Hi misterawesome,
Wow, so sorry to read that you cannot get this solved. Clearly, you’re facing a tough combination of issues with both firmness and softness in mattresses, especially with the added challenge of a partially-torn labrum.
To directly answer your question, yes! It is plausible to experience similar outcomes from distinct mattress experiences. Both firm and soft mattresses can contribute to pain and numbness, but for different reasons.
Let’s look at the firm mattress: When the mattress is too firm, it can press hard against certain body parts, like your shoulder, which can restrict circulation and create discomfort. With side sleeping, the pressure on specific pressure points, like the shoulder and hip, can cause pain, numbness, and discomfort due to restricted blood flow.
What about a too soft mattress? Conversely, when the mattress is too soft, it may not provide enough support for your body’s alignment. In this case, your body might sink into the mattress too deeply, especially in areas like the shoulder and hip, which could lead to your joints bearing more weight than they should. The lack of sufficient support can cause your muscles and joints to overcompensate, leading to pain and discomfort.
Given the complexity of your situation, especially with your labrum injury, you are definitely in a tough spot. Even though you’ve explored many latex configurations, the ideal mattress and/or peripherals like a topper may need to balance both comfort and support more precisely, perhaps through a hybrid design (with both latex and memory foam, or a combination of different materials) or a highly customizable mattress. If a replacement mattress is not doable right now, you do have other options. In some cases, additional cushioning in key pressure points (like the shoulders) or more targeted support for areas like the hips and shoulders may help.
While changing sleeping position may not be as easy as it can be written, it may be a solution.
Latex is a wonderful material. It is durable, resilient, longlasting, cushioning and has a list of nice characteristics. Although, I may get some push-back from the latex experts here, “push back” may be the issue. As I have experienced this myself and has been an issue for me, but with my pillow collection.
When it comes to a topper, a solid latex topper could indeed feel bouncy and offer significant push-back, perhaps too much, which could exacerbate the pressure on your shoulder, especially as a side sleeper. Latex is known for its resilience and responsiveness, so if it’s too firm or thick, it may push back against your body in a way that creates discomfort, especially if you have a partially-torn labrum. The lack of deep cradling in a solid latex topper could also contribute to joint discomfort by not allowing enough relief at pressure points like the shoulders and hips. If it is too thin, you could be bottoming out and your shoulders and hips may find themselves bumping into a too firm support layer. Too thick, too thin, just can’t win.
On the other hand, a noodle latex topper, such as the Cozypure latex noodle topper, might offer a more cushioned, cradling feel. Not a shredded latex, but noodles, I have found them significantly different on how they feel. The noodle design helps distribute weight more evenly and may reduce the sensation of “push-back” that a solid latex topper typically provides. It allows for more localized displacement of pressure, which could help with joint pain and numbness. The increased cradling effect could potentially alleviate the pressure on your shoulder and provide better support for your side-sleeping posture. This is what I experienced with my CozyPure Baa-Noodle pillow, and additionally with the all noodle pillows without the wool, that I have crafted myself.
In theory and in my experience, the noodle latex fill would offer a good balance by cushioning areas like the shoulders while still providing some firmness and structure to avoid excessive sinking. The reduced push-back would help avoid putting too much strain on your shoulder, while the cradling effect could help maintain proper alignment and relieve pressure.
Overall, I think the noodle latex topper could be a better option for balancing cushion and pressure relief, particularly for someone with your specific needs and injury. If you are unfamiliar with it, it could be worth trying, as it might provide the right combination of support and comfort that a solid latex topper could not.
The only caveat might be cost and return policy if it does not improve the situation. I would check with @CozyPure to see what options they might have for you, before you move on to a completely new bedding system.
Hopefully, this will offer a bit of insight and potential option for your situation.
All the best,
Maverick