I found this site because I'm asking the question "is there any "real" relief possible for chronic upper back pain" from "any" of these latex foam, tempur foam or anything beds discussed on this site? All I read so far are complaints about that type of topper, or some core, or some other comfort layer, etc. Or some other decision that someone regrets and now they are actually "in" pain.
I'm looking for some relief from my upper back problem that's not drugs, so does it come from a bed - any bed? I certainly don't need a bed to give me more "pain" than I already have.
I get this question frequently in my store and the first thing I tell people is if they ever visit a store and the store promotes a product that claims to cure back pain, they should turn and run as fast as they can in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, there is no such animal that can provide relief for all "back pain."
Back pain is as varied as we are as individuals. Unfortunately, there are certain pre-existing conditions that can only be treated via methods such as therapy, exercise, medication or even surgery. Some unfortunately have no cures and people suffer for years. In situations like this I've found that the best I can do is to help find something that doesn't exacerbate someone's pre-existing condition. And sometimes that is even quite difficult. The solutions end up being as varied as the individuals.
I'll give you two personal examples from my luge athletic days. I had a mid-back issue that just wouldn't go away. I tried different sleeping positions and products, medical treatments, physical therapy and traction. Nothing worked. Then I was treated by a chiropractor and he was able, with much force, to manipulate my joint back into place and I recovered rather quickly after that. So in this case only a mechanical manipulation worked for me. Years later, I had upper back issues that stemmed from another athletic injury. I tried different pillows, mattresses toppers, drugs, manipulations and therapies. Eventually I had surgery to decompress the nerve and now i am relatively pain free.
In each of these cases I had "back pain" but they were very different and each required a resolution (manipulation or surgery) that was unrelated to my sleep surface. And no matter what I tried for restoration, the answer was found in other avenues. In my specific case, it didn't matter if I slept on the floor or an ultra plush latex mattress. In the end, i had to address the real cause of my pain.
I've found that people in general tend to ascribe too much to their mattress as a cure for back issues, and they unfortunately neglect some of the root causes, such as lifestyle, level of fitness, flexibility, stress, and weight. It's often easier to swap out a mattress than address those issues.
In my personal situation, I have found that a more plush latex surface comfort with deep down support has worked well to assist with my issues. But when I have flare-ups, the true relief for me comes from addressing my flexibility and strength issues and getting manipulations during that treatment. And during that time I remove my plush topper from my mattress (also latex) and sleep on a bit of a firmer surface. So I do have a bit of "success" in changing up my mattress during those times, but the real cure for the pain lies elsewhere.
I know my experiences are not yours or anyone else's, but hopefully sharing my road to recovery has provided some insight. "Back issues" are personal to each individual and the answer for pain relief is often found outside of the mattress world. I tell my clients that I wish there was one product that was the "cure-all" for such issues, because I know from personal experience experience the misery of not getting restorative sleep for years, especially the pain caused by nerve issues.
Good luck!
Jeff Scheuer
Mattress To Go