Mattresses & Back Pain
 

I have had on and off back pain since working in the warehouse. I figured with my savings one of the few things I was not going to skimp on would be the mattress. Now I am thinking maybe I should even see a chiropractor before making any selections as, well I have wanted to anyway for a while and insurance will cover it so why not.

However, any recommendations? A buddy I used to work with has worse back problems and has some fancy water bed (one of those with actually very little water inside, mostly foam supports), some swear by the foam mattresses (which by the way can be had at Costco and get a good price and great return policy- a 10" thick full size can be had for under $500 there).

I am sure part of my back pain is due to my size, and working a desk job doesn't help either. But while I work on the weight I still want a good mattress :D.

Re: Mattresses & Back Pain
 

I had one of the memory foam ones and while it was comfortable most of the time, it holds body heat terribly which was too much of a drawback for me. I ended up with a good pillowtop mattress, and replace it about every five years. I have a bad lower back, the wife has a bad lower as well as her neck and shoulder spinal area and we both do pretty well with it, of course there are always "those" nights when I don't think we could get comfortable in any bed. We can't afford to try one of the Sleep Number beds, if it didn't work out that would be too much money down the tube.

Re: Mattresses & Back Pain
 

I hate to hear anyone that's having back problems.
Ive been seeing a chiropractor on and off for years now and one thing he told
me as far as a mattress, was to get a Firm mattresss. I did, went out and got a
nice one. It didnt seem to help and thought I'd just give it time.
After about a week and no sleep and more back pain...it went!

I'm back to a good soft mattress and good sleep, still live with the pain and without
the chiropractor as of late. Just been living with it.

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Can you get hold of a TENS machine? They sell them in the drug stores over here. It's electronic acupuncture, and helps some people. I've used it on my back and it seemed to bring some relief. Acupuncture can also help.

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I've read that some people swear by hammocks for bad back, says it eliminates "pressure points". Could be, but I don't think the wife would go for it.

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Yea our hammock is great but I think I toss and turn too much for that to be viable hehe

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I used to have a lot of back pain, used to wake up every morning with all kinds of aches and pain. Then we bought a queen size Tempur-Pedic Mattress and I haven't had any pain since.

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I have had a bad back since I was 15 years old (that is more decades ago than I like to count). Threee years ago me and the wife bought a Tempur-pedic bed with a reclining base. It was very expensive $4500, but the best investment I ever made into my back.

Re: Mattresses & Back Pain
 

Sleep Number.

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I have heard the tempurpedics are great, but never tried one.

The sleep number beds, while an interesting concept, didnt do that much for me. I didnt think they were that comfortable and didnt quite have the effect I was expecting.

I ought to look into something, cause I have had a bad back for years and it aint looking good for the future.

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I will swear by the "memory foam" matress. It's the only way I can get a nights sleep. And if you can sleep, you can deal with the pain a bit better.

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Airdale hit it! The Sleep Number bed is the way to go! I sleep on one, and I love it. If you like it hard, then make it hard. If you like it soft, then make it soft. http://www.sleepnumber.com/ A foam mattress will retain body heat, and they will get very warm! I can't sleep under an electric blanket, nor can I stand the Foam type mattress, just too hot for me. The Sleep Number bed will give your body the support it needs. All you have to do is find your number! I like mine at 80. The wife likes her side at 40.

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Dang, I just gave a way a queen size Posturepedic memory foam mattress with fully adjustable electric frame. We got the split king Sealy upgraded memory foam model, and it doesn't "sleep hot", is very comfortable, and the full electric adjustments are convenient. Not to sure about the goofy 'massage' setting, but whatever.
It DOES cost, over $5500 delivered and set up, but I figure this is a very long term investment.

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Vlad, NEVER trust a chiropracter.

If ya ever go to one, ask for copies of all yer x-rays. They'll say no, but it's YOUR property.Fight them.

