10 Best Mattresses For Sciatica, Reviewed By A Chiropractor
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Sciatica is no joke. Though it's not one medical condition, but rather a series symptoms that include pain around the sciatic nerve, which starts from the lower back down through your legs and feet. “When the nerve gets irritated or hurt, it can produce any number of symptoms,” Keith Overland, a chiropractor and spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association, previously told WH. “Those symptoms are what’s called sciatica. So when you have pain radiating down your leg from your back, it’s caused by something else. It’s not an inherent injury all by itself.”
Experts have told us that if you're dealing with sciatica for more than three days, or if the symptoms are so painful that it's messing with your day-to-day activities, then it might be time to meet with a musculoskeletal specialist like a chiropractor or physical therapist. And while sciatica relief treatments can including ice packs and physical therapy, finding the right mattress can support proper spine alignment to provide pain relief, according to chiropractor Matthew J. Cavanaugh, DC, owner of Cavanaugh Chiropractic.
Best mattresses for sciatica
"When a person sleeps on a mattress that is not right for them, they risk increasing the pressure on these nerve roots which will result in symptoms of sciatica," Cavanaugh says. "The right mattress can provide the proper support to achieve a neutral spinal alignment throughout the night, which is an important part of providing pain relief from sciatica."
What to look for
Firmness
The key to finding the best mattress for sciatica is to look for models with good support and pressure relief. A medium-firm mattress that cradles your body's natural curves without "sinkage" is critical (more on that below). Keep an eye for memory foam mattresses or hybrid (a combination of innerspring coils and foam) construction and "zoned support." These target the body's pressure points, especially in the lower back. Avoid anything too plush or soft, as this can compromise proper alignment.
"A mattress that's too soft will allow your body to sink too deeply and not give the support that joints need to maintain alignment," says physical therapist Shannon Leggett, PT, owner of Shannon Leggett Physical Therapy, PLLC. "But something too firm will also not cushion pressure points and not help with alignment."
That's why she recommends mattresses for back pain with a medium firmness as a "best of both worlds" blend of cushioning and support. Leggett notes that most of the sleep science research available is for lower back pain, in general, but not sciatica specifically. Still, "the principles of support in a mattress would be the same," she says. Leggett points to a 2015 study from Science Direct, which confirmed that "medium-firm mattresses are beneficial for individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain and were rated as more comfortable than soft bedding systems." It goes on to cite other studies that have shown that medium-firm mattresses can improve sleep quality by over 50% and decrease back pain by almost 50% in patients with chronic lower back pain.
How we selected
With the help of these two experts, our staff of sleep enthusiasts is here to help! Over the last six months, we researched dozens of well-reviewed, best-selling mattresses designed for sciatica sufferers. We paid close attention to everything from comfort to durability to pressure-relieving features to, of course, price. Here are our picks for the very best mattresses for sciatica, all of which have been reviewed and approved by Cavanaugh.
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South Africa, and survived a near-miss great white shark attack in Mexico. His travel advice has appeared on the websites for Forbes, Travel + Leisure, CNET, and National Geographic. He loves the great outdoors and good bourbon, and (usually) calls Tulsa, Oklahoma home. Mike also enjoys speaking in the third person.
Matthew J. Cavanaugh, DC, is a chiropractor and owner of Cavanaugh Chiropractic in Lafayette, Louisiana.
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