Intense shoulder pain + headaches after switching to latex mattress

Talk To The Experts
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Hi everyone, first time posting here and so glad I found this forum to help with my mattress purchase!

My profile: 5ft9 male, 75kg, exclusively a side sleeper. Wife is 4ft11, 40kg, mixed sleeper.

Long story short, we were sleeping on a cheap and worn out Sealy mattress for many years, to the point where it had a big sagging hole around my hip and shoulder area (my wife had no issues, she is light and is very flexible with any mattress setup and never struggled with comfort/sleep quality). 4 weeks ago we made the change to a medium-firm latex mattress from Sleeponlatex, I loved the “idea” of sleeping on something firm after years of a very soft and sagging mattress, but I started getting pretty intense shoulder pain everytime I woke up, along with headaches. I even ordered the 2-inch soft topper from SOL to help the situation but after 1 week with it I still get the same shoulder pain. Thankfully they have a good retrun policy and I’m looking to return both mattress and topper. Its unfortunate because I liked the idea of latex being a more natural and long lasting material.

I want to also mention that when we changed mattresses, we switched out our pillows from a classic soft/flattened pillow, to a Bedgear night ice (3.0 tall pillow for me since the salesperson saw I am broad shouldered and side sleeper, 1.0 size for the wife since she is small). I’m thinking my headaches might be from a combination of this high pillow and the firm mattress, so I switched back to my older pillow and those headaches went away for the most part, but my shoulder pain is getting worse every morning. I made an account here to seek help from the experts on what I should try next.

Worth mentioning I am in Toronto, Canada and might not have as many options as the USA. I went around a few mattress stores today and tried some softer beds, and liked the foam-based options more, particularly the GALAXY 10″ Memory Foam Mattress from National Mattress Outlet +. While I liked the feel of this mattress on my shoulder (it had a nice cushion and sink feeling, while also feeling firm at the same time), I cannot find any reviews on this brand online at all, so I have no idea if this is actually a bad quality mattress and will sink out like my last one. Details below:

– Visco Memory Foam
– High Compression Bio Foam
– Pressure Relieving Comfort Foam
– Quilted Cover
– Supersoft High Density Foam
– Works with any boxspring, platform bed, or slats.
Link: https://www.nationalmattress.ca/product/galaxy-10-memory-foam-mattress-618

Anyways, I am not particularly attached to this but it is the only one that felt quite nice out of many stores (checked Canadian brands like Casper and Endy, found them too soft although they were nice on the shoulders, and also quite pricey).

I would be super eager to hear your thoughts on what mattress I should try next for my specific needs, my budget is around $1500 usd but would be willing to way over if I can get a good night’s rest and wake up pain free whilst side sleeping.

EDIT/UPDATE* It might be worth mentioning I was using a waterproof bamboo mattress protector - I was reading some posts that these protectors sometimes really change the feel of the mattress set up and make things feel firmer. I just removed it and wow the medium-firm SOL mattress with 2-inch SOL soft topper on top feels much softer (and cooling) than with the mattress protector on. I will see if there is any difference, but not sure what to try differently with the pillows, is there any way to check if my pillow loft is too high for side sleeping?

Thanks so much,
Blubs

@MFC

2

Hi Blubs and welcome to our community.

I’m glad to hear that you discovered the mattress protector was the source of your shoulder pain and that your shoulder is feeling better now.

Finding the right pillow can be challenging. A good approach is to experiment with different pillows you have at home until you find one that suits you well. In most cases, you can identify the pillow you like by checking its label, which allows you to purchase a new one online.

Please keep us posted on how things evolve with your new mattress and pillows.

All the best

Mario

2 Likes
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Hi blubs,
Wecome to the Mattress UnderGround,

I am happy fellow Canadian, Mario was able to offer some great advice.

