About Carex Health Brands
Carex is your one-stop shop for home medical equipment and for products that assist caregivers with providing the best possible support and care for their loved ones. Carex Health Brands has been the branded leader in in-home, self-care medical products for over 35 years. Our goal is to improve the lives of our customers by bring them quality products that bring dignity back to their lives. With our three nationally distributed brands, Carex Health Brands serves national, regional and independent food, drug and mass retailers along with wholesalers, distributors and medical dealers.
What Is The Best Mattress For Back Pain Many Experts Get This Wrong
Recently a friend of mine asked me, Do you know what is the best mattress for back pain? She was having a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep because of sciatica and some back problems.
I figured the firmest mattress was probably the best but I really didn’t know for sure.
To answer her question, I decided to dig into the medical literature to see what was in there about the best mattress for back pain. I went back about 10 years. There aren’t a lot of studies on mattresses and back pain. But there’s enough information there to make a really good decision.
And not only was I wrong about what I thought was the best mattress for back pain, but so are a heck of a lot of doctors who deal with back pain. Firmer does not mean better for back pain.
How Sleep Aids Work: Diphenhydramine Hcl Vs Doxylamine Succinate
The main way to distinguish between different OTC sleep aids is by looking at their active ingredients. Most products on the market contain either Diphenhydramine HCl or Doxylamine Succinate. Both are antihistamines, which are typically used to treat allergy symptoms, like a runny nose or itchy eyes. When you have an allergic reaction or a cold, histamines are released in your body to increase blood flow to the site of invasion. Antihistamines work by blocking histamine receptors in cells to reduce the allergy symptoms related to the histamine response.
Many first-generation antihistamines, like Diphenhydramine HCl and Doxylamine Succinate, also make you drowsy. Thats because they dont differentiate among various histamine receptors and inhibit histamines that regulate sleep. That might not be desirable if youre taking an antihistamine for allergy relief, but it makes both compounds ideal for use in sleep aids.
Diphenhydramine HCl and Doxylamine Succinate function fairly similarly, but there are some marked differences:
Diphenhydramine HCl
Doxylamine Succinate
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A Zoned Model Thats Firm In The Middle And Softer Around The Edges
Parachute
- Materials: Pocketed coils, wool comfort layers
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
- Trial period: 100 nights
Made with layers of pure New Zealand wool and 100% organic cotton, the Parachute Eco Comfort Mattress is another eco-friendly mattress that can help alleviate back pain. It has two layers of pocketed steel coils, and its designed to be firm in the middle for back support and softer at the head and feet for pressure point relief and spinal alignmentgreat for combination sleepers. In between the coils is a comfort layer made from real wool, and the whole thing is wrapped in an organic cotton cover.
Best Firm Mattress Topper For Back Pain Relief
Best Firm Mattress Topper For Back Pain Relief As more and more people experience back pain in their everyday lives, it is a condition that is definitely not confined to old age. There can be many causes of back pain, from bad posture to picking up heavy objects, however, sleeping on an unsuitable mattress Read More »
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Whats The Right Way To Sleep On Your Back
According to research, it is very important to keep your spine supported and aligned when you sleep on your back.
The easiest way to achieve this is to use a wedge pillow under your knees to keep your spine in a neutral position. This pillow needs to be high enough and firm enough, like the example below:
Kolbs leg elevation pillow
Place a pillow under your knees to maintain proper alignment of your back. This pillow has to be high enough and firm enough. Heres another good option:
Memory foam leg elevation pillow
Compare With Similar Items
| This item Lumbar Pillow for Sleeping, Lumbar Support Pillow for Bed, for Lower Back Pain While Sleeping, Adjustable Height, Includes Fitted Cotton Pillow Case and Storage Case | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 out of 5 stars | 4.2 out of 5 stars | 4.1 out of 5 stars | 4.2 out of 5 stars | 4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Price | ||||
| 24 x 8 x 3 inches | 19.6 x 8.2 x 2.9 inches | 23.5 x 9.5 x 3 inches | 23.62 x 11.81 x 4.33 inches | 13 x 4 x 13 inches |
| Material | ||||
| 23.5″ x 9.5″ x 3″ | Includes a removable pad |
| 24 x 8 x 3 inches |
| Item Weight |
|---|
| 4.1 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank |
Product Warranty:
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Getting To Sleep With Chronic Pain
Chronic pain can often have the unfortunate side effect of causing sleep problems, too. Find ways to get better sleep with these insomnia treatments.
If you’re living with chronic pain, sometimes your only respite is when you’re asleep. But people with chronic pain are often so uncomfortable that they develop sleep problems.
This vicious cycle can not only result in overtiredness, but can also cause your chronic pain to be even worse, says Biral Patel, MD, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist with Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas. “During the sleep cycle, the body replenishes its energy reserves, trying to heal from things that occur through the course of the day,” Dr. Patel says. “When you’re not able to obtain effective levels of sleep, your pain can be worse.”
