Sleep Train Education Center With so many different models and types of mattresses, shopping for one can seem confusing. The Sleep Train Education Center is a great place to start. Here we address this confusion by educating shoppers on common questions about mattress construction and mattress types. Now you can shop with confidence. How to Shop For a New Mattress It's easy to be a smart shopper when you have the right information. Here are a few tips: Come Prepared: Dress comfortably, you will be testing many mattresses... Know what you’re buying: Mattress manufacturers use different model names to identify each mattress... More Mattress Education ResourcesMemory 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 Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence » Veterans » Living with MS Selecting the Appropriate Mattress for People with MS
Richard Buhrer, ARNP, MSCN Why do people with MS need special mattresses? What are the various types of mattresses? What are mattress covers? Will the VA cover special mattresses? Why do people with MS need special mattresses? Because of the problems with sensation and movement that are often a component of multiple sclerosis, people with the disease often require special mattresses to keep them safe from developing bed sores and other skin problems. Another problem that people with MS suffer from is heat intolerance. In the presence of a high ambient temperature (temperature of the inside or outside environment), the nerves damaged by MS cease to function. So that when people with MS become overheated, their ability to move and sense the environment is diminished. Choosing a mattress that will protect the individual from becoming overheated and that will provide skin protection is very important for the health of the person with MS. What are the various types of mattresses?
When choosing a mattress, it is important to consider the effects of that mattress on skin protection and heat intolerance. Mattresses may be either static or dynamic. In general, a static mattress refers to a mattress that doesn’t move when a person lies on it. A dynamic mattress is powered by electricity to change the surface under a person to allow for a variety of medical needs. Dynamic mattresses involve at least one of the following technologies: fluidized air, alternating pressure or side-to-side turning. Fluidized air therapy involves blowing warmed air through a bed of tiny silicone beads creating a surface that is like a “waterbed” but with warm air blowing up through it continuously. This type of surface is used mostly in health care institutions for patients either with very severe pressure ulcers (bedsores) or after surgery to close these wounds. Alternating pressure: Air is pumped into cylinders that are placed parallel to each other inside a mattress.
As one set of cylinders inflates, the other set deflates. This way the pressure under any part of the body is relieved on a regular basis. This type of mattress can reduce the number of times a person needs to be turned while in bed. Side-to-side turning: One side of the mattress deflates and the other side inflates, alternating over time, turning the person in the bed gently from side to side. This is normally used for patients with lung problems, but can be used for people with MS as another way to reduce the number of times an attendant must turn a person while in bed. Of these mattresses, only fluidized air is heated. The heat can be adjusted so that people with MS can use these surfaces, but they carry some risk of overheating. Alternating pressure and side-to-side turning are not heated. Therefore, heat intolerance is not as much of an issue with these mattresses. Viscoelastic or memory foam: One kind of static mattress that gets a lot of attention on TV is made of viscoelastic or memory foam (the Tempur-pedic ™).
People with disabilities often find these mattresses difficult to use because they get "stuck" in a hole in the mattress and cannot move themselves out of it. Some medical mattresses are made of this substance but they do not really work out very well for people with MS. Low air loss: This involves an air sack where a small amount of air leaks through the cover on a continuous basis. It helps to control moisture (like sweating). It provides some pressure reduction but the surface doesn't change over time and people need to be turned more frequently on this kind of surface. The air in a low air loss mattress may be heated and so this could pose problems with heat intolerance for people with MS. Air covered by foam: Another kind of static mattress is filled with air covered by foam. The air is in interwoven but not interconnected air cells that have certain stretchiness (distensibility). That way when a person lies on the bed, the air cells move and adjust to small changes in position.
This kind of mattress is a good basic surface for a person who does not have a high-risk of developing bedsores. What are mattress covers? All of these mattresses (except fluidized air) have Gortex ™ covers. This is a slippery fabric that is often used to make rain gear for hiking. It allows moisture to travel in one direction (which is to say, not into the mattress) so that the mattress is protected from moisture, and bowel and bladder accidents. It is customary to cover these mattresses with only one sheet. The goal is to minimize the number of layers between the skin and the surface of the mattress. Too many layers will increase the risk of bedsores and negate the advantages of the mattress. Gortex™ fabric reduces the friction and shear from the mattress that could also injure the skin when a person is repositioned (especially pulled up in the bed). Lying on these mattresses may feel "sweaty" and warm to the person in the bed and this can be a problem for a person with MS.