10 Reasons why you may not want to listen to a Chiropractor’s recommendation when buying a new mattress

1. Should I listen to my chiropractor’s recommendation when selecting a mattress?
They are professionals when it comes to backs so their opinions matter, but ask him or her to explain what they are recommending. Ask them to explain the differences between various mattress types. I think you will be surprised with the generalities and the lack of specifics you might be looking to hear. Next ask them if they are paid a commission for recommending the mattress they are suggesting.
Ask the chiropractor what the difference is between competing mattress brands. Ask them to explain the differences in modern types of mattresses like air beds, waterbeds, all natural latex rubber mattresses, memory foam mattresses. This may make them uncomfortable but it is your money being spent and your back that has the problem.

2. Do some chiropractors recommend mattresses that they know nothing about?
Yes, unfortunately they do suggest mattresses to their patients that they should not.

3. Do chiropractors know how to properly fit a mattress to their patients needs?
I do not think so. Chiropractors of all people should understand that if someone is 5 foot nine inches tall, it doesn’t mean that a specific mattress will work for every 5 foot nine inch person. This is because each person’s height, body weight, and body shape are individually different. Chiropractors probably understand this fact better than anyone, so why force a size 9 foot into size 8 1/2  shoes? A mattress is no different.

4. Should chiropractors be held responsible for prescribing or recommending the wrong mattress?

If a chiropractor implies that a mattress would or should help your back problem and doesn’t after spending a couple thousand or even as little as a couple hundred dollars they should bear some responsibility? Even worse is when chiropractors prescribe or recommend a specific mattress to you. Because of their lack of mattress knowledge isn’t that like you or I prescribing Penicillin for a hangnail? If they prescribed the wrong medication they would be in trouble but in the case of mattresses it won’t kill you literally, but pain is pain.

5. What college helps a chiropractor prescribe and diagnose which mattress would work best for their patients with a certain back condition?
I may be enlightened after this blog, but I have yet to have one chiropractor confirm that they were able to learn anything about mattresses from their formal education. Even worse no outside education by mattress manufactures, retailers, or so much as a self taught shopping excursion in the performance, comfort, and support of all different types of mattresses.

6. Do chiropractors seek out the correct knowledge concerning mattresses so they can distinguish what type of mattress might work best for their patients?
Many chiropractors do not seek out such information, most knowledge is learned from their own personal half an hour to one-hour shopping expedition while they were buying their own mattress.

7. How many chiropractors have actually spent one minute in a mattress factory or retail mattress store to learn something about the mattresses they are recommending and prescribing to their patients?
I have yet to meet one. However I am aware of a couple big shot well paid individuals that were compensated to endorse a brand or mattress model. I am sure they gained some mattress knowledge limited to the brand or model he or she will pedal. This I will admit is better than some of their industry cohorts. The down side is unfortunately that their knowledge is just that, limited, to only one brand or a few select models of mattresses.

8. Could a chiropractor accurately explain the differences between the most popular mattress brands in the world? Sealy Posturepedic®, Serta Perfect Sleeper® Simmons Beauty Rest® and Spring Air Back Supporter®.
Some chiropractors fudge their way through the explanation when asked, however if they could explain the differences it would be in their best interest not to recommend one brand over another. Trouble is many chiropractors do. So ask yourself this question, if they cannot answer a simple question like the difference in mattress brands, then why would you let them recommend a specific mattress for your bad back?

9. Do chiropractors recommend Memory Foam Mattresses, All Natural Latex Rubber mattresses, Waterbeds, Sleep Number Bed or a traditional mattresses and box springs?
The truth is to this answer, the choices are as different as the chiropractors that recommend them. The answer is that each chiropractor has their favorite mattress. Most chiropractors base their recommendations on opinion and that opinion has very little substance to back it up. The truth is they do not know what mattress will really work for you specific back problem. The

10. Do chiropractors get paid for recommending certain brands or types of mattresses?
Some do,the truth is that some chiropractors will base their mattress recommendations on a paid endorsement. It’s true money does make the world go round but will the extra cash in your doctors back pocket get you a good night of sleep?

Free Bonus Question

11. Why do chiropractors approve and recommend mattresses they know zilch about if they are not being paid for a mattress endorsement?
That is $20,000,000.00 question. Possible answers; ego, get the customer off their back, don’t want it to look like there is a part of the back business that they know nothing about. I do not know. I only wish I had a dime for every time a patient of a chiropractor was told to get off of a certain type of bed or to sleep on a certain type of bed only to find it did not work for them.

NOTE
This is not a blog to bash chiropractors or physicians or even mattress sales people. Both the mattress industry and the people who fix back problems like chiropractors should work together.

So lets do this Chiropractors; lets talk about how to fix this glaring problem. Don’t worry mattress sales associates and doctors, our faults will be exposed in future blogs. Mattresses are not a one size or type fits all. A couple days, weeks, or even hours of training on the care givers part would truly show the kind healthful and helpful care they were offering their trusted patient.