Memory Toppers Versus Egg-Crate Foam Pads Health Concerns Mattress pad retailers and manufacturers say their toppers can cure a wide range of sleep problems (insomnia, backpain, joint aches, etc). No mattress foam pad can cure these problems but what they can do is help prevent bedsores, bring some pain relief and increase comfort during sleep. This, however, doesn't apply to everyone as we're all different and require sleeping surfaces suited to each and every one of us. But first, here's what you must know about home mattress trials and what makes a good foam mattress. Topper Recommendations from Doctors Many customer say in reviews that memory foam pads have helped them with apnea, fibromyalgia, insomnia as well as back and hip pain. There are no solid studies to back up these claims which is why doctors reserve judgment and many choose not to recommend memory foam mattress toppers as medical treatment. This doesn't mean that they don't work, it just means scientific proof is yet to be found that they do.
Egg crate foam toppers, on the other hand, have been known to receive more endorsement from doctors, especially since many hospitals use this type of pad for recently operated patients. Some doctors even suggest that patients take the egg-crate mattress topper home and continue sleeping on it after being discharged from hospital. The convoluted shape of these foam toppers can prevent and help heal skin ulcers, eliminate bedsores, reduce pressure points, allow air to flow and prevent your body from becoming too hot during sleep (fever is notoriously dangerous for recently operated patients). Low quality egg crate pads, on the other hand, may be dangerous as they are a source of toxic formaldehyde transmissions. These two types of mattress pads work differently in offering support and comfort. Support is one of the major criteria when buying the right sleeping surface. Visco memory foam toppers provide proper support as long as they are the high-density type, are layered over a firm, flat mattress and is the heat-sensitive type.
Egg crate pads, unlike memory toppers, cannot, on their own, offer proper support since they are very light and thin at the dips. It all depends on the kind of mattress they are placed on. The foam pad will offer necessary support and proper neck and spine alignment if placed on top of a firm mattress. Health care specialists say that to be labeled as providing pressure relief, a mattress has to have the pressure of 32mmHg or lower, whereas pressure reduction performance is agreed to occur between 32mmHg and 50mmHg. Good quality visco memory foam toppers like Tempur-Pedic overlays were shown to reduce average pressure to around 15 mmHg from nearly 30 mmHg. We couldn't find any numbers related to the pressure exerted by an eggcrate mattress pad on the body, but considering its shape and doctor-endorsements, we believe that these toppers do relieve pressure points. Allergy And Topper Choice Just like there are no allergy-free mattresses, there are no regular allergy-free pads (except for the ones manufactured especially for people suffering from allergies).
Since egg crate mattress pads are also made of foam, they are just as prone to host dust mites as memory foam toppers are, even though foam is generally not a source of food in itself. The only way to keep dust mites out from your mattress topper, be it the memory foam or egg crate type, is to use dust-mite resistant encasings and covers. When I laid on it, I couldn't imagine anyone wanting memory foam. Once on it, I could barely move and turning over was a real challenge. I also could see how this could get very warm at night. The mattress was firm and soft at the same time (as advertised), and we woke up with our backs feeling all springy and stretched out. We did notice that the temperature of the bed was warmer than with our old mattress, but taking off one layer of blanket solved that problem. We also could let the house get colder in the winter nights which might save energy, though to be honest, we didn't track it. My wife now sleeps through the entire night.
It did not heal her back, it just provides great support to assist her in obtaining a good night's sleep. The material forms/molds to the body like a parent holding an infant child. I tried an egg crate mattress recently with my 9 mo. because she refluxes and has a hard time sleeping. I thought it might help her. My Foam Mattress Has Memory! A Critical Eye On The Latest Mattress Technologies Authenticity TestHow can you check if your purchase as good as a true Tempur-Pedic bed? You can try the wine glass test, the egg test, or the fridge test. Top Memory Foam ComplaintThe most commonly reported problem consumers have with memory foam mattresses is that they sleep hotter when compared to conventional sleeping surfaces.But sleeping conditions are influenced by environment temperature, the material's heat sensitivity and your own body heat. 3.5 lb vs 5 lbWhich to choose from a 3.5lb foam overlays versus 5lb Tempur-Pedic bed overlay comparison? Higher density alone does not make a quality sleeping surface.
The formula behind the best sleeping surface uses best quality, high-density foam that responds to body temperature. You are here: Home > Compare Alternatives > Health Reports On Memory Foam Toppers And Egg-Crate Pads Heated mattress pad induced AC voltage Tursiops_GTechnoidMVMjoin:2002-02-06Norwalk, CT said by Tursiops_G:Well the reversed Hot/Neutral is pretty likely, this house was built in the 50's from a Montgomery Wards kit. The ground is open since I know there are only two wires to that outlet.However, the mattress pad only has a two prong plug not three prong. Optimum OnlineARRIS TM1602TP-Link TL-WDR4300 The fact that there appears to be a connection with the "hot" side of the line with the switch in the OFF position, suggests a Hot/Neutral reversal... Is the outlet and cord both Polarized?Old Electrician's saying: "White to White, You're All right. White to Brass, Shocks Your @$$"... -Tursiops_G. cmslick3join:2004-05-24Joliet, IL to Tursiops_Gsaid by Tursiops_G:"White to White, You're All right.
