for back pain. However, since then studies have shown that a medium firm mattress is the best choice for alleviating back pain. According to a recent study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14630439), participants who slept on a medium firm mattress reported more improvement from their back pain. Also, be sure to turn or reposition your mattress every six months to ensure it wears evenly.

HOW TO SLEEP BEST

Clete A. Kushida, MD, PhD, a spokesperson for the American Association of Sleep Medicine and the director of the Stanford Center for Human Sleep Research in California offers these suggestions: “Lie on your side. If your shoulders and hips are sinking, if you feel your spine is not aligned, it’s probably too soft. If you feel pain and discomfort, it’s probably too firm.” Herr also recommends shopping for a mattress later in the day since you are often more energetic and back pain and strain is lessened in the early morning. 
(The Best Type of Mattress for a Bad Back | eHow.com)

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

Please visit Spine-Health for a forum where patients discuss which mattresses worked best for them http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/sleep/choosing-a-mattress-back-support-and-sleep-comfort-part-i