Back Care Awareness Week (3 – 7 October 2022)
Image credit: Unsplash Dane Wetton
This week it’s Back Care Awareness Week (3 – 7 October 2022). Back pain is incredibly common as around 60% of the adult population can expect to have a form of back pain at some point in their life. Whilst back pain is not usually a sign of a more serious condition, it can still be distressing and a real inconvenience to your life.
Almost all of us go through some level of back pain at some point in our lives. It can range from a mild annoyance to a debilitating condition. This is why it is extremely important to address how we can better manage pain and discomfort to lead a better quality of life.
The most common causes of back pain
- Slouching and bad posture
- Long periods of sitting
- Slips, trips or falls
- Weak core muscles (back and abdomen) due to lack of exercise
- Slipped disks (the cushions between your bones)
- Pregnancy
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Kidney infections
How do you know if your back pain is serious?
If you experience a sudden twinge of pain or a feeling of numbness, loss of bladder function, high temperature, severe stomach pain, sudden, unexplained weight loss or you have had a blow to your back then it may be serious and you should seek medical advice.
What is the best way to treat mild back pain?
To reduce the risk of getting back pain do more general exercise, sit upright, move around more regularly when in a home or office environment and maintain a healthy weight.
If you suffer from mild back pain try using medicated creams and anti-inflammatory tablets such as Ibuprofen, which you can get over the counter. Applying ice or heat to the affected area can also help with pain relief for most types of lower back pain, but each treatment is different for each person. If your back pain becomes worse or doesn’t improve we recommend you speak to your GP.
You can find more tips on how to prevent or relieve back pain here>
Could it be that your mattress is causing your bad back?
Whilst your mattress may not be the specific cause of your back pain, if it doesn’t support your back correctly, then it could be making an existing problem worse.
There are different types of back pain and each can have different causes. Upper back pain can be the result of slouching, middle back pain can be caused by poor posture and lower back pain can occur because of a pulled muscle or even a kidney infection.
If you feel your mattress could be the problem, consider how long you have had your current mattress. If it is 10 years or longer, you are likely to need a more supportive mattress that’s more in line with your current needs.
To help, here are just a few questions – if you answer yes to one or more of these, it may be a good time for a new mattress:-
- Do you wake up with aches and pains?
- Are you not refreshed when you wake up?
- Is your mattress too small or lumpy and sagging?
- Is your mattress causing you and your partner to roll together?
- Have you had a better night’s sleep when sleeping on a different mattress?
Will memory foam mattresses help with back pain?
Memory foam mattresses can be great for supporting your back, as their high density foam moulds to your body’s contours to relieve pressure and keep your spine aligned, much like a firm orthopaedic or medical foam mattress does.
At BodyMould we have three types of memory foam mattresses available.
- Our Deluxe memory foam mattress offers excellent comfort and support to leave you feeling fully rested and energised. It combines a supportive 5” base layer of luxury reflex foam and a 3” layer of our high density 50kg deluxe memory foam, giving the mattress a medium firm feel. This 3/5 ratio provides a blend of comfort and firmness which suits most body sizes and sleeping styles and is particularly suitable for people of average build.
- Our Supreme memory foam mattress is the pinnacle of luxury offering unrivalled comfort and support. This model has a three-layer construction. The base layer is 5” 50kg luxury reflex foam which provides superb spinal alignment. A central 2” layer of highest grade 60kg supreme memory foam is topped with a 1” 50g layer of ultra soft memory foam for ultimate comfort. With a medium to firm support level, it is perfect for couples and those of above average build.
- Our market-leading Airflow memory foam mattress utilises our latest advances in cool foam technology. Moisture and heat are dissipated away from your body at night and open cells prevent humidity from building up. The increase in airflow is proven to be thirty times greater than other premium memory foam mattresses on the market. The result is an ultra-comfortable, cooler sleep experience and the perfect option for you if you tend to get hot during the night. The exceptionally high-grade, high density memory foam gives the mattress a medium to soft feel, while the base layer will support every part of your body.
Choosing the right mattress for you
To avoid back pain, prevention is better than the cure, so by investing in a good-quality memory foam mattress you are on your way to getting a really good night’s sleep.
If you’d like some advice on memory foam mattresses or memory foam toppers, do get in touch. Contact us online or call us on 01293 871744 and our friendly team will be happy to help.
