Could my mattress be making my back hurt? 
What are your recommendations for a mattress?

Yes, having the wrong mattress can lead to back pain. Issues which can indicate this to be a problem include being too soft, being too hard, sagging in the middle, etc. Our experience shows most mattresses have a life expectancy of 6 to 10 years. If your mattress is older than that, or has any of the issues noted above, a new mattress could make a big difference in how you feel.

In choosing a new mattress, we have the following recommendations:

Although many of our patients have purchased memory foam type mattresses, many find within a short period that two (2) issues become notable. One is that they sink into some foam type mattresses and are hot, and two, they are in a "hole" and it is hard to turn or roll over to a different position. These factors keep us from typically recommending this type of mattress, although there are a few of our patients that love this type of mattress.

Sleep Number air type mattresses are another choice, and we have many patients that really like these mattresses and have used them for years. Two of the biggest advantages of these are: if one partner likes a firmer mattress and the other likes a softer mattress, each side can be adjusted for individual preference; each side can be adapted when trying to find that ideal level of support (we find most of our patients will use 30 to 55 pounds pressure depending on their weight, body type, etc.

Traditional mattresses are also a choice. We currently do not recommend one with a "pillow top" as the pillow top many times seems to wear out before the actual mattress wears out. We recommend a traditional mattress in the firm or occasionally extra firm style. I prefer mattresses that can be flipped and turned to help even the "wear" on the mattress (we turn and/or flip our mattress every 3 or 4 months). If a person wants more "cushion", a separate topper can be applied, then switched out later if it becomes worn, etc. Toppers can include memory foam, latex, down, etc. Once again, we find that this style of mattress typically has a 6 to 10 year life span.