Medical Questions » Back Problems Questions » Question No. 127
| Question: | What sort of bed should a person with a bad back sleep on? Are water beds any good? |
| Answer: | Unfortunately everyone is different, but on the other hand, it makes life and medicine more interesting and challenging!
In the past, very hard beds were recommended for people with back trouble, but I believe that the ideal bed should be firm rather than hard. The simplest form of this type of bed is a 3-inch foam rubber mattress on the floor, but it is obviously better to have a supportive inner spring mattress with a foam rubber top cover or sheepskin cover. The mattress should be comfortable as well as supportive.
Water beds have often been recommended for back problems, but I have had several patients who have gone to great expense to buy one, and then found that it gives no benefit, or even makes the back worse. There are several types of water mattress with varying degrees of support due to the number of cells in them and the way in which they are constructed.
If you can arrange a try-before-you-buy deal with a water bed or any mattress retailer, that is obviously ideal, but unfortunately that may be hard to arrange. Booking a hotel room with a water bed for one night while on holiday may be worthwhile. |
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