Nonetheless, it sounds like you’ve been through quite a journey trying to find the right mattress and pillow combination for you and your wife. Let’s break down your situation:

  1. Previous Mattress Experience: You mentioned sleeping on a worn-out Sealy mattress that caused a sagging hole around your hip and shoulder area. This suggests that you may need a mattress with good pressure relief, especially for your shoulders.
  2. Current Mattress Experience: The medium-firm latex mattress from Sleeponlatex didn’t work well for you. While latex is known for its durability and support, it might not provide sufficient pressure relief for side sleepers like yourself, especially if it’s too firm.
  3. Pillow Experimentation: Switching to the Bedgear Night Ice pillows, particularly for you with a higher loft, might have contributed to the headaches due to poor neck alignment. Reverting to your old pillow reduced headaches but increased shoulder pain, indicating a need for better shoulder support.
  4. Waterproof Bamboo Mattress Protector: Removing the protector made your current setup feel softer, suggesting that the protector might have been affecting the feel and firmness of the mattress.

Given your experience and preferences, here are some recommendations:

  1. Mattress: Since you liked the feel of the Galaxy 10" Memory Foam Mattress, it might be worth considering further. Memory foam tends to offer good pressure relief and contouring, which can be beneficial for side sleepers. However, the lack of reviews on this specific brand might be a concern. If possible, try to find more information or customer reviews from other sources. Alternatively, look for reputable memory foam mattresses from well-known brands that offer similar features. Another perspective is memory foam, while offering great pressure relief, tends not to be the more durable of foam options, see my post here.
  2. Pillow: Finding the right pillow height is crucial, especially for side sleepers like yourself. Consider trying different pillow lofts to see which one provides optimal neck alignment and shoulder support. Ideally, your head and neck should be aligned with your spine in a neutral position. Pillows are a particular passion of mine. It is just not something we rest our head on. Materials, head position on the pillow, and matching the pillow to the mattress are all critical in getting a comfortable night’s sleep. You can look over my post on pillows as my journey was long to find the right combination.
  3. Mattress Protector: If you decide to go with a new mattress, consider investing in a high-quality, breathable mattress protector that doesn’t significantly alter the feel of the mattress. This can help protect your investment while maintaining comfort.
  4. Trial Period and Return Policy: Make sure the mattress you choose comes with a generous trial period and a flexible return policy, allowing you to test it out at home and return it if it doesn’t meet your needs.

Remember, finding the right mattress and pillow combination can take some trial and error, but prioritizing comfort and support is essential for a good night’s sleep.

I would be happy to answer any other questions you might have in a generic sense as I am not as familiar with the Canadian Market Brands. For that I would have you circle back to Mario.

All the best,

Maverick

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Thanks for your reply Mario, I decided to return the SOL mattress + topper and am exploring some pocket coil + latex hybrids. I noticed the Cumulus option but it is slightly over budget for the king size, otherwise it looks perfect for our needs (I feel like adding some pocket coils for support + the softer 20 ILD dunlop latex comfort layer would be great for side sleeping). Are there any discount periods coming up for the Cumulus?

Thanks again,
Lubo

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Hi Maverick,

Thank you for the great advice above, definately helping in my search to find the perfect mattress setup!

Changing to my old pillows got rid of the headaches at least, but the shoulder pain just was not going away with the SOL setup so returning that and exploring some hybrid options.

Thanks,
Lubo

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Hi blubs,

Yes, a hybrid pocket coil organic dunlop latex may help alleviate shoulder pain and pressure points more than your current setup. The Cumulus is available at a discount for TMU members by using TMUD% discount code. Furthermore we pay taxes, shipping and give you 2 free latex pillows. I hope this helps and please keep us posted!

All the best!

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Hi again Mario and TMU Forum!

I just wanted to circle back and thank you for all the help! We spoke on the phone and you helped me decide on the 4 layer foam mattress, which has been absolutely fantastic on the softest setting for my side sleeping. I can’t recommend MFC enough to my friends and family, and I hope MFC sticks around for when it comes time to replace my current mattress.

Once again thanks a million for the support and for creating such a high quality mattress!! 11/10 :slight_smile:

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Good morning blubs,

Thank’s for getting back to us and letting us know how you found relief for your shoulder pain and headaches. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.

all the best

Mario~

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