While an adjustable bed may help alleviate your back pain, they’re not for everyone. Here are 3 questions to help you decide if an adjustable bed is worth your hard-earned money.
1. Do You Feel Better in A Reclined Position?
As a general rule, people who find relief from back pain while in a reclined position tend to benefit from sleeping in an adjustable bed. An adjustable bed may be especially beneficial if you have one of the following conditions:
- Degenerative spondylolisthesis. Sleeping with your back elevated and knees supported may ease lower back pain caused by degenerative spondylolisthesis.
- Osteoarthritis. Lying in a reclined position may reduce the osteoarthritis pain in the spine by minimizing joint compression.
- Lumbar spinal stenosis. Leaning forward can alleviate spinal stenosis symptoms, so an adjustable bed may be a great pain-relief option.
You may also want to consider purchasing an adjustable bed if you’re scheduled for back surgery—many people prefer sleeping in a reclined position during their recovery.
Remember that symptoms from certain conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis may feel worse when sleeping in a reclined position. To help you determine if an adjustable bed will relieve your back pain, try sleeping in a reclining chair (if you own one) for the night.
2. What Is Your Budget for An Adjustable Bed?
If you determine that sleeping in a reclined position helps with your back pain, the next question to ask is how much you’re willing to spend on an adjustable bed.
Once you’ve settled on an amount, the following 3 considerations may help you find ways to keep the price down while getting what you need:
- Separate mattress? While the term adjustable bed refers to a base that can tilt your mattress to create various sleeping positions, the mattress can be considered separate. This means that you will have to purchase a new mattress if your current one is not compatible with an adjustable bed. If you can afford an adjustable bed, but will then be priced out of a comfortable and high-quality mattress, an adjustable bed may not be worth the investment.
- Dual-adjustment options? Not all adjustable beds allow you to raise or lower either side of the bed independently. If you sleep with a partner, you will typically need to pay more for an adjustable bed with this feature.
- Extra features? Some adjustable beds cost more because they include features that won’t help to alleviate your back pain. You can save money by avoiding adjustable beds with features like built-in speakers or USB-charging ports.
3. What’s The Return Policy?
If you find an adjustable bed in your price range, check to make sure that the return policy works for you. Buying an adjustable bed is a tricky process you typically only have a few minutes at the store to try out a base you may sleep on for thousands of hours. So, while an adjustable bed may seem to ease your back pain at the store, over the course of a few weeks you might discover that sleeping in a reclined position isn’t best for your symptoms.
Of course, you can always keep your adjustable bed in a flat position but you may want to return the base and invest in a different sleeping arrangement. Make sure to read the fine print of your return policy, as some companies make it especially difficult to qualify for a full refund.
By doing a little bit of research and asking the right questions, you may find the right adjustable bed to assist with relieving your back pain.
Precision Pain Care and Rehabilitation has two convenient locations in Richmond Hill – Queens and New Hyde Park – Long Island. Call the Richmond Hill office at (718) 215-1888, or (516) 419-4480 for the Long Island office, to arrange an appointment with our Interventional Pain Management Specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Chacko.
