Best mattress type for neck and upper back pain?
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I have owned a medical mattress (firm) for over 6 years, the first night transition from my previous mattress to the new one was sadly extremely painful. But I thought to myself it’d wear out and become softer overtime, it didn’t. And with each passing day I’ve been having shoulder, neck, and pain stiffness and pain that has gotten extremely painful and nearly impossible to get rid of the stiffness and pain throughout the day, leaving me restless and exhausted. One night I accidentally slept on my sofa and woke up feeling like heaven… albeit it’s nothing fancy just a budget sofa, so I slept on it for a few days to help elevate my back pain but then the sofa cushion started sinking in, and I’m back in my mattress.
Id like to have a mattress that’s soft and comfortable, but I’m afraid of getting a soft mattress for my previous experience and having to purchase yet another one, but I cannot for the life of me sleep on my medical firm mattress anymore.
I would appreciate some advice on what type of mattress would suit my needs and fix my issue, please. Thank you
Hi Fay,
Thank you for your question. It does sound like your mattress is too firm for you and causing you pressure pain in your shoulder. Firm upholstery can cause pressure pains for side sleepers who need cushioning in the top layers for their shoulders and hips to sink into. If the upholstery is too firm you pivot on your shoulder and hip which puts pressure on your lower back and sometimes your neck as well. However, we do not recommend soft upholstery layers if you sleep on your front or back as this could cause lower back and neck pain if you sink in too much in these positions.
| Bodyweight | Spring tension |
|---|---|
| Upto 16 Stone / 50-101kg | Medium (1.4mm) |
| 16 Stone / 101kg Upwards | Firm (1.6mm) |
| Available in Bespoke Products (Please Call) | Soft (1.2mm) |
If your mattress has firm springs and you do not weigh at least 16 stone then you are not supported by the springs as you do not weigh enough to activate the springs. The spring tension should be based on your height and weight to give you the correct level of support.
If the spring tension is correct for your height and weight and it is just the upholstery layers that are too firm, you could add a mattress topper to provide additional comfort. If you are looking to replace your mattress I would recommend a medium level of comfort such as the Origins Pocket 1500 or the Artisan Naturals which would give you more cushioning than you have but will still feel supportive.
All soft furnishing and especially a mattress will settle where you lie the most and are designed to do so. The upholstery layers are compacted during manufacture and it takes you sleeping and moving around on the mattress to soften them to their described level of comfort. As we are creatures of habit we tend to sleep in the on position which means the upholstery layers settle where we sleep but stay like new in the surrounding areas. This can look as though the mattress has dipped but this is not the case. We recommend utilising the whole sleep surface, particularly if you are a lone sleeper, and turning the mattress regularly so that the upholstery layers settle evenly across the whole sleep surface.
I hope this helps and if you would like any further information or would like to discuss your individual needs, please do not hesitate to contact the office on 0161 437 4419.
Kind Regards,
Michaela
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