7 Best Mattresses for Back Pain of 2024 & How to Choose
“The back is such a large and important part of the body, it’s not uncommon for it to develop aches and pains,” Hascalovici explains. “While back pain can be characterized in many different ways, it can be helpful to classify it based on where it occurs.”
Neck pain: “Unfortunately a common occurrence, neck pain can happen for a number of reasons. The neck can become painful from supporting a head that is not in the correct position — for example, if you push your head forward, stand hunched over, or ‘text neck’you may notice pain and difficulty turning your neck. Arthritis may occur, or the neck may be injured. It is also not uncommon to wake up with neck pain from unsupportive pillows, sleeping on your stomach, or grinding your teeth during the night, among other things.”
Pain in the upper back: “The upper back, or thoracic spine, can suffer from musculoskeletal pain,” Hascalovici said. “Distributions can shift, tension can occur, and nerves can become pinched. Often, the causes of upper back pain can be traced to sedentary behavior, relatively poor posture, or weakened muscles that allow the spine to tilt out of alignment. Upper back pain can affect the shoulders; shoulders can also hurt if you put uneven pressure on them while sleeping.”
Lower back pain: “Only five vertebrae make up the lower back, but those bones carry a lot of weight and pressure,” Hascalovici said. “Herniated discs, muscle strains, nerve damage and arthritis can all cause lower back pain. Doing heavy, repetitive work, lifting heavy weights, lugging a heavy bag or sinking in doesn’t help either. For people with lower back pain, a medium-firm or firm mattress can sometimes provide some pain relief.”
“Wherever pain occurs in the back, it can be frustrating,” he continued. “The back is vulnerable to damage and pain from inflammation and arthritis; stress also contributes to back pain because it often causes people to tense their muscles.” As a remedy, Hascalovici suggested that “supplements, regular exercise, good posture, an anti-inflammatory diet, stress management, and adequate sleep can all help prevent and manage back pain.”
