OT: Mattresses for people with back problems, Anyone out there? Options

[Sammy]

I had my back operated on 15 years ago and it's never been right, but you will absolutely have to stop sleeping on your stomach if you want to feel better.

Good sleep posture is more important that what bed you have.

Best in on your side with a soft pillow between your knees but you have to make sure your shoulders are parralel with your hips, next is on your back with pillow under your knees.

I have a top of the line serta and it is pretty good. I had a simmons backcare mattress before that and it was great but after 10 years it pretty much broke down.
You should turn and flip yor mattress every month.

[campbellcj]

We just got the Select Comfort (sleep number / air type) at Christmas; so far so good. I have never had many sleep difficulties -- actually I sleep like a log usually -- but Liz has back & neck nerve issues and our old worn out conventional mattress was unbearable.

[crash914]

I can tell you what worked for me....back pain for years...


We had a 15 year old firm mattress....tried one of the tempur-pedic pillows...

The next morning, pain gone....next week pain still gone...they have a 30 day try it program...if you don't like it, take it back...

Then got the mattress....expensive, but since it should last 15 years....not too bad. I like it.

That said, they have a 30 day trial on the mattress also...although who is going to schlep a mattress back to the store...

While the mattress is good, the pillow made the difference for me.
I also have to sleep on my back, if I flop over, much pain....

Hope it helps., herb

[GaroldShaffer]

Question: Are any of you with the air beds (number selector beds) stomach sleepers?  

Yep, I'm a belly sleeper, there I said it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
I do have back pain from time to time but not
from the problem you described. I really like
the Select Comfort bed kind of a pain to move
if / when the wife desides to change the bedroom
around.

- Garold

[HarveyH]

I have occasional back pain, mostly from being too fat and out-of-shape. Wife and I got a Select Comfort about 3 years ago. It made a major difference for both of us, better sleeping, less pain/discomfort, even cut my snoring down a bit. Side sleeper, occasionally on my back, but that increases my snoring. Instead of the pillow-top, we just got a foam pad from Penny's, rotate it a couple times a year, and throw it out when it starts to go. Considered the memory foam pads, but haven't tried one yet.
Harvey

[need4speed]

Try taking 3 ibuprofens every morning, just to be able to get ready for 8 hours of sitting in front of a computer.

Yeah, back problems suck. Especially when working on small cars. All the bending over, fitting into cramped spots. It turns what would otherwise be a pleasant, joyful activity into an excruciatingly painful experience. It's the main reason I haven't worked on my Ghia in over 6 months.

I've spent $3000 on mattresses in the past 3 years. I don't sleep on my belly (unless I have a cold - it's the only way I can breathe). I sleep on my side, my back, my other side, etc. When I can sleep.
None of it does any good for me. Though, I guess the newest mattress has helped my wife.

Joy of joys, after 15 months of working as a temp after being laid off, I'm finally getting a real job, and I'll have health insurance again, so I can go to a doctor, and be told that they don't cover pre-existing conditions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fighting19.gif)

Yeah, back problems suck.
Good thing that the pharmaceutical industry is all over this one. When I become paralyzed from nerve damage, I can get Viagra.

[phantom914]

My dad, who is 76, has bad/ruptured/almost missing discs and has no back problems (anymore that is)or need for a special mattress. He does exercises that an orthopaedic surgeon recommended to avoid surgery. The exercises help stabilize the vertabrae. Have you looked into that? I can try and find out the particular program he uses. I think it might be something that is published, although it is better to start out with a physical therpaist to help learn how to them properly.

Andrew

[Qarl]

Thanks everyone for their responses so far.

To summarize for everyone:

Exercise and stretching regimen: I have a program, but will admit that I don't do it enough

Medications: I am currently taking up to 6 ibuprofens daily (usually 3 at a time, twice a day), or one Darvocet PRN

Orthopedic doctor: have one. Surgery is the LAST result.

Biggest problem is sleeping on my stomach, which I have tried to no avail to fix, but can't break the habit.

So it goes down to my original question, about a good mattress for stomach sleepers.

Thanks everyone. I am going to look at some number selector mattresses this weekend.

Regards,

Karl

[blonde914]

Karl, Don't buy Select Comfort, don'y buy a new mattress at all yet. If you sleep on your stomach it won't make any difference what mattress you have. The weight of your body is mainly in the middle and it pulls your back down when you lay in bed, thus creating a pinching in the back, or like your back is in a constant arch. You have to try to first sleep in another position. I was also a stomach sleeper, and just sold my Select Comfort bed: to soft even at 100 setting, the doctor was right. It was also a King size and we now sleep in a full with pillow top. I lay on my stomach and lift one leg up and put a pillow under that leg, worked from day one for me. Try laying on your side with a pillow behind your back and just lean back. Whatever you do I hope it helps, nothing worse than having your back hurt! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)
Sherry

[Brad Roberts]

B << uses a body pillow. Wraps legs around it (between the knees) and lays on side like a good boy. ZERO back issues and leans over cars for a living.

Number one reason for back pain: stress. Guy's clinch their ASS when are stressed. Think about it the next time your back hurts.. I catch myself "clinching".. stopped and pains went away.


B

[TimT]

Now that we know each others sleeping habits (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

I sleep in the fetal position...... like a baby

Karl do the exercises... I lived with chronic back pain for to long...did the motrin percoset, darvoset whatever cocktail to ease the pain..

What finally allowed me to overcome the pain was getting into a regimen of exercise and stretching.... something as simple as stopping what your doing and taking a few good deep breaths can help

You say your stuck a chair a few hours a day..change your seating position alot... between changes straighten your back and take huge deep breaths... stretch.

sometime it sounds like rice krispies when you get a good stretch in..snap crackle pop LOL

[larryp]

My orthopedic surgeon is a big fan of http://duxbed.com/frameset_net.html

Of course, he can afford them.

[Qarl]

Tried some new positions the last few nights... (ummm SLEEPING positions, not SEXUAL positions). You dirty perverts!

First night - orthopedic pillow with another pillow under my knees, lying on my back. I actually fell asleep, but then kicked the pillow under my knees away and ended up on my stomach.

Last night - orthopedic pillow, with a pillow between by knees, lying on my side. I fell asleep and managed to stay asleep for a while. The pillow under the knees acted like a "bump stop" to prevent me from going on my tummy. I still had the natural desire to toss and turn to the other side. When I did, I just switched the pillow over, but it was kind of difficult because of being under the sheets. I caught myself on my tummy briefly a few times, and I forced myself to go back to the side (despite how GREAT it felt to be on my tummy)

Overall, I'm not too tired. My back still hurts like sh!t. But, I'll try again tonight.

Oh and Brad, I don't clench by Ass! It must be a natural "self-preserveration" mode you were in from being bent over cars in the prone position for so many years. "Hey, watch it with that Snap-on buddy!" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)