Choosing a Mattress to Relieve Back Pain
Since this is such a frequently asked question, let’s start with what to avoid.
The absolute worst material for a bad back and the pain associated with it, is Memory Foam.
Memory foam is a highly deceptive product…felling one way on the showroom floor and feeling quite a bit differently at home.
The reason for this is that memory foam is a temperature sensitive product…unlike any other types of upholstery.
As it warms from the heat your body gives off, it softens and you sink into it…totally throwing off your spine’s natural alignment…resulting in more back pain.
Since a mattress is a pressure sensitive product, which mattress is best for relieving back pain, won’t be the same for everyone.
It will depend on the source and severity of your back problem and how much pressure you’re placing on the mattress….your body weight.
First, it is important to determine the source of your back pain. For most people, like me who have worked a desk job for much of my life, the back problems are disc related.
Worn out discs result in “Bulging Discs”, “Degenerative Disc Disease”…aka “DDD”, and “Herniated Discs”.
These problems require some degree of firm, push back support.
The types of mattresses you must avoid are: Air Mattresses, Waterbeds, and All Foam Mattresses.
Air, waterbed, and all foam mattresses rely on displacement of your body weight for support.
Air, water and memory foam are, by far, the worst. However, even that which is considered the best, “All Latex”, is wrong for disc related back pain.
While all natural latex has been considered, “The Best You Can Buy” for the last 100 years, and is far more resilient than any other type of upholstery,
it does not provide the “Push Back Support” that disc related back problems require for proper support.
The best support for disc related back pain comes from an innerspring mattress.
Which innerspring mattress will depend on your body weight and/or the severity of your problem.
There are, basically two types of coil units…the only two worth considering, at any rate. One would be an individually pocketed coil system, where the coils move independently from the others.
The other would be an interlocking coil, like the Bonnel coil…a large heavy coil that is very strong and rigid.
For most people, the individually pocketed coil is the best. This coil system provides contouring support that maintains the spine’s natural alignment.
In doing so, it helps to prevent the vertebra from pinching the nerves where the discs have worn.
There are, basically, two nerve centers in your body…one at the top of your back, which controls the nerve system in the top half of your body…
and one at the base of your spine, which controls the nerves in the lower half of your body.
Keeping your nerves from being pinched, not only helps to relieve pain, but also related problems, like sciatica, which starts in your lower back, sending pain around the hip and down the leg.
All pocketed coils are NOT alike. Many are nothing more than a wrapped coil, with the pocket and the coil being the same height.
Yes, these coils move independently, but they do not offer the push back support of a pre-compressed pocketed coil….a 9″ free standing coil in a 7″ pocket.
The original was The Simmons Beautyrest, which was introduced in the 1920’s.
For light to average weight people, we recommend “The Starting model in The Simmons Beautyrest World Class Series”…Offering White Glove Delivery to most of the U.S.
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If you follow that link, you’ll notice a choice of Extra Firm and Luxury Firm.For most of you, the Luxury Firm is the best choice…most of you being average weight with the severity of the disc problem in the low to moderate range.
If the body weight is closer to 200 pounds and/or if the severity of the problem is greater, then the Extra Firm model becomes the more appropriate choice.
If your weight is between 200 and 250 pounds, then the better choice is from the Simmons Beautyrest Black Series.
Here again, weight closer to the higher end of that scale and /or greater severity of the disc problem determines the choice between the Luxury Firm or Extra Firm models.
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The Simmons Beautyrests are upholstered with non-toxic memory foam.
In order to provide these mattresses with surface comfort, and to counter the effects of the memory foam, it’s imperative to add an EverEden All Natural 2″ Soft Talalay Latex Topper.
Shown here:
The latex topper does a number of things.It make the surface of the mattress comfortable, which adds to your depth of sleep.
It absorbs much of your body weight, which causes the mattress to keep it’s shape better and extends the life of the mattress.
It insulates you from the memory foam in the mattress, which tends to wear quicker and sleep hot. Latex sleeps cool.
And, it does all that without negating the underlying firm support your back needs.
Offering UPS Delivery to All 50 U.S. States and Puerto Rico
If you live in Canada, The Natura Latex Toppers are delivered to All Canadian Provinces…as well as the U.S. Mainland
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Another excellent option for disc related back pain, is the Natura Greenspring mattresses:…offering White Glove Delivery to Most of the U.S. and Canada
Shown Here:
These mattresses use the same pre-compressed barrel shaped pocketed coils as the Simmons Beautyrest.The differences are:
A higher coil count.
Stronger coils, using twice tempered steel…the Simmons coils are not tempered
Already upholstered with natural Talalay Latex…no need for a separate topper.
There are 5 choices of comfort…something for everyone, regardless of your body weight or disc severity.
My wife and I sleep on one of these Natura Greenspring models. I have all three of the disc problems that are highlighted near the top of this page.
It is the best mattress we have home tested.
Lastly, the stronger, more rigid bonnel coil, for when the severity of your disc problem is so great and/or the amount of body weight you exceeds 350.
The Bonnel coil was also introduced in the 1920s and was the work horse of the industry for next 60 years…a truly old fashioned mattress.
Choose from one of the 3 Wolf Two Sided Mattresses…Plush, Luxury Firm and Firm…depending on your weight.
These mattress can be flipped and should be flipped to get the most out of them.
To these, you will also add a latex topper for surface comfort. For these, use the EderEden 2″ Soft Vytex Dunlop Latex Topper.
The Dunlop is a bit more dense than the Talalay and will hold up better to extraordinary body weight.
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Those who work hard for a living, usually suffer with back pain steaming from muscle strain.
Addressing this is far easier and less complicated than dealing with a disc related back issue.
For muscle related back pain, there is nothing like an all latex mattress.
An All Natural, All Latex Mattress can get to be expensive. Latex is expensively made.
However, any of the pocketed coil solutions, shown above. will also work well for you.
Our “Best Buy” in an all natural, all latex mattress is from EverEden…mostly due to the UPS Delivery…available anywhere on the U.S. mainland
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For most guys, the 8″ model is all you need. If there is a female involved, the 9″ will be the one to choose.
The “Name Brand” in All Latex is Pure Talalay Bliss…now known as Talalay Global…with a variety of comfort choices….Offering White Glove Delivery anywhere on U.S. Mainland
The “Name Brand” in All Latex is Pure Talalay Bliss…now known as Talalay Global…with a variety of comfort choices….Offering White Glove Delivery anywhere on U.S. Mainland
Similarly made to the Pure Bliss, is the Natura Latex…Offering White Glove Delivery to the U.S. and Canadian Mainlands.
If you are interested in an “Organic” All Latex Mattress, Palmpring Offers UPS Delivery anywher on the U.S. Mainland
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