If Your Mattress is Leaving You Feeling Achy, Physical Therapy Can Help
Do you notice that you often wake up in more pain than you felt when you were going to sleep? If you have been dealing with low back pain that seems to be much worse in the morning, your mattress might be the culprit!
While back pain is a common enough ailment that most people think they’ll just be stuck with it forever, you can find relief! But what is the true cause of your back pain at night? Could it be your favorite sleeping position or is your mattress actually causing your recurring back pain?
Call our physical therapy offices today to schedule a free consultation with our skilled physical therapist and learn more about how you can get relief from your lower back pain naturally.
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. Lack of support from a mattress reinforces poor sleeping posture, strains muscles and does not help keep the spine in alignment, all of which contribute to low back pain.
Sleep comfort is also sacrificed if a mattress does not match one’s individual preferences. A mattress that provides both comfort and back support helps reduce low back pain, allowing the structures in the spine to really rest and rejuvenate during the night.”
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 change your body’s position as you sleep, necessitating a faster change in your mattress.
Are you experiencing back pain?
There are 2 main types of back pain. Subacute lower back pain can last between 4 and 12 weeks, while chronic back pain persists for 12 weeks or longer.
So, if you’re sleeping on the wrong mattress, it’s easy to see how what may have been a subacute injury, could easily progress into a chronic pain issue. Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions affecting Americans today.
In fact, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says close to 80% of adults will experience low back pain at some point in their lives.
Back pain can come on suddenly or gradually and can present as a dull ache or intense, sharp pains. And for many, low back pain can be a chronic condition.
Common causes of back pain
Before choosing to work with a physical therapist to relieve your lower back pain, it’s important 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 pop-up due to overuse injuries, sports-related injuries, awkward twisting, improper lifting and more. A sprain typically occurs when you overstretch or tear one of your ligaments, tendons or muscles.
Common symptoms associated with a back sprain include swelling, tenderness, and recurring muscle spasms. They can usually be treated with targeted physical therapy sessions, at-home exercises, and over-the-counter pain medications.
Injuries
Anytime you are on the receiving end of a forceful impact, there’s a good chance that you could damage your spine with a vertebral fracture, a herniated disc or ruptured disc.
Common causes of this type of injury include auto accidents, falls, and sports injuries. Most people experience back pain immediately following their injury, with common symptoms including numbness, tingling, and burning sensations that can radiate down into the legs.
Improper Alignment
Not all mattresses are created equally and if your delicate back isn’t getting proper support at night, you could experience low back pain.
A good mattress should be supportive of your entire body when you are lying in a neutral position, providing proper spinal alignment.
If it is too firm, it can press against the pressure points in your spine. But if it’s too soft, your pressure points will be unsupported at night, resulting in spinal curvature.
Get started with physical therapy treatments
Our physical therapist is a movement expert who has the skills needed to help relieve low back pain naturally with a combination of hands-on care, prescribed exercises, and patient education.
When you work with an experienced physical therapist, you can enjoy fast pain relief, reduced inflammation, and increased mobility.
Give Wellness Solutions PT a call today to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy for low back pain and be sure to schedule a free initial consultation.
Sources:
- https://www.moveforwardpt.com/Benefits/Default.aspx
- https://www.sleepadvisor.org/mattress-cause-back-pain/
- https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet
