Hi MetalHead671.

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.

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 want to say that on paper, I'm leaning towards something latex especially if I have the option to replace layers if I need to adjust the feel. I'm open to high quality polyfoam options if they're worth trying out.

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 (9") Queen Naturalux latex mattress 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 Mattres s 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

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.
I want to say that on paper, I'm leaning towards something latex especially if I have the option to replace layers if I need to adjust the feel. I'm open to high quality polyfoam options if they're worth trying out.
The only stores in my area are big box stores unfortunately. The only one that had a knowledgeable salesperson that could answer detailed questions had a bunch of S-brands(no thanks) and Tempur's(also no).

You're probably not on here anymore Josephgregory, hopefully sleeping blissfully!

Wondering how things turned out with your Technogel mattress and if you've remained happy with it?

josephgregory wrote:

I have experienced chronic and excruciating back & neck pain since I was 18 years old. I suffered a major shoulder and neck injury after slipping off of a barn roof and onto a pile lumber. I never broke any bones (to this day I don’t know how), however the muscles and tissue damage was quite severe. My doctor pumped me full of quarterzone which got me very quickly back to work… three days after the incident if I recall. The quarterzone however only made issues worse years later; the scar tissue became rock hard and began to make my muscles and joints seize. In passing time, I began to see chiropractors, which unfortunately also mislead me by not fixing the problem, but only alleviating it. Pain started to become a way of life for me.
When I was 25, I was in a vehicle roll over where my seat belt failed and came undone. To this day I don’t understand how I am alive! My spine was impacted, my hip was dislocated, and my L3 through L5, C3 through C6 were all injured. Again, no broken bones… I know, isn’t it unbelievable? Perhaps I should have been Super Dave’s Side Kick.
Tylenol 3, more chiropractic care, massage and other questionable therapies only alleviated the pain that I was now suffering. I purchased a memory foam bed that was supposed to help with posture and with correcting my body; it only made things worse, of which today many researchers are testifying to. Trust me when I say that memory foam mattresses are a complete rip off… I know, I have owned a few and will never go back.
For years I suffered. Many different pain relief medicine and anti-inflammatory medication were a normal part of daily life. At one point I was seeing a chiropractor, massage therapist, and acupuncture as much as 5 times a week each. I couldn’t exercise because the pain was so bad. My back and neck issues were literally taking over my life. After an MRI and CAT scan, I was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc disease and slight scoliosis… it was time to look at other alternatives. If I didn’t, then things will only continue to get worse.
I went shopping for a mattress. I was of course done with memory foam mattresses. I tried other coil mattresses, however they too were not helping. I then came across Technogel in an online forum. It really intrigued me that that this gel product that was invented by the big pharma Bayer and claimed to be a state of the art product. I purchased my mattress and had it delivered. The $5000 that I paid was difficult to swallow, but I was desperate and simply had to try it. Besides, does cost matter when it comes to sleeping and living a better life?
The first night I hated my mattress along with the next 2 weeks that came by, but I gave it time. As it turns out, the mattress was actually providing the support that I needed to correct the imperfections and scar tissue. The gel, which is 100% nontoxic and “biocompatible” was providing support and correcting my issues. The “3D Formation” as they call it was doing exactly that Technogel described and provided the proper comfort & support that I required. It really was the conforming product that I needed.
Here I am now one year and I have not been to chiropractor, taken any anti-inflammatories, or pain relief medication for my problems. After 18 years of pain and suffering, my Technogel Mattress has literally changed my life.

Hi Melgeremu

Welcome to our Mattress Forum!

. I was having really severe low back pain at night. Could barely get up and walk to the bathroom. Usually fine during the day though. Realized it must be my old mattress sinking in. I'm a stomach sleeper. And I have scoliosis. I tried sleeping on the other side of the bed which was still firmer and that helped a lot

I am sorry you are experiencing “severe low back pain at night". Lower back pain, short of injury or congenital condition, is primarily a result of poor spinal alignment through the lower back (lumbar) and hips so you were right to suspect sagging of the mattress. The fact that you are “usually fine during the day” and the “Sleeping on the other side” experiment confirm this.

There is one more experiment that you need to perform in order to eliminate the foundation as a possible cause for your lack of deeper support and misalignment. Have you checked the support system/foundation under your mattress? What are you using for both a frame and support system under your mattress? Whenever sagging or lack of alignment comes into play, I always suggest a “ground up” assessment to make sure that there is nothing under the mattress that may be contributing to the issue. Bed sizes above a twin should have good center support to the floor to prevent any flexing under the mattress and the people sleeping on it. In all cases ... the mattress needs to rest on an evenly supportive base that will not sag or weaken over time under the weight of the mattress and the people on it. You can verify if the support system you are using is appropriate if you place your mattress/spring unit directly upon the floor to see if that makes any difference for you. if you feel any improvement then it is possible that the support system is contributing to the sagging… or ... there is a combination of faulty/flexing foundation, the mattress sag, and possible the core layer being too soft for your prone sleeping.

So, I decided to invest in a nicer bed. I bought the wink bed luxury firm. But my first night sleeping on it, I woke up the next day with such seriously painful front rib cage and chest wall. I can't decide if I can stand sleeping on this for a few more nights to see if it gets better, or if I just made the wrong choice. Any advice on the best mattress for me? How long do I give this wink bed before I give up?

While I'd make sure to perform the foundation assessment with your current mattress as well to eliminate this as a possible cause from the symptoms, you describe it looks like the mattress is unsuitable for your needs and sleeping position. If you sleep truly prone, as you may be aware, this is the worst posture for your lumbar region, regardless of core strength. Everyone needs good deep support to assist with alignment. Your muscles relax a bit when sleeping at night, so maintenance of alignment falls mostly to the mattress itself.

Your choice of a firm version for the mattress is correct for a stomach sleeper, but this does not mean that the product you currently own is a good match for you. It all depends on many interconnected variables and personal stats (BMI, weight, and height) For your stomach sleeping position you may wish to review the guidelines in this Sleep Positions Article [url] so that you avoid hyperextension in a swayback position that can cause back issues.

There is still a possibility that you may adjust a bit to the mattress and the mattress to you as part of a new mattress adjustment period but it from your description it sounds like the pains are extreme and I would try to find some alternatives while looking for a better match mattress.

A forum search on [/url] scoliosis (you can just click the link) will bring up all the forum posts and topics that mention it (along with any linked posts that mention scoliosis in the title) but I would always keep in mind that there is no such thing as a mattress that is "best for scoliosis" or any other health or medical condition ... there is only a mattress that is "best for YOU" in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP. As mentioned above, each person is unique and a mattress that is perfect for one person with scoliosis may be completely unsuitable for someone else with scoliosis to sleep on if they have a different body type, sleeping style, sensitivities, preferences, or differences in the severity of their scoliosis.

As far as any advice for the best mattress for you I am afraid that you have some leg work to do as your circumstances, needs and preferences are unique to you and what is good for one person in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure Relief, and Personal Preferences) may be totally unsuitable for you.
I’d start by reading the The mattress shopping tutorial here which has the basic information, steps, and guidelines including suggestions about how to test a mattress for PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) that can simplify your search and help you make the best possible choices. The weak link of a mattress is almost always in the use of low-quality materials in the comfort layers and if you don't know the specifics of what is inside your mattress you have no way to identify any weak links in the mattress or make meaningful comparisons with other mattresses so you would be making a completely "blind" purchase much like the winkbed mattress you purchased.

I would completely change the way you are looking for a mattress and if you follow the steps in the tutorial post linked above you'll have much higher odds of success.

If you are finding products that you are considering e and provide the mattress information listed here to compare the quality of the materials and components to the mattress durability guidelines here and wish a second opinion we'll be here to guide you

I hope the information provided in this post puts you on the right track when shopping for a suitable mattress
Phoenix

I was having really severe low back pain at night. Could barely get up and walk to the bathroom. Usually fine during the day though. Realized it must be my old mattress sinking in. I'm a stomach sleeper. And I have scoliosis. I tried sleeping on the other side of the bed which was still firmer and that helped a lot. So I decided to invest in a nicer bed. I bought the wink bed luxury firm. But my first night sleeping on it, I woke up the next day with such seriously painful
front rib cage and chest wall. However, no low back pain! But I can't decide if I can stand sleeping on this for a few more nights to see if it gets better, or if I just made the wrong choice. Any advice on the best mattress for me? How long do I give this wink bed before I give up?

