Hi MetalHead671.
[quote]The couch is making me wake up with sore shoulders and lower back!
I also have scoliosis coupled with my mechanic job that has me coming home with sore shoulder, back and knees so something that’s supportive yet has pressure relief would be preferred.[/quote]
Thanks for the additional info. Generally, “lower-back pain” in the morning tends to be alignment (deep support) related, but this may not necessarily be the only thing at play. I am guessing that the couch is also lacking the appropriate comfort level to allow for pressure relief, especially in the shoulder area. All of which makes an assessment more difficult to separate the causes, between scoliosis and your current sleeping setup, for the best comfort-support balance you’d do best with. (If you want to read ahead on this topic there are some general guidelines as to what tends to cause back pain in post #2 here that you may find interesting)
I’d lean towards latex as it has an unusual ability to be both supportive and soft at the same time. With your scoliosis condition, it becomes especially important to find the best balance between pressure relief and support/alignment (along the length of your spine) for your side sleeping position. Alignment/support is the most important thing that a mattress does for you, so you’ll always want to choose something that doesn’t allow for too much accentuation of your lateral curvatures when side sleeping. Generally, you’d want something with “just enough” surface plushness to assist with contouring for your shoulders and hips. I wouldn’t be able to tell you how much that would be, as there are so many variables involved, including your body type, level of sensitivity, and of course your back issues.
As buying locally is not an option the next best thing is to get an online customizable latex mattress with zippered cover from a reputable manufacturer, with a good trial/return or layer exchange policy in case things don’t go as well as you hoped for. Here are a few suggestions to look at but you’d need to check on their return and trial policies. I’d consider a Talalay comfort layer for more on top of the Dunlop latex transition and base layer. (Talalay is considered to be more pressure relieving than Dunlop because it allows for a deeper cradle in the same ILD)
To start you off I made a very short list of products that would meet your criteria, but I’d take a closer look at Trusted Members of the site for more options.
Arizona Premium has a url=https://www.mattresses.net/queen-naturalux-mattress-only.html Queen Naturalux latex mattress[/url] I’d call Ken and ask for his firmness recommendations for your specific condition if you prefer to use a Pocket spring for your base layer, this is also a good option and you may want to go DIY route using Ken’s expertise.
Arizona SleepEZ also has a highly customizable Natural Latex Mattress and Organic Latex Mattress of different thicknesses that you may want to have a look at. They also have a Hybrid-latex version.
Biosleep Concept Versailles Latex Mattress is also worth looking at.
Mattress Makers has quite a few options depending on the mattress height you’d like. Here is their CORONADO MEDIUM
Foam Sweet Foam’s Urban Green Mattress is highly customizable.
In your case whatever mattress you chose I’d keep in mind that your body will need to relearn, adjust, and regain a more relaxed state where the muscles are not tensing in order to compensate for any misalignment or discomfort.
Let us know of your progress. and if you have additional questions.
Phoenix