Why do my ribs hurt on everything I sleep on?

Maybe you guys can help with this. Not sure if this is isolated to me, or a common problem among sleepers. Perhaps I just have a medical condition of some sort, and not a mattress problem …

I’m a side sleeper, and it seems that my ribs complain about everything I sleep on. Polyfoam or innerspring support layer, memory foam or latex comfort layer… my ribs hate all of 'em. Soft surfaces are better than firm ones, but are still uncomfortable.

At first, I thought it was my old, crappy mattress, but even on my soft couch cushions (which I’ve had to resort to on a few occasions this past year), they still hurt. I’ve tried 4 different mattresses so far (including the BME and Cloud Supreme), with the latest one being the softest one that my local Denver Mattress had. It’s actually pretty comfortable, except for the rib problem.

I’m 43 years old and about 20lbs overweight. I exercise moderately and my ribs don’t bother me otherwise. It’s just that when I lay down for the night, after a few minutes, I can feel my ribs start to ache. On this newest mattress I have, it’s comfortable enough that I can usually fall asleep anyway before I have to turn over, but not always.

Hi worknman,

I’m sorry to hear about your rib sensitivity. Unfortunately, because each person is different in terms of their physiology, weight distribution, and body shape as well as the positions they sleep in, their individual preferences, sensitivities, levels of fitness and flexibility, and the specifics of any issues they may experience, there is no way for me to be able to determine why you would be feeling the way that you are on any particular mattress, or to be able to recommend a specific combination that would suit you. If I could, I’d provide you that information in a heartbeat! :wink:

There is some information about the many different symptoms that people may experience on a mattress and some of the most common causes behind them in post #2 here that may be helpful. You seem to mention that a softer surface comfort works better for you. While a softer surface can provide initial relief, you’d want to be sure that it doesn’t allow you to sink in too deeply (I think previously adding a memory foam topper to your BME mattress caused a problem), as this can lead to a higher concentration of pressure to your thoracic (rib) area through the night (and impact support), especially with memory foam that tends to get softer as it gets warmer. Conversely, a mattress that is too hard on the surface can result in equally uncomfortable pressure points in your rib area.

Some people with difficulty finding comfort in particular areas of their body have chosen zoned sleeping systems with positive results, but this can be complicated in configuring and I’d recommend the assistance of a qualified retailer or manufacturer if you choose that route. There is more about zoning in this article and in post #11 here. Also in post #2 here and post #7 here (latex monozone unique properties). Latex is very point elastic, and you have stated in the past that you liked it for an upper comfort layer, and I wonder if an all-latex system might provide you better comfort as opposed to a mattress using a polyfoam support core.

If you’re experience such discomfort after lying down for only a few minutes, to me this tends to speak a bit toward your personal sensitivities/flexibility, as there should be some products that can provide you relief for longer than just a few minutes.

Phoenix

I thought I would post an update for future seekers that might be having the same problem as me, as I have made a bit of progress. Turns out that a large part of the problem was this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NHWGGWE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I replaced it with a traditional frame and box spring, and now the BME soft (which I still have) is much easier to sleep on. It can still be a bit uncomfortable on my hips/ribs at times, but it’s a marked improvement over where I was at before. (Note: This is the old BME soft, before they switched to the ‘titanflex’ foam.)

Edit: Just a note that the frame mentioned above seems to have a lot of positive reviews, so it may just be me that doesn’t like it. But if you’re trying various mattresses and nothing seems to suit you, perhaps it may be the foundation you’re using.

Hi worknman,

Thanks for your update.

You make a very good point, and I appreciate you sharing your findings.

Was the issue that the Zinus wooden bedframe slats on this model were sagging and not providing a firm and flat surface for your mattress?

I’m happy you’ve made an improvement in your sleep set foundation.

Phoenix

Honestly, I’m not sure what it was. It was kind of a happy accident how I found the problem; someone was spending the weekend with me and I had two mattresses, so I put one on the living room floor and slept on it. With the mattress on the floor, I noticed that I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night with my ribs aching like I usually do, so it wasn’t hard to put 2 and 2 together :slight_smile:

One thing I did like about that frame is that it was very stable, and didn’t wobble or squeak when I turned over, so this foundation I have is only a temporary solution, until I have time to do more research on them. (I had reward points at Denver Mattress, so I got it at a nice discount.)

Hi worknman,

Well, I’m happy that you stumbled across that solution, My best guess would be some flexing of the slats on the left and right side of the center support, causing a bit of a bow, which could then slightly cause a bit of lateral curvature and sinkage and just enough to transfer some more weigh to the rib area. Anyway, that would be logical based upon what you changed and the results. I’m just happy that you discovered what you did.

Thanks again for sharing your discovery.

Phoenix