Chronic Back Pain Patients on an Airbed vs Innerspring Mattresses – (10-16-00)

Chronic Back Pain Patients on an Airbed vs Innerspring Mattresses

Sleeping surface can have a large impact on back pain. Many patients ask me if they should be sleeping on a softer or harder mattress. Unfortunately, in my experience, every patients is different in their needs. That’s why the new generation airbeds are becoming popular; patients can adjust them to levels that are comfortable for their bodies.
MedGenMed, September 11, 2000 Objective: To compare SF-36, pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and sleep VAS outcomes of an adjustable airbed with innerspring mattresses in a population of chronic back pain sufferers. Discussion and Conclusion: SF-36 and VAS outcomes measures showed a highly significant benefit for the airbed design in this short-term comparison. The airbed appears to be a useful sleep aid and an adjunct to medical and physical therapies for chronic back pain sufferers.