Even if you are able to get to sleep, your chronic pain may cause you to wake up tired. This may be because your pain is causing frequent “microarousals” shifts to lighter, less restful phases of sleep.
Fortunately, there are ways you can sleep better even if you’re living with chronic pain. Reinforcing your chronic pain treatment with insomnia treatments or strategies can ease both problems.
Try these steps if you’re tossing and turning at night:
What Are Todays Most Popular Sleeping Wedge For Back Pain Models
There are many sleeping wedge for back pain items accessible today for men and women seeking quality and reliability. Every sleeping wedge for back pain model follows the same essential premise. But they appeal to various users.Its no secret that certain products appeal to specific populations. What if you could see which products were the most popular across all consumers? You can, and weve got the list. Check out our collection of products that appear to appeal to all ages, genders, and locations.
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Get Into And Out Of Bed Carefully
It may sound obvious, but be extra careful when you get into and out of bed. Bending forward at your waist or making quick and jerking motions can cause you more back pain.
Take your time and roll over onto one side and use your arms to push your way up. You can then swing your legs out of bed to stand up slowly. Reverse the movements when itâs time to lie down at night.
Top 3 Leg Pillows For Back Pain Relief
Top 3 Leg Pillows For Back Pain Relief Waking up, feeling unrefreshed and having an aching back is a common experience for many people. There are a number of reasons why people wake up with sore backs, however, I believe the biggest reason a persons sleep is disturbed by back pain is the body alignment Read More »
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Manage Your Mental Health
The mind-body connection is real and should never be ignored. Even as you manage your back pain, you also need to keep in mind how depression and anxiety can affect your experience of both pain and sleep. Poor mental health can increase our awareness of pain, while coping and relaxation techniques may help do the opposite.
TouchPoints is one of my new favorite ways to manage stress quickly. The wearable device has been proven to reduce stress, in fact, in under a minute.
Is A Firm Mattress Better For Back Pain
Many people will tell you that you need a firm mattress to stop back pain, but thats not necessarily true. A mattress thats too firm can also cause spine misalignment by pushing up the shoulders and hips. Instead, look for a medium-firm mattress that offers some cushioning for these key pressure points.
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Sleep Aids For People With Chronic Pain
Whether it is the inability to fall asleep, to stay asleep for the recommended seven to eight hours, or waking too early , chronic pain can cause sleep problems in a number of ways. Lack of sleep can worsen pain, and of course more intense pain then continues to interfere with sleep, so the two symptoms can become a vicious cycle. This makes sleep aids an important component of many treatment plans for people suffering from chronic pain.
See Understanding Chronic Pain
It has been estimated that nearly two-thirds of those with chronic pain suffer from a sleep disorder. For those people, there are a variety of sleep aids available to address sleep problems and make it more likely that they will have more restful nights. Typical sleep aids include:
- Adopting habits that facilitate sleep, and condition the body to fall to sleep
- Using psychological techniques that can develop the mental state needed to fall to sleep and stay asleep
- Constructing the right sleep environment to minimize pain, including the right pillow and mattress
- Using appropriate over-the-counter or prescription medication
Sleeping Positions For Back And Neck Pain
Getting a good nights sleep can be tough with back or neck pain. Its avicious cycle. You need sleep to heal, but your back hurts so you cant sleep,so you cant heal, so your back still hurts and you cant sleep.
The non-restorative sleep that is typical when youre in pain preventsthe relaxation of your muscles and impedes the healing that normally occursduring sleep. During restful sleep, the heart and blood pressure slow, thebrain is able to release the hormones that stimulate tissue growth and repairblood vessels, the body makes more white blood cells and the immune system isboosted.
If sleeping well is that important to healing back pain and neck pain, how do you do it? Heres how to sleep when your back hurts.
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Consider The Best Sleeping Position For Back Pain
How you sleep matters too. Sleeping on your side is associated with less back pain, and even reduced snoring. Snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea if you snore regularly you should see a sleep specialist to determine if you have sleep apnea. Not sure if your snoring is an issue? Start with my free snoring quiz). Many people also find relief sleeping in the fetal position.
Other positions that can help with lower back pain relief include sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, or sleeping on your stomach with a pillow under your stomach. You may also try sleeping in a reclining position if your bed adjusts or by adding a wedge to your bed to elevate your upper body.
What To Consider When Purchasing A Pillow For Back Pain
The following considerations affect the performance and quality of a pillow, and should be kept in mind by all shoppers. There are plenty of choices on the market, and it is not uncommon for companies to overstate certain features to entice shoppers. This can be distracting.
Focusing on what is most important, namely the amount of support and comfort a pillow provides, will help shoppers narrow down their options. These factors can help shoppers filter out unnecessary marketing jargon and exaggerations and find the best pillow for them.
When evaluating the following elements, back pain sufferers should also consider their sleeping position, head and shoulder size, and type of back pain.
