Spinal Problems, Chronic Pain and a bad mattress - Need help!

Hello. I’m new here. I have skimmed the tutorial but I am already overwhelmed. Too much information and new terminology all at once for me to have been able to process it, plus, I couldn’t find the specific advice I’m looking for.

A little background.

Just over 4 years ago I suffered a back injury. There was damage to my spine (but not my spinal cord), bulging/herniated disks and compression of some of the nerves in the area where they exit the protection of the spine. I suffer severe back pain (and nerve pain down one leg) most of the day, every single day. A couple of months after the injury we “upgraded” from a pillowtop innerspring mattress that wasn’t quite right to an 8" Spa Sensations memory foam mattress in the hopes that it would have helped to ease some of my pain. This is a one firmness fits all very low cost mattress, which we bought based on recommendations of family who also have one. I wasn’t able to actually lay on theirs, but it seemed like it should have been just what I needed. It was immediately obvious that the mattress was too firm, so we added a hand-me-down memory foam topper that helped, for a while. I will say here that we assumed all memory foam was the same, but we now know better. A few months ago even the topper became no longer soft enough, so we removed it (it is also the wrong size, mattress is CalKing, topper a King).

Since removing the topper I have resorted to trying to sleep on a layer of extra firm gusseted polyfill pillows. While they provide the right amount of softness, they don’t stay in place, and by morning I am laying on my side between pillows, which results in significant hip but (that resolves quickly once I get off my side, either by laying on my back or if my back permits, getting up and moving).

I am soon facing the probably of prolonged bedrest, and in preparation of that I began searching for a solution that will provide the softness of the (new) extra-firm gusseted polyfill pillows, that will maintain the loft for at least a year of nearly 24/7 use (unlike with pillows which as we all know mat down pretty quickly) and cost less than $300 for CalKing size. That is how I ended up here. I am fairly crafty, and with some guidance believe I could make something (I started my search by looking at homemade wool mattresses, but couldn’t get enough information regarding customizing the firm through plush feel of the final product). I was also thinking maybe a 3" layer of Talaya (Tayalal?) latex, or some other fiber bed type topper. I am pretty sure that a topper of some sort is the only option given my budget. Any guidance at all on this?

TLDR - I need to create/purchase a topper that will provide the softness of (new) extra-firm gusseted polyfill pillows, maintain the loft/softness for at least a year of nearly 24/7 use (unlike with pillows which as we all know mat down pretty quickly) and cost less than $300 for CalKing size. I am reasonably crafty, but lack guidance for fiber/materials and quilting/tufting density for a homemade solution. Any guidance for creating or purchasing a solution such as this would be greatly appreciated.

Hi OwMyBack,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! … and I’m glad you found us.

I would always keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “one firmness fits all” mattress because each person can have very different needs and preferences in a mattress (see post #1 here).

If I understand you correctly then you aren’t looking for a mattress … only a topper … so the tutorial would be less helpful.

If you are still considering a mattress and not just a topper and you are on information overload then I would keep this quote from the tutorial in mind …

[quote]There is a great deal of information in this tutorial (and there is a shorter summary at the end) and the posts and information it links to and I would encourage you to read it like you would a good book rather than “study” it like you would a textbook. Too much technical information that you “study” in too much detail can quickly lead to “information overwhelm” and “paralysis by analysis” and too little information can lead to a blind purchase and buying a mattress that is either low quality for your budget range or poor value. Both can lead to poor choices.

I would start with reading the complete tutorial itself to get a general sense of the steps involved and then going back and reading the linked pages that it also includes. The goal is not to turn you into an “expert” but to provide you with enough basic information that you can recognize when you are dealing with an expert who already knows what you would otherwise need to learn and can provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision and has your long term best interests at heart. There is little point in learning what they have taken years to learn and already know and are happy to share with you.[/quote]

Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

If the only issue with a mattress is that it is too firm and there are no soft spots or sagging in the mattress then a good quality topper can certainly be an effective way to add some additional softness, “comfort” and pressure relief to your sleeping system but the only way to know for certain whether a specific mattress/topper combination is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP is based on your own careful testing or personal experience on the combination. If you can’t test the combination in person then there will always be always some risk and uncertainty involved in adding a topper because the specifics of the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice on any specific mattress.

There is more information about choosing a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to which along with a conversation with a reliable and knowledgeable supplier (that can provide you with good information about how their toppers compare to each other or to other toppers they are familiar with that are available on the market) can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. A good exchange/return policy can also reduce the risk of an online topper purchase so I would make sure you are comfortable with the options you have available after a purchase just in case the topper you choose doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for.

Fiber materials will tend to pack down and become firmer over time so you may be better off choosing a good quality and durable foam topper (either polyfoam, memory foam, or latex foam) which will maintain it’s softness/firmness over a longer period of time. The type of material you choose for your topper would be more of a preference and budget choice than a “better/worse” choice depending on the “feel” that you prefer. Talalay or Dunlop latex are both high quality and durable materials (latex in general is the most durable of all the foam materials). There is more about some of the general differences between them in post #7 here but the best way to know which one you tend to prefer would be based on your own personal experience.

The choice between memory foam and latex is also a preference choice and there is also more about the general differences between latex and memory foam in post #2 here.

Pillows and foam toppers are also very different materials with different properties and firmness can be somewhat subjective so it’s not really possible to “match” the softness of polyfill pillows with the thickness/softness of a topper outside of generally suggesting a topper that is perhaps in the range of about 3" and is in a general “soft” range but the only way to know for certain which firmness level would be closest to the firmness of the pillows you are using would be based on your own personal experience.

Phoenix