Been there, done that, and still have the copies.:D

In my case, the offending Dr. (if ya can call them that), called me and told me if I hadn't made copies, he'd have taken me to court for every penny I was worth. :rant:

Hey Doc.... :na-na::AR15firing:

When us kids were young, Mom got rear ended, and the quack had her bring all of us in for 'adjustments'.

Quackters have no governing body (ie: the AMA). They have their own little club that oversees themselves. Sound familiar?

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Bobitis, I don't always agree with you, but in this case I agree 100%, the worst thing I ever did for my back was go to a chiropractor.

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Vlad from my experience I never trusted a Chiropractor (the old adage Chiropractors call themselves doctor, but you never hear a doctor call himself chiropractor - holds true!) until I was in such pain I was laying on the stairs trying to find some position I could sleep in. The Chiro helped the pain - I told him I had numbness down my left leg and into my foot. He said not to worry let him keep working with me. On the last visit that my insurance would pay he told me that he was concerned about the numbness and that I should see a neurologist.

The Neuro asked how long the numbness had been going on - when I told him six weeks - he said the Chiro kept me coming to use up my insurance before referring me to a specialist that the Chiro knew I needed. Unfortunately, permanent nerve damage occurs in about 6 weeks - so the Neuro sent me straight to a surgeon because time was ticking against me.

Long story short - I have permanent nerve damage in my left leg and walk with a limp because the greedy Chiro waited too long to refer me when he knew my condition was beyond what he could treat. I talked to an attorney and was told we could never prove it in court.

I even had another Chiro confirm the scenario and told me it is common practice in their trade.

So beware! If they are helping your pain - fine. But if you have constant numbness, stop immediately and go to a neurologist because you only have a short time for them to work with you before the knife is your only recourse.

Now as far as the mattress, I have slept on several since my back trouble and like a firm mattress with a pillow top to give a little softness with support. Stick with Sealey, Beautyrest, or one of the name brands. I have thought about trying the closed cell foam - that is the pillow I use and like - but just can't get past the high cost.

Good luck!

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Do yourself a favor and purchase this book

After 10 years of agony, Chiropracters, family doc and Orthopods...this simple little book fixed me.

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in my humble opinion, and in my experience, here's what I think.
This year I came down with a touch of congestive heart failure. Which means I can lay flat on a bed or I feel like I'm drowning. So I bought a recliner. Before I knew it I had terrible lower back pain. Never connected the two. (duh). Went to the chiro who is excellant. Would pop the back and for a day or two I was great. Then right back to crippling lower back pain. My brains cells started to work slowly, which is the way I am now, and I thought, perhaps if I put the foam pad from my "tree lounge" deer climbing stand on the recliner, perhaps it would help my back. So I tried it. within days my lower back stopped hurting. In fact I use the pad every night and my lower back pains have gone away. The chiro is a great person, but never thought it or recommended any changes. I'm not sure telling you this will help you, but it is what helped me.
Another thing that helps is to spray "bio-freeze" on my back. The chiro sells it and it does help. It's a lotion type stuff that goes on cool, but heats up and seems to relax the muscles.
I can't take flexiril as it messes up my bladder. Pain pills mask the pain, but don't seem to fix anything.
VO is comforting. :)
What would really help is I were to get off my fat butt and walk everyday, do a few exercises, and loose some weight.
But that seems excesive. :D:confused:

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Thanks guys.

I never understood the sleep number bed, once you find your number how is it any different from a regular mattress?

PS Anyone with memory foam able to advise on 10inch vs 13inch thick? Do I need thicker being heavier, or is it just premium quality vs lower quality basically?

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I ruptured a disk in my back and the sciatic nerve was being pinched, pain was horrible. Couldn't walk or stand for days, too much pain. M.D.'s did absolutely nothing to help, just gave worthless injections. I was living alone back then, had living quarters in rear of my business. Out of desperation I crawled on my hands and knees to a chiropractors office a few doors down from my shop, pain so excruciating I almost passed out before I got there. Doctor was specialist in sport injuries. After one treatment I was able to walk back to my shop with only little pain. Took 18 weeks of everyday treatment for swelling and pain to subside and completely heal. I thank God for that chiropractor, been 22 years pain free.