I want to say that Dewey at Flobed has been most responsive to my emails. I have decided to post my questions here so that others can benefit from responses.
1. Going with Flobed and their Zoning, is there a recommendation for the best configuration for my husband and I? I suspect it's the V Zone mattress we are after?
I am now being worked up for a possible cervical pinched nerve in the right side in addition to my right shoulder which I can no longer sleep on. Have done so for 40+ years and now adjusting to not doing so. My head needs to be slightly elevated at the upper torso level to prevent awaking with "2AM reflux". So not sure how that translates into which firmness I need. I carry my weight in my abdomen, not hips. But I do suffer from hip pain because of slight thoracic area scoliosis.

2. Can someone fully explain flobeds split base. Is it split completely down the center? Is the matress also two complete twin XL's? Is it noisey for the partner when one of us adjusts the head slightly? How do sheets and blankets work? I've read about sheets split at the top only but I am not sure of that benefit. My husband is early out of bed and I stay in bed another 2-3 hours reading. I would like raise both the head and my knees to keep from sliding down. He reads at night before turning in and maybe if we had a split adjustible he would also like to have knees raised when I wouldn't because I may be sleeping.

3. Are the Flobed remotes easy to read in the dark? Is the font on the display large enough to read without reading glasses? We prefer to keep electronics in the bedroom to a minimum but with advancing technology, (and advancing age) seems this is one rule harder to keep.

4. Lastly a question for a queen guest bed for our visiting children. What setup is typical for that? They both like firmer mattresses. Many times if hubby or I are restless at night, the other will head to the guest room. Perhaps if we get our new bed "right" we won't be doing that. But should we be awake late or early or be sick and want to retreat to the guest room, is there a suggested mattress that would better suit that queen bed?

Hello!

I'm currently shopping for a new mattress, and I'm getting overwhelmed by the situation.

First of all, I'm 6'2" and around 155lbs (BMI 19.5), my partner is in the same proportions, in our early 30s. I'm a side sleeper (mostly out of habit because of GERD/acid reflux) and she is a "combo", as in really strange positions and quite some movement, although that's not a problem for me (maybe our current mattress is good at preventing movement transfer). I have scoliosis and regular back pain, and have a lot of trouble falling and staying asleep, which leads to bad quality of life overall (tired, headaches, lacking energy, etc.). This started about the same time as when I started sleeping on our current mattress and grew over time, but only realized recently.

We are in need of a new mattress, and we started searching for info and trying out some products at a local store. The first thing we realized is that our current mattress is way too firm.

In the good news section, we were aligned on what our favorite products were, and which we didn't like. Among the good ones were the Mat-Tech Excellencce Extase 3.0 (pre-compressed pocket coils + memory foam) from Matelas René and the Moonlight Capella 2.0 (all foam) from Zedbed. They are two local companies from QC, Canada. They are both priced 2500+ CAD (not even including tax or anything). We were also presented a 6000$ excellent product. My feeling is that we were shown that one first to make us feel like the others are "good deals". At least they have 20y warranty on them. The sales guy was also very pushy with the "you're in luck, they're always backordered but by some miracle we have everything you like available right now", but we weren't having any of that.

What we liked: these were medium-soft, and provided good support while feeling "cuddled". Nice pressure relief for joints too (hips and shoulders). Other products we eliminated had various issues like poor edge support (mostly American brands on display), too firm (e.g. Tempur-Pedic), memory foam that wouldn't "reset" fast enough, and all-latex 3-layer mattresses that were overall making us feel like on a rocking boat.

Now, my instinct is telling me that this shouldn't be costing as much, and that these stores are bumping their margins like crazy. Even with some negotiation (if that's still possible), we won't fall into something that makes sense, but we might have to give in due to a lack of options. Most stores carry different models for same manufacturers, making it purposefully extremely difficult to compare products and getting "price match" options, diminishing bargaining power.

I'm not a big fan of boxed mattresses you can order online (Casper, Endy, S&S, etc.) because you can't try them and they all look like they're too firm, and the rare models who aren't are overcomplicated (funky technology names and such) and quite pricey, which would make us go back to the brick-and-mortar shop. It feels like we'd be settling for "ok" when we're looking for good or great.

So the first set of questions would be more general advice: what other criteria should we be focusing on? Considering my specific situation, would you have any recommendations as to materials?