White to Brass, Shocks Your @$$"...I like that and I'm going to use that in the future.The outlet is polarized, and there is a power strip plugged into the outlet. The strip is a cheapie, but polarized as well with built in safety covers. The plug for the pad I'm not sure about, something makes me want to say it is not polarized. I guess what you're going to suggest next is that I reverse the plug and see what happens?said by cowboyro:It's normal and expected.I'm not quite sure this should be an expected experience... But I do understand your point. The thing that bothers me is that my wife's side does not do this. Also, I believe this is a recent development and we've owned the same pad for over a year now.What I don't quite understand is how much voltage would have to be running through the coils to induce 40VAC on my body? Since is has to jump the gap of padding and sheets between the coils and myself I would think it should be a considerable voltage. cowboyroPremium Memberjoin:2000-10-11Shelton, CT75.3 5.5·
said by cmslick3:What I don't quite understand is how much voltage would have to be running through the coils to induce 40VAC on my body? Since is has to jump the gap of padding and sheets between the coils and myself I would think it should be a considerable voltage.It really doesn't take much. You're making the mistake of looking at voltage, not current. In this case the voltage is almost irrelevant, what matters is the current - which is very small. Think of it, all you have is a capacitive voltage divider. If you get on a chair and you hold an insulated wire in your hand, you will have ~60V between you and the ground (equal capacitors between your hand and both hot and neutral). Will a meter register 60V between you and the ground? Highly unlikely, since the internal resistance, even extremely high, will be a almost a shunt compared to the reactance of the capacitors your hand forms with the wires... cmslick3join:2004-05-24Joliet, IL cowboyroPremium Memberjoin:2000-10-11Shelton, CT75.3 5.5·
said by cmslick3:The skin contact closed the circuit and allowed a small current to flow between us which is why we felt a little tingle. But the current was kept low because I wasn't in direct contact with the wires, correct??Correct - all you had was capacitive coupling and the current is somewhat small at 60Hz... Had it been 6000Hz it would have been a different story though SmokChsrWho let the magic smoke out?Premium Memberjoin:2006-03-17Saint Augustine, FL to cmslick3Call me weird, but I like that feeling. This particular effect I can create any time in the kitchen, by simply grabbing the fridge and touching someone at the sink.As coyboyro said it doesn't take much, and you are measuring with a very high impedance meter. If you were to measure it with an older VOM that actually used a meter movement, you would likely only see a slight deflection if anything at all.That's part of the reason that some of us experienced techs like to keep a true "analog" (sorry, Luthful ) meter around, because in certain (Hi-Z) cases, the newer meters can deceive you into thinking something is good or bad when it really isn't.
to cmslick3said by cmslick3: didn't do really well with capacitance in school. Assuming the heating element is powered directly from the AC line one end of the element will be a 0 volts - relative to Earth ground and the other side at 120 volts.As mentioned the amount of voltage depends on capacitive coupling and how each body is coupled to the heating element. Worst case is that one person is at the low end and the other at the high. That being said because frequency is low - 60 Hz and so is capacitance (not a lot of area and pretty far away from the element) the amount of energy coupled is very small. As mentioned modern DVMs have very high input impedance resulting in high voltage ready even for very small current flow.Sounds like each side is powered separately. Are the plugs polarized? If not you ought to be able to change the voltage/current between persons by reversing the plug on one of the heaters. Try the different combination and see if that changes the amount of current between you and your wife.
said by cmslick3:Something that I failed to mention is that the pad has digital controls, with 10 levels of adjustment.Even with digital control off should be "off." With a digital control there is a snubber across the Triac or back to back SCRs that passes a tiny amount of current even when off. That can sometimes be a problem if the load is extremely low but not with an electric blanket. If you are able to measure the voltage at the element in the off control position it should be extremely close to zero volts.Out of curiosity are both blankets in the same orientation on the bed - cord comes out the same place? Do they plug into the same receptacle? If the sides are connected to different receptacles it is possible there is 240v between them rather then 120. They would still work fine but the induced current will be higher./tom alphapointeDon't Touch MeMVMjoin:2002-02-10Columbia, MO to cmslick3said by cmslick3:With both sides plugged into the outlet there was 40VAC between my wife and I based upon measuring from skin to skin, with 15uA of current.