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What? :dontknow:

Vlad, I'm willing to bet that yer pain is due to muscles spasms in yer lower back. It has nothing to do with yer spinal cord. Many will tell you otherwise. :rolleyes:

I get a tweek in my lower every couple years or so. The last time, it came when I pulled up my chair to the desk. Little things can set it off if yer inclined to it.

Ice! And lots of it. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, so I toss the meds. Muscle relaxants may be of help, but I toss them as well.

Stay off yer feet, and ICE!

Quacks can make up all kinda crap that sounds good at the time. In my case, I was getting 3 hrs sleep, and hadn't had a decent crap in a week. :eek:

Thanks doc. :mad:

I don't have a high end bed, but I do suppliment it with the memory foam. Yes, it's a heat maker, but we don't have much hot days around here. :o

Keep us in the loop. :)

Re: Mattresses & Back Pain
 

Vladimir,

There is a chance that I can help you with your back pain. I am a weight lifter and on my job, I deliver 5 gallon water bottles. In any given day I will move about 180+/- bottles, and each one will get moved about 3 times. In the summer, double that. My hobbie is nutrition and physical strength (and guns of course).

I showed a chiropractor something that I do and when he saw me do it, he said that if everybody knew it, chiropractors would lose about 90% of their business. This generally helps most of the people that do this so I hope that everybody will try ths because it is preventative. Here it goes.

I am assuming it is your lower back because of the warehouse. The reason your back is hurting is because when you bend over your ham strings are working, but you really don't know it. As they become tight, they pull on your lower back, but you really don't feel it yet. Suddenly, one day your stepping up a curb, or running in softball and extend your foot a little too far, or you go to pick your grand kid up,,,, OR, the popular one. You sit in a different couch or chair that you sink a little farther than normal into and BAM!!! Your back goes our. Your first thought is your back. Well it is, but that's the symptom. The cause is your ham string. What happens is the nerve going through your ham string is pinched going around your glutes (your butt) and it affects your walk and when you lift you can't extend fully without having a spazm in your lower back. You can't even sleep, and it's real. You can't even stand up straight on your own. This often happens to people that garden in the spring and hunters that begin hiking without conditioning and it happens more with age. Their ham strings become tight, and you know the rest of the story.

This is the cure.

1) Lay on the floor with yourhands at your side.

2) Bring you right knee up to your chest and wrap your right arm around/under it so as to press your leg against your chest.

3) Take your left hand and grab your right ankle.

4) Make sure that your left leg is pressed firmly on the floor and keep it straight so you feel your calf stretching.

5) Begin slowly pulling your right knee and ankle towards your chest while keeping the left leg pressed to the floor. Take the ankle towards your head stretching the leg and back muscles and make it hurt a little. It's ok, just don't bounce the muscles.

At this point you will begin stretching your back ham string which will in turn begin stretching your lower back. Each time you pull tight, hold for a minute and then relax. Repeat 3 times.

Now put your right leg flat and do the left leg.

Try to increase your times to 2-3 minutes per stretch.

Once done, begin doing leg stretches and back stretches.

For back stretches, grab a pole about 3.5' from the ground and put your feet about 1-1.5 feet from the base of the pole. Then squat a bit and lean your butt back so you begin stretching your back. If you really want to maximize this move, use a rope wrapped around the pole and grab it with your hand. Get a full stretch on your back.

Then, place both feet together and slowly stretch your hands to the ground stretching the backs of your legs. Never bounce the muscles when you stretch. You run a big risk of pulling a muscle.

Now the last step, the one the Chiropractor doesn't want you to know about.

Sit on the ground and pull your knees into your chest. Wrap your arms around your legs (kind of around your knees). Now, slowly, begin rocking back and fourth on your back from your neck to your lower back. Naturally your back will begin popping into place. The only place you really can't get will be your neck, however that should follow suit when you stand up. If your neck feels tense, slowly stetch your neck from side to side to loosen the muscles.