Then, I started looking at the MFC Presto Classic customizable mattress. I really like the idea, but I'm not sure about a few things: how's the edge support on it? What would the best configuration be for our situation? Would the layers cause an issue with rocking/bounciness/stability? The no-return part is also a concern. An advantage is there are good chances it can get here in time for our needs (thanks Mario for the quick reply on that!). This would come at about half the price of the models we tried out and liked.

Another question: I'm guessing a platform bed (flat bottom) is ok for most things on the market these days, would that be a wrong assumption?

So yeah, maybe overthinking some of this and did spend quite some time researching and going through this forum. I don't want to spend a fortune on a mattress (don't want to skimp on it either), but do want a good fit and need it quite soon.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

I hope this isn't sending you on a wild goose chase, and hopefully this is not too late for your purposes, but you may want to check out Flexwood Sleep Centres in North Vancouver. We bought a couple of latex mattresses from them many years ago and the guy (don't even remember his name now) was very knowledgeable. At the time he manufactured the mattresses right there in North Van. Maybe a phone call to them will help determine if they could help guide you. All the best.

I've been reading through the TMU forums and finished the self-learning guide. For reference, I am 5'8 160lbs and always fall asleep on my stomach; however, I like to rest on my side usually by hugging a pillow (so sometimes stomach/side mixed). My girlfriend has scoliosis and sleeps on her stomach most of the time while sleeping on her side too (70/30). So far, I cannot decide whether I want purely latex or to include some-kind of spring set. Right now, my budget isn’t set and I expect to pay about 1,000 or so for bedding. I’m willing to invest to make my bed last longer / sleep better. Currently my build is as follows:

2” 18 ILD Talalay (Comfort) $334
2” 28 ILD Dunlop (transition) $295
6” Pocketed Coils aka combi-zone quantum edge elite Bolsa (support) $395
Organic Cotton Cover (I run hot, I’m not sure about “)

I feel like I’ve made a mistake and I’m not sure about my setup. For reference, I will most likely always be in this weight range due to my hobbies and after reading other DIY setups I’m worried if I made my talalaly medium ILD (Like 28) then it will be too firm. I enjoy being on my side from time to time and if I ever let someone else sleep in my bed (like a friend) I’d want there to be a bit of range in comfort. I have not ordered anything yet. I'm buying a king mattress.

Update: Upon further inquiry, would going for a 34 ILD Dunlop 2" be a superior option? I think the disparity between the comfort and transition layer would be too much and I'd regret it. I'm also skeptical of going 2" and 2" for both layers because this is transitionally for back sleepers. My line of thinking is that the comfort layer into a 34" ILD transition layer would feel closer to firm with my pocket coils.

Hi lingling008,

Yes we do, please call my friend Tyson at 1-844-853-5983 and he will be able to assist you.

all the best!

Do you have any partners in the Vancouver area (Canada) who displays your system?

HI Lingling008,

Unfortunately we do not have a Vancouver location for you to try our products.

I believe with your medical history, a proper mattress fitting is crucial to a successful outcome.

Please have a look at the providers here and see if any are local - they will be able to provide the service you need.

All the best in your search,

Lance

Hi, I'm looking to replace my current mattress and was recommended to look into your products.

My details:
5'2
BMI 21.9
female
30s with corrective surgery for scoliosis in teens, has c curve with Harrington rods so need alot of support for back
side sleeper
twin bed (fits my size best)
living in Vancouver, Canada

Which product would work best for me? And is there somewhere locally in Vancouver that I can go to try?

Dear lingling008,

I'm sorry to hear about your medical condition, I know how difficult it must be to find comfort in that situation. Unfortunately, ​since we are not medical professionals, it's not possible for us to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first "rule" of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best "match" for you in terms of "comfort", firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own personal preferences).

The good news, is that you can find all the information you need on this website to make an educated decision and find the mattress that's right for you. You can start your search with An Intro to Finding Your Perfect Mattress and afterwards head over to a few local stores to try out different mattresses made of coils, hybrids, poly-foam and latex to see which one feels right for you.

good luck with your search and please keep us posted on what you find.

All the best

Hi, I'm looking to replace my current mattress and was recommended to look into your products.

My details:
5'2
BMI 21.9
female
30s with corrective surgery for scoliosis in teens, has c curve with Harrington rods so need alot of support for back
side sleeper
twin bed (fits my size best)
living in Vancouver, Canada

Which product would work best for me? And is there somewhere locally in Vancouver that I can go to try?