Loft: Loft refers to the height of the pillow, which is one of the most important considerations when choosing a pillow for back pain. It determines the angle of the head and neck and how well the spine is kept in alignment. Loft can range from low to high. Some pillows have an adjustable loft, allowing sleepers to customize the height of the pillow by adding or removing fill. Stomach sleepers often need a low loft pillow to keep the head and neck at a comfortable angle. Back sleepers tend to choose a medium loft pillow that cradles the head and neck, while side sleepers may opt for a medium to high loft to fill the gap between the neck and shoulders.
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What To Look For In A Mattress
Your mattress matters too.
Doctors used to recommend very firm orthopedic mattresses to people with lower back pain. But dont go out and buy one just yet. Recent surveys have shown that people who use extremely firm mattresses may have the poorest sleep.
That said, a mattress thats too soft wont help very much with alignment.
If you have the funds to buy something new, try choosing a firm or medium-firm mattress made with good-quality innersprings or foam. You may also improve the innerspring mattress you already own by adding a memory foam mattress topper.
It may be difficult to tell if that mattress at the store really feels comfortable after only a few minutes of testing. Some companies let you test out a mattress over a set period of time and then return it if its not for you.
Not in the market right now? You can see if a firmer mattress would help you by placing an inexpensive plywood board under your current mattress. You can even place your mattress on the floor to see if lessening the movement of the springs helps with your pain.
Best Sleeping Positions For Neck Pain
The best sleeping positions for the neck are on your back or your side. The back in particular is recommended just make sure to use a pillow that supports the curvature of your neck and a flatter pillow to cushion your head.
If you sleep on your side, use a taller pillow under your neck so your neck aligns with your head. This will relieve any strain on your neck and keep your spine straight.
The trouble with sleeping on your stomach is that you have to twist your neck to keep your head on its side, which puts pressure on the nerves. You can try to retrain yourself to adopt another position, using pillows to coax yourself and to support you in a side or back-lying position. If you must sleep on your stomach, use a thin pillow or no pillow, trying to keep awkward angles at a minimum.
For all sleep positions with neck pain, you should use a pillow under your neck that provides support, such as a rolled towel or cervical pillow.
There is also such a thing as neck pain from sleeping wrong. Sometimes you wake up with neck pain. Sleeping at an awkward angle, sudden head or neck movements during sleep or neck strain from injury may cause neck pain. In addition to utilizing treatments to relieve this neck pain, make sure that future sleep includes a good pillow for neck support.
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What Is The Best Pillow Positioning For Back Pain
Sleep posture can exacerbate or alleviate back pain. Sleeping on your back is often considered the best positioning for back pain. This position is most likely to encourage sleepers to maintain a neutral posture, which keeps the spine aligned and reduces pressure on the lumbar region. Sleepers can use pillows strategically to relieve back pain.
Stomach sleeping is one of the worst sleeping positions for back pain, as it puts pressure on the lower back and often leads to spinal misalignment.
The following sleeping positions, along with their potential benefits and drawbacks, should be considered:
Best Body Pillows For Back Pain Relief
Best Body Pillows For Back Pain Relief Sleeping on ones side is the most common sleeping position, whether it is back to back, spooning or even hugging a pillow, side sleeping seems to be the sleepers position of choice. However, sleeping with the wrong body alignment can cause neck and back pain to develop, or Read More »
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What Are The Side Effects
Just like other medications, sleep aids can cause side effects, even when used on a short-term basis. OTC sleep aids do generally have fewer side effects than prescription options, but every person responds to medications differently. Some of the possible side effects to watch for include:
- Nausea
- Dry eyes or blurred vision
- Dry nose, mouth, or throat
- Urinary retention
- Moderate to severe daytime drowsiness or fatigue
- Dependency
Where Does It Come From
Back pain, of course, originates in the back. There are a wide variety of potential causes from temporary muscle strain to spinal abnormalities. Medical News Today explains causes of back pain can stem from different types of strain, structural problems, internal infections and cancer, as well as sleep and mattress issues. The more common causes of back pain are:
- Strain: Strained muscles or ligaments due to improper or too heavy lifting, awkward movements
- Skeletal problems: Ruptured or bulging discs, sciatica, scoliosis, arthritis, osteoporosis
- Infections: of the spine, pelvis, or nerves
- Sleep disorders: people with sleep disorders are more likely to have back pain
- Bad mattress: poor support can cause or worsen pain
- Lifestyle: poor posture, standing, hunching and bending for long periods and extended driving
Strain
Strain is the most common reason for back pain, affecting muscles and ligaments. Improperly lifting or pulling things and lifting or carrying heavy objects are common ways muscles become strained. Sudden movements, such as getting out of bed or cars awkwardly or falling, can trigger pain. Bending, standing, hunching over a desk or driving for extended periods of time also causes muscle tension and strain.
Structural Problems
Other Causes
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