Now, eat a banana (potassium for muscle cramps) and drink a couple glasses of water (helps muscle cramps) over a two hour period unless it's before bed. Then one glass will do.

One additional bit of advice. When a boxer does repeated sit ups as a regular routine, the primary benefit is to strengthen the abs so they can take hard hits as they flex the muscle. However, there is another benefit. By strengthening the abs, when the boxer is moving back and fourth and moving up and down, he is using his legs as his primary strength force. However, if his abs were not conditioned well he would begin experiencing fatigue in his lower back. What I am saying is your abs are the gussett to the back and legs. They offer the additional strength to the back. I recommend doing crunch's in small reps of 20 for 3 sets and work up to as many as you can do. Star with whatever you can do and don't overdue it. Then, when you are lifting on the job, each time you lift an object, tighten your abs and it will begin improving your lifting technique and help with the lower back.

As a weight lifter, I can't afford to be hurt. Hurt is time lost and time is everything to strength training. I am not a body builder, and I don't compete because I don't like the limelight. However, I do it because I feel better and it helps me to do the other hobbies I enjoy.

One last thing. As human nature makes us tend to want comfort, many people begin using softer mattresses as they age. But have you ever noticed how millions of American's can't sleep? My entire life I have slept on an extra firm mattress. I read an article by a seurgeon when I was young and he wrote about the importance of sleeping on an extra firm mattress. What stuck out in my mind was a statement he made. "You never would see a seurgeon perform an operation on a sort mattress, why would you sleep on one"? he asked. The whole basis is that an operation table keeps everything on alignment, a soft mattress does not. I remarried in 2007 and my awesome wife had back problems. I demanded an extra firm mattress and she just hated it,,, at first. Today, her back problems are gone and that mattress did for her what a chiropractor will never do. Now she sleeps better and better 4 years later and she says that sleeping is the best part of her day.

To get used to an extra firm mattress, just put a few extra blankets over the mattress and you will adapt to it.

Hope this helps.

Re: Mattresses & Back Pain
 

My mom took me to chiropractor when i was younger, had whooping cough and the cough would not go away walked in with the cough and out of office without the cough. Just like everything else some are good some are not

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I am not at all against a chiropractor. They definately have their place and do provide a great service. But just like many experience bad doctors, some experience the same with chiropracrors.

Re: Mattresses & Back Pain
 

I can speak from expereinse sorry for the spelling,I have rods and screws in my back.Do everything you can to avoid surgery Do Not let them cut on you.I picked up a small engine 6 years ago and hurt my back.Now im permanently and totally disabled,I first went to the chiropractor and he said oh my were going to have to do 10 days of traction or your going to end up under the knife.So I paid the $400 and went religously and I hurt worse than before,and he said thats normal it will hurt worse before it feels better.Started hurting so bad couldnt take it.I went to my family doctore and immediately was put on heavy pain killers and sent to the surgeon.after two surgeries and a spinal fusion with instrumentation I still hurt every hour of the day.I will be on painkillers the rest of my life they ruined me.I was told I could go back to work in 3 months and when I was in the recovery room they told my wife and father that I would never work again and the were right.What ever the reason for it is inflamed use ice heat and ice heat until you get to feel better then you can use the tens unit,it wont fix it but it will help with the pain it works by putting the electrods above and below the pain never put them exactly where it hurts you can run it for hours and even sleep with it.It works by sending electric impulses into your body wich in turn releases a natural pain killer in your body called endorphins wich help with the pain.It will make it feel num.I use it to manage pain and I dont sleep in the bed I sleep in the recliner thats the only way I can sleep.You need to get your core muscles built up to take the pressure off you back believe me it will help.I hate to hear that someones hurting I feel for you.Ive read all these posts and they all give good advise.Even if you try a couple of different suggestions from each post you will find something that works.Take care and let us know how you are doingl