Back sleeper experiencing lower back pain with medium firm mattress

Mattress Talk General Mattresses Questions
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Hello, I found this site while trying to find a solution to my back pain.

I am not sure if it’s related to the firmness or the base or what, but I will share as many details as I can. I hope someone can help me find a solution that isn’t too expensive. Replacing the mattress at this time is not a great option for me.

I am a back sleeper without any injuries, and in decent shape. When I am up and about or exercising I never experience any back pain. I bought a new medium firm mattress from Mattress Firm in late 2023, to replace a very old firm mattress I had.

The base is this one (not sure if I can post a link): Sleepy’s Heavy Duty Raised Metal Platform Frame.

The Mattress is Sleepy’s By Sealy Medium Euro Top Mattress

The old mattress felt like the springs were digging into my back during the night. I’d fall asleep fine, but either wake up within a few hours, or feel really sore when I did get up. I bought a mattress topper that seemed to help for a little while, and then the problems returned. I placed a folded thick towel on top of the area where I slept (from neck to lower waist area), which also helped for a while, but the pain eventually returned again. With the new mattress, the pain was not there for at least a few weeks, and now it seems to have the same issue.

The old mattress was on top of box springs, and I replaced this setup with a heavy duty metal frame also from Mattress Firm. I was under the impression that with this, a box spring would not be needed. While researching it a bit, some people suggest that the gaps in the frame could cause improper support, or cause the mattress to sag in some areas. But the mattress itself doesn’t seem to be sagging or have any structural issues that I can tell.

I tried placing a thick piece of wood (and later replaced this with a piece of cardboard) between the mattress and the frame, and then a towel on top of the mattress. When I slept on my back like this, it was alright most of the time, and I’d say I sleep pretty well most nights for a while. However, recently the pain has returned to the point that I keep waking up 1-2 hours earlier than I’d like, with the same lower back soreness.

I am looking into a foam layer of some kind to place on top of the mattress, because my DIY solutions seem to not be providing enough support for the back, and usually not enough to stop the pressure from the springs which I still suspect is the issue.

I have also not tested placing the mattress on the floor (carpeted), but I can try that next. Also, if I sleep on a couch where there are no springs in the cushions, I have no back pain whatsoever.

Has anyone gone through anything like this where it seems like the springs are creating pressure in your back?

@CST

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Hey gred!

Welcome to our Mattress Forum :slight_smile: Sorry to hear about the pain though :frowning:

Lower back issues often come from a mattress where the upper layers are too thick/soft, or the support layers are too soft, which lets the pelvis sink down too far compared to the rest of the body. That tilt changes the natural curve of the lower spine and can trigger soreness. On the flip side, if a mattress is too firm, it doesn’t let you sink in enough to fill the curve in your lower back, which can also lead to pain. Side sleepers sometimes twist away from hip pressure on a too-firm mattress, and that twist can pull the lower spine out of alignment too.

In other words, both “too soft” and “too firm” can cause similar back issues, just in different ways - it’s all about how well the mattress keeps your hips, pelvis, and spine in a neutral position.

I tagged Custom Sleep Technology here since they might have some ideas to help you troubleshoot, especially if adding a layer or adjusting your setup could give you better alignment without replacing the whole bed right now.

This sort of confirms the idea that you need something to rise up and fill in the recessed lumbar region of your back while sleeping. I’m so curious how trying the mattress on the floor will turn out. Obviously, eliminating the base as a potential issue is an important data set as well!

NikkiTMU

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Hello and thank you for that! It is definitely frustrating to wake up sore often, but I actually consider myself lucky that my problems are not more severe.

I have recently tried shifting my mattress to be a bit beyond the edge of the base’s outer frame. I noticed that it usually rests in such a way that the outer frame does not support the very edge of the mattress. For the last 2 nights, I slept with this 1-2 inch horizontal shift, and while I still woke up with a sore lower back, it felt better. I think I still may need some additional lumbar support to fix that soreness, but it’s an improvement for now.

Another suggestion I read about was getting a 2-4 inch foam topper from Amazon, which I am also considering. I haven’t tried one yet but it seems like it could help.

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Try BackScience.

John

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