Backache

Marietjie wrote:

BlackSpinner wrote:Get a mattress topper

...BlackSpinner, is this the EggBoxFoam topper?

I have one of those with an old duvet doubled over it. I was too broke at the time to buy anything more exotic. I guessed at the time it was something like that because from the first night I fell asleep I woke up 8 hours later in exactly the same position!

KatieW wrote:It's always hard to diagnose back pain over the internet, but the suggestions of mattress, sleeping posture, etc are all good. I like Mars' suggestion of the Back Extender, or just lying over a firm cushion or across a rolled blanket will give a similar result For upper back, you can put a blanket roll higher on your back.

Some gentle, yoga-like stretches might help.

Hi Katie

Cushions or blankets are great, but they have to be soft enough to avoid damaging the spine.

The lumbar extender has a gap in the middle of the curved plate, so that the spine fits in the gap. The plate is flexible but firm, so the stretching is much more beneficial than a cushion etc. The curve is also adjustable, but I am still on the first one, but have tried the next one a few times - who knows what miracles might occur

When I got it I was about to buy an inversion table for my back, but at the last moment realised that an inversion table was not a good idea because I have acid reflux, and a fairly useless esophagal sphincter. On the way out of the shop I saw this box which said lumbar extender. It was expensive - AUD$130, but I was desperate, so I bought it.

On the internet I found it for AUD$70. So fronted up to the original shop, and got a AUD$60 refund. In Australia there seems to be a large difference in price between retailers, and it can also be called BackMagic and ForBack. It is made in the US by SMCi (not to be confused with the prison).

So a few months ago my quality of life was getting near zero, regardless of effective cpap treatment. Now I am mobile and free of back pain until about tea time, when it usually lets me know it is still there.

Have a great holiday season, Katie, and all the best for the New Year, and not forgetting the same to Gary and everyone else who makes this Forum such a special place

cheers

Mars

mars wrote: The lumbar extender has a gap in the middle of the curved plate, so that the spine fits in the gap. The plate is flexible but firm, so the stretching is much more beneficial than a cushion etc. The curve is also adjustable, but I am still on the first one, but have tried the next one a few times - who knows what miracles might occur Mars

Ah, I was wondering if the curve is adjustable. You could try a few minutes on the lower curve 1st, and then move up to the next one.

My spine wouldn't fit in the gap because I have scoliosis. I used to have back pain, but was very lucky to find a senior yoga teacher, 6 years ago who taught me how to align and compensate. Daily practice is the key for me.

This is the one I use. It has a high side and a low side.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00079 ... oh_product

I also hang from this, but never after eating

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00077 ... oh_product

.

Ugh today I woke up 2 hours early from the back pain.

For those of you who had similar trouble because you were sleeping in one position, how long did it take you to adjust? I sleep on my side because my OSA is worse back sleeping, but not moving makes my back ache, which makes me roll over towards the morning.

Hi Jaylee

I have the same complaint as you do - acid reflux, and so sleep on my left side.

Before I go to bed I massage my lower back with my Niagara massager (if you do not know Niagara, believe me, this is a top of the line massager that goes forever), then I spend 5 minutes on the lumbar extender.

I always sleep on my left side, but do change the position of my legs. I start off with my legs stretched out, and a small pillow between my thighs. Another small pillow supports my right arm. During the night I gradually change the position of my legs, bending the knees about halfway, keeping the pillow supporting my legs between above my knees and below my knees. This is usually good until I get up in the morning, but sometimes I stretch my legs out again.

On getting up I repeat the massaging and the lumbar extender exercise.

I have been slowly getting used to sleeping only on my left since March, and now, if I do turn onto my back, or onto my right, I turn back onto my left usually within a few seconds. Sleeping on my left side does not cause any backache.

I guess my extending my legs right out means that I am stretching whilst in bed. I no longer have leg twitching just before I go to sleep, so I am assuming my RLS has quietened down.

All this stuff is, of course, personal to me. But it gives you an idea about what I have done about a problem similar to yours.
My back injury is multiple fractures in L1 to L5, degraded disks and osteoporosis. Your back problem may be quite different.

No matter, stretching and massage are usually good for us, but make sure you use the right massager around the spine. The Niagara is a trembler, not a pounder.

Katie's mention of Yoga might also be a good idea to try.

cheers

Mars

That's another reason for my Sleep Number bed....I've found that I've dropped my sleep number by 10 due to CPAP.

Unfortunately, my parents are convinced that the answer to backache in bed is for firmer beds....the bed they had me sleep on when I visit them was a rock, and it was one they were storing in the basement because it wasn't firm enough. It was miserable to sleep on before CPAP, it was even worse after. They are also into firm pillows, so that just made things even worse.....

Somehow my sleep number crept up....probably because I've started using my heated mattress pad....morning backache came back until I caught it yesterday morning.

Wonder if there's a correlation in why I slept to 11 yesterday...but a regular weekend time this morning (though it felt like a restless night still). Or maybe I've just caught up from vacation sleep.....

The Dreamer.