I just found this site (awesome amount of information BTW!). After doing a bunch of research and consulting with the hubbie (hey, he’s sleeping on it with me) I choose a Tuft and Needle mattress that seemed like a dream. Until I tried to stand up the next morning. My lower back pain was so bad I missed several days of work and finally had an x-ray ordered from the doctor. T&N was really great about sending a topper, and that has helped some, but I still wake up unable to stand. Does this mean I need a firmer mattress topper/mattress? Or gel or memory foam one? I’m quite confused. I’ve read some of the forum posts and I apologize if I’ve missed one talking about this type of issue, but any suggestions you could provide would really be appreciated.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to “diagnose” mattress comfort/pain issues on a forum with any certainty because they can be very complex and there are too many unique unknowns, variables, and complexities involved that can affect how each person sleeps on a mattress in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP or any “symptoms” they experience. However, there is quite a bit more about the most common symptoms that people may experience when they sleep on a mattress and the most likely (although not the only) reasons for them in post #2 here .
Such an acute reaction to a new mattress would tend to speak more to your own personal levels of flexibility/fitness/pre-existing issues or sensitivities, as the mattress you purchased is on neither end of the comfort spectrum (too hard or too soft). I would tend to recommend a visit to your own personal health-care professional to see if there is an underlying condition that having a new mattress has exposed, or if there is a specific type of product that they might recommend that you need. I wouldn’t begin to try and “guestimate” anything when you’re mentioning that you needed physical tests. I would also make sure that the foundation you’re using for your mattress is a firm and flat surface to make sure that it is not negatively impacting your alignment. If you feel that you need extra pressure point relief specifically because of your arthritis, you may wish to look at some of the information in the topper thread here and mitigating arthritis article here, as many individuals with fibromyalgia, advanced arthritis and myositis ossificans tend to find relief with such items, but again this is a very general statement and not meant to be a diagnosis for you specifically.