Most of us spend our days sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen. Unfortunately, this is how most occupations and businesses operate in the 21st century. Sitting for eight hours a day has resulted in millions of people developing all sorts of health issues, especially lower back problems.
Poor posture, inactivity, and improper movement can lead to a lifetime of lower back problems. Physicians often can do little to relieve lower back pain other than prescribing medication. In some cases, when back pain is chronic, surgery can help repair the damage. Either way, it’s difficult to find relief. Many people with lower back pain don’t realize their mattress plays a large role in how lower back pain is managed and supported. The wrong mattress can significantly worsen the problem and increase the amount of pain you experience.
Mattresses and Lower Back Pain
Orthopedic surgeons recommend shopping for a new mattress if you are experiencing back pain. Mattresses should not sag in the middle or be so firm you sleep straight as a board, waking up with sore pressure points. Each of these situations will exacerbate lower back issues. You will wake up sore and then your body will stiffen throughout the day as you sit at your desk. When shopping for a new mattress to ease back pain, do your research to learn about the type of mattress that will best support your back and the rest of your body.
The Science Behind Lower Back Pain and Mattress Needs
Your spine is not straight as an arrow, but rather displays a shallow “s” shape. The top of the spine is called the cervical spine and it connects to the neck and supports the head. Below the cervical portion of the spine, the thoracic spine curves inward to support the rib cage and upper body. The lowest portion of the spinal cord is called the lumbar spine and it gently curves outward. If you experience lower back pain, it is occurring in the lumbar area.
Soft and Medium Mattress Firmness
With a normal soft or medium-firm mattress, your spine will twist out of its natural alignment and it won’t support your lower back. If you’re a back sleeper, the lower half of your back will sink into the mattress, causing an unnatural curve. For side sleepers, the spine will twist upward around the lumbar and thoracic areas. Your spine doesn’t have a chance of remaining in alignment during sleep, which doesn’t allow for your lower back to recuperate.
Firm Mattresses
For years, orthopedic surgeons recommended firm mattresses for any type of back pain. Firm mattresses work better to keep your spine in alignment, whether you sleep on your side or back. Yet, there are two popular problems with firm mattresses:
- Most people hate them because they can be extremely uncomfortable and make you feel as though you’re sleeping on plywood.
- The firmness of many mattresses can make you wake up with aches, pains, and sore pressure points. The generally uncomfortable nature of the firm mattress, as well as the soreness associated with them, can tighten muscles and have a detrimental effect on lower back problems.
Intellibed for Lower Back Problems
Luckily, there is a mattress to help treat lower back pain. Intellibed is firm enough to keep your spine in alignment, but soft enough to relieve pressure-point pain. The bed was designed for therapeutic use and is perfect for those with any type of chronic pain. Many people who have not found a mattress to relieve lower back pain have experienced positive results sleeping on an Intellibed. Our company has partnered with orthopedic surgeons, sleep doctors, and engineers to create the best medical-grade sleep technology available on the market today.
Intellibed Design
A large component of our bed design is our patented Gel Matrix™. The gel, created from mineral oil, is nontoxic and will hold the body is a position for constant spinal support. Our mattresses are firm enough to hold your spinal cord in place, but the gel provides a soft support system that relieves pressure points. We created the design based on the beds provided in burn units, where patients receive much-needed relief on pressure points. We pride ourselves on the creation of the “No Compromise Mattress,” which is both firm and soft. Our mattresses are the perfect combination of support and softness, leading to the ideal sleep environment for those with lower back pain. More than 1,000 chiropractors recommend our beds.
Nontoxic, Healthy Mattresses
Toxicity levels are the biggest downfall of mass-produced popular mattress brands. Mattresses are often made from chemical-laden materials such as vinyl and foam and are covered in a dangerous fire-retardant layer. These chemicals result in what is called outgassing, in which volatile organic chemicals become airborne. People then breathe in the carcinogenic chemicals as they sleep. It’s important that the sleeping environment is healthy and nontoxic since most of us spend about one-third of our lives in bed.
Intellibed’s Nontoxicity Promise
Intellibed’s design is healthy, not just for sleep support, but also for the environment. We construct our mattresses from the safest foam on the market and they do not contain synthetic vinyl materials. We make Gel Matrix™ from mineral oil, which is not natural but is extremely safe for humans and the environment. Our mattresses meet the legal requirements of fire resistance because we interweave our cotton with fire-proofed silica thread. All the materials we use are environmentally safe and do not release dangerous, volatile organic chemicals into the air.
The Mattress for Lower Back Pain
Our therapeutic mattresses have been proven to relieve back pain. The firm and soft nature of the mattress makes it a favorite among consumers for its therapeutic properties and comfort. We guarantee you will receive spinal alignment from our Gel Matrix™ design, but you will also experience the softness required to support pressure points. Call us today to discuss available options. We will work with you to determine the best bed for your body’s needs.
