What's up with my back?

[Simpo Two]

48, never had any back problems until Christmas when I was the victim of a subsiding mattress from Sleepmasters. I had reported the problem to them last October but thanks to a bent 'inspector', a defensive Customer Services team and then incompetence on the part of Relyon, I had to put up with it until February. For much of that time I made it a bit better by placing numerous towels etc underneath to prop up the middle, even using a whole pillow at one stage. When it got too bad I used a camping airbed - very comfy, but cold as body heat is sucked into the void.

While Sleepmasters still hold out on a refund from behind their ivory ramparts, I have now tried three different mattresses of different types and budgets, and they all start to sag in the middle after a week or so. That's OK if I lie on my back, but after a while aches when I lie on my side as my spine isn't straight. It's as if three months on the Sleepmasters Mattress From Hell has sensitised my back. I've been to the GP who found nothing wrong. Once I get up and move aorund it's OK.

What's the answer, and what if anything do you think has happened to my back?

NB: I tried a memory foam one and that was even worse.

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 19th April 12:04

[E21_Ross]

might help a little more if you explain where it aches for starters. is i just a dull ache? did this problem come on straight away, or was it a gradual on set.

and of course the GP will find nothing wrong with your back

it could be such a large number of things. at work, what do you do, sit around at a desk all day, or are you more mobile? if at a desk....do you get aching then too?

more detail please

but at the end of the day...see a specialist about it.

chiropractor/osteopath/physio

[Simpo Two]

Thanks for the reply Small of the back, dull ache comes on when I'm in bed on my side - it only comes on during the night and eventually wakes me up. Turning over fixes it for a while. Once I get up it goes away quickly. Daytime is either pottering about the house/garden, sitting at a desk or on a sofa watching TV. Then it only starts if I lean forward/bend over too much.

[E21_Ross]

what do you mean the "small" of the back? is the pain in the lower back? does it ache both sides? what about if you swap which sides you lie on?

sounds more muscular but i'd get you booked in with someone such as a chiropractor.

[Simpo Two]

E21_Ross said:

what do you mean the "small" of the back? is the pain in the lower back? does it ache both sides? what about if you swap which sides you lie on?

The hollow bit - lumbar not coccyx or thoracic.

The ache seems pretty central but it only comes on when I lie on my side and my hips aren't supported properly, ie on a sagging Sleepmasters mattress. It's defo lying down on a poor mattress that does it.

[E21_Ross]

if you definitely know it's the mattress then get another one, or try sleeping on your front and see if that helps. you shouldn't have to put pillows etc under you to support you. if you do, and you're convinced it's the mattress, as said above, change it. if not, then go and see someone who specialises in this sort of thing.

only thing that can be suggested over the internet really mate

[Simpo Two]

Thanks Ross, yep, I've tried three mattresses and they all start off fine then sag a bit after a few days or a couple of weeks. Just 1cm seems to be enough to do it. I think the first Sleepmasters nmattress that they took three months to replace sensitised my back in some way. Tried open coil, pocket spring, memory foam - they all sag. However 'Orthos' are like lying on a park bench so that's not the answer. I just want a mattress that doesn't sag - how hard can that be?! Man on the moon, yep, done. Sag-proof mattress, sorry guv, impossible.

For future reference, in case anyone else is affected, both Argos and Tesco will let you try mattresses for up to 30 days and collect them if you don't like them.


Is it that mattresses are now all made in China and the retailers pocket the difference whilst blithering on about 'layers of sumptuous upholstery'?

[trix-a-belle]

John

have you tried a firm or orthopedic matress with a matress topper on it..? that may soften it enough to be comfortable but still give you full support underneath

otherwise can recommend the chiropractors in Wymondham

S

[Simpo Two]

trix-a-belle said:

have you tried a firm or orthopedic matress with a matress topper on it..? that may soften it enough to be comfortable but still give you full support underneath

otherwise can recommend the chiropractors in Wymondham

That's an interesting idea; however I am concerned that a 'topper', being I think foam, will simply compact and add to the problem.

As for chiropractors, well, I'm more of an osteopathy person but I think if the bed is sorted then the back will recover naturally, and I see little point in spending (more) money if any resuting good is then undone each night!

Anyone tried those 'trizone' mattresses where they put stronger springs in the middle? (And why can't they make springs that spring back anyway?)

[trix-a-belle]

Simpo Two said:

That's an interesting idea; however I am concerned that a 'topper', being I think foam, will simply compact and add to the problem.

toppers are available in things other than foam (duck down, microfiber etc) http://www.scottsofstow.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/se...

[Sticks.]

You've not got a pine bed with slatted base, have you? If so, that will mess up the dynamics of a 'pocket sprung' mattress (don't know about others). Piece of hardboard sorts it.

I needed a good mattress for a back prob and went here http://chrisgammonbedcentre.co.uk/home/index.asp , a local indy. They ask your weight and get you to lie on a couple and check that your back remains straight. Worked for me, though not cheap.

Topper just softened the initial contact, won't fix a bad one imo.

Arnica or Voltarol cream probably best for pain relief until it's sorted.

[pacman1]

Simpo Two said:

Thanks for the reply Small of the back, dull ache comes on when I'm in bed on my side - it only comes on during the night and eventually wakes me up. Turning over fixes it for a while. Once I get up it goes away quickly.

Spooky. Had this only recently, but in the centre of my back. A burning ache, which came from nowhere and disappeared after a week.
I was convinced it was the mattress, but I think a combination of factors were aggrevating an underlying (no pun intended) problem.
I'm convinced it's the crap sofa I have, which tends to make you sit in a concave posture.
All I can suggest for your mattress is to turn it over top to bottom regularly, and place a strong piece of plywood underneath it to ensure the bed frame does not encourage the mattress to sag. Oh, and 100% cotton sheets are a must to stop you overheating and becoming sweaty.
hth.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks folks - yes, it's a slatted base with a central rail and a middle leg - so I know that any sag is the mattressand not the bed underneath. I'll try the plywood idea but I'm not expecting miracles. The current mattress (two weeks old) is a quite firm pocket sprung one - but I was lying on it this morning feeling uncomfortable, and when I shuffled over a foot so that I was on the uncompressed bit, it instantly felt perfect.