Most of Us Will Experience Some Back Pain Sooner at some point in our lives.
Eight out of ten people will have back pain at some point in their lives. It is one of the most common medical problems of our day. With such a prevalent symptom there are all types of remedies available — everything from herbal solutions to acupuncture to pain pills and all the way through to surgery for the worst cases.
Causes of Back Pain
Back pain can have many causes including a herniated disc, a spinal irregularity such as scoliosis, or arthritis (to mention but a few).
Some of the most common causes are the more acute ones (of shorter duration) such as improper lifting, awkward movements, and strained muscles and ligaments. But whatever the cause, in order to not exacerbate the situation it is important to get good sleep, and find a mattress that will help in alleviating some of the stress to the back and to give it ample support.
A Latex Mattress is Functionally Brilliant
One of the best mattresses to help alleviate pain from its varied causes is the latex foam mattress.
Latex foam rubber is a very unique material that offers quite a bit of give, allowing the latex material to carefully contour to the sleeper’s body curvature, while at the same time pushing back enough to provide plenty of support.
This great combination of soft, contouring, supportive firmness keeps the spine in alignment for the sleeper no matter which sleeping position is selected. As the sleeper changes positions, the form of the mattress changes with him or her to always keep the sleeper well supported.
Sleeping With Proper Support and Spinal Alignment
Sleep deprivation and not getting enough sleep is in and of itself a reason for enhanced pain perception. But a mattress that is either too soft or too firm or caved in from over-use can also add to the pain that a person feels from back injury.
One of the great benefits of sleeping on latex is that because the latex foam distributes one’s body weight evenly across its surface, it causes no part or portion of the back — or neck, shoulders, or hips for that matter — to get too much force applied to it.
Other traditional mattress types often fail to address this, and may sometimes be inadequate, causing painful pressure points for the back pain sufferer.
Often chiropractors recommend the soft, yet supportive characteristics of latex to their back pain patients as an additional supportive adjunct to their chiropractic adjustments. Keeping the spine in alignment during sleep can often go a long way in helping the vertebral adjustments of a chiropractor, and to possibly reduce the number of further subluxations.
Choosing the Right Firmness for Your Back
One of the great benefits of latex as a sleep surface is to be able to choose your own firmness.
Whether you want something that is very firm, or on the soft side (or anything in between), most latex mattress manufacturers give you the ability to choose your firmness. Because they are generally high ticket items, a latex mattress is often custom made, thus giving you the opportunity to get it just right in terms of comfort and support. And with many of the latex mattress vendors, you’ll have the opportunity to switch out a top layer for a nominal fee if you don’t get it right the first time around.
In-home sleep trials are the norm in the industry, which can add a lot to your peace of mind and make sure you do right by your back.
Consult Your Physician
While not getting enough sleep can cause enhanced pain perception, the reverse is also true — enhanced pain can inhibit a person’s ability to get good sleep. And it can often be a vicious cycle with both reasons being contributing factors.
It’s important to address your health from every angle and to consult only a licensed physician with back pain and health-related matters. None of the content provided herein should be construed in any way, shape, or form as medical advice.
