Resolved Back Pain

Both my wife and I are experiencing lower back pain right now after changing out our older pillow top for a standard mattress (so-called "plush" but relatively firm). It's been a month and a half and our adjustment period has just not happened. My question is: should I have gone for a newer-style pillow top or what? The older one was a very thick pillow top that over the years developed ridges and troughs. The new pillow-tops appear to be considerably less padded but nevertheless more so than what we had purchased in the past. As I mentioned, our new mattress is NOT a pillow top... just a standard mattress. We need some advice since we're both losing a lot of sleep.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll definitely consider this since our adjustment period has ended so the option of returning is no longer valid. Have you tried a foam-type topper?

 

We used foam egg crate toppers for years. Then we couldn't find them and used one that was cut part way through into squares.

Now we have memory foam. The only diference so far is that memory foam seems to stay cooler.

Memory foam costs quite a bit more than egg crate, though.

 

I see this memory foam in Costco and I've wondered about it. Is there an adjustment period or did you get used to it right away? We're side sleepers if that matters.

 

If you want to explore outside the mattress solution, try a Back2Life machine. Like you, my wife and I have low back pain. Different mattresses didn't help much and somebody suggested that machine. Within a week, we knew that we were going to keep it. After about 14 months, we have had very few episodes of back pain and sciatic pain. Well worth the $200. Just a thought.

 

It didn't take any getting used to. It's fairly heavy so I had to rope my husband into helping me get it onto the bed!

We've only had it about a month so I don't have any way to know how long it'll last. The egg crate ones lost their elasticity after about 2 years...that's with turning them every time I changed the sheets.

 

Feeling like I was still 19 and bullet-proof, I too messed up my back - herniated disc between L4 & L5. My last major episode required an ambulance ride after being lashed to a backboard and carried out of the house. My anesthesiologist followed with an epidural steroid injection and I spent the night in the hospital on a morphine drip - trust me, one doesn't want to endure this kind of pain if there are any other options.

Take Mike's advice - get that Back2Life machine - it works!

 

Thanks, Everyone. I really appreciate the advice and will definitely act upon it.