From the Guidelines
Your left lower back pain could be caused by a mattress that is sunk in, and replacing it with a medium-firm mattress may help alleviate your symptoms. A sagging mattress fails to provide proper spinal alignment and support, forcing your body into unnatural positions that strain your lower back muscles and joints 1. According to the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society, firm mattresses are less likely than medium-firm mattresses to lead to improvement in patients with chronic low back pain 1.
Some key points to consider:
- Replacing your mattress if it's more than 7-10 years old or shows visible sagging may help improve your lower back pain
- In the meantime, you can try placing a firm pillow under the sagging area or using a mattress topper to provide temporary support
- For immediate pain relief, you might try over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen (500-1000mg every 6 hours) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for a few days, as recommended by the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society 1
- Gentle stretching exercises for your lower back and applying heat for short-term relief may also help, as heat application by heating pads or heated blankets is a self-care option for short-term relief of acute low back pain 1
It's essential to note that if your pain persists beyond 1-2 weeks despite these measures, worsens significantly, or is accompanied by numbness or weakness in your legs, you should consult a healthcare provider as these could indicate a more serious condition.
From the Research
Possible Causes of Left Lower Back Pain
- Left lower back pain can be caused by various factors, including poor sleeping conditions, such as a sunk-in mattress 2
- A medium-firm mattress that is custom inflated is considered optimal for promoting sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment, which can help reduce back pain 2
Relationship Between Mattress and Back Pain
- The quality of mattresses and bedding systems has been correlated to the pain perceived by individuals, suggesting a link between mattress design and back pain 2
- A systematic review of controlled trials found that a medium-firm mattress is optimal for promoting sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment, which can help reduce back pain 2
Treatment Options for Low Back Pain
- Physical therapy exercise approaches are recommended as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain, and can be used in combination with other non-pharmacological therapies such as heat wrap therapy 3, 4
- Continuous low-level heat wrap therapy has been shown to be effective in providing pain relief, reducing muscle stiffness, and improving lateral trunk flexibility in patients with low back pain 5, 4