Living With Aches and Pains? There’s a Chance It Could Be From Your Mattress

Do you notice that you often wake up in more pain than you felt when you went to sleep? If you’ve been dealing with aches and pains that seem much worse in the morning, your mattress might be the culprit.

Back pain is common enough that most people assume they’ll just be stuck with it, but you can find relief. The question is what’s actually causing your back pain at night: is it your sleeping position, or your mattress?

How do I know if my pain is from my mattress?

According to Spine-Health, sleeping on the wrong mattress can cause or worsen lower back pain. A lack of support reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles, and fails to keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain. Sleep comfort is also sacrificed when a mattress doesn’t match a person’s individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the spine to actually rest and rejuvenate overnight.

While the Better Sleep Council recommends replacing your mattress every 7 to 10 years, the way you feel in the morning is a better indicator that it’s time to replace your sleep surface. If your mattress was once comfortable but now seems to be at the root of your aches and pains, it may be time to replace it. Physical changes like injuries, surgery, and weight change can also alter your body’s position as you sleep, which can necessitate a faster change in mattress.

Are you experiencing back pain?

There are two main types of back pain: subacute lower back pain, which lasts between 4 and 12 weeks, and chronic back pain, which persists for 12 weeks or longer. If you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress, it’s easy to see how what began as a subacute injury could progress into a chronic pain issue. Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions affecting Americans today: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that close to 80% of adults will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. It can come on suddenly or gradually, and can present as a dull ache or as intense, sharp pain.

Common causes of back pain

Before working with a physical therapist to relieve your lower back pain, it helps to understand the possible causes of the condition, and what changes you can make at home, including changing out your old mattress.

Sprains and strains

Back sprains can develop from overuse injuries, sports-related injuries, awkward twisting, improper lifting, and more. A sprain typically occurs when you overstretch or tear a ligament, tendon, or muscle. Common symptoms include swelling, tenderness, and recurring muscle spasms, which can usually be treated with targeted physical therapy, at-home exercises, and over-the-counter pain medication.

Injuries

Anytime you’re on the receiving end of a forceful impact, there’s a good chance you could damage your spine with a vertebral fracture, herniated disc, or ruptured disc. Common causes include auto accidents, falls, and sports injuries. Most people experience back pain immediately following the injury, with symptoms that can include numbness, tingling, and burning sensations that radiate into the legs.

Improper alignment

Not all mattresses are created equally, and if your back isn’t getting proper support at night, you could experience low back pain. A good mattress should support your entire body in a neutral position, keeping the spine aligned. If it’s too firm, it can press against the pressure points in your spine; if it’s too soft, those pressure points go unsupported, resulting in spinal curvature.

Get started with physical therapy

Our physical therapist is a movement expert with the skills needed to help relieve low back pain naturally, through a combination of hands-on care, prescribed exercises, and patient education. When you work with an experienced physical therapist, you can enjoy faster pain relief, reduced inflammation, and increased mobility.

Contact Zone Physical Therapy today to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy for low back pain and to schedule a consultation.