If you’re a side sleeper, you’ve probably felt that nagging ache in your hips or knees after a night in bed. And you’re not alone: Over 75% of the 10,000-plus respondents in our latest survey sleep on their side, a position that can put extra pressure on joints, especially if you’re dealing with chronic pain or past injuries. One simple fix? A pillow between the legs.

For side sleepers, placing a pillow between the legs can help keep the hips aligned and reduce pressure on the joints. “For patients with hip issues like arthritis or bursitis, we typically recommend placing a pillow between the legs,” said Dr. Kirschner.

Read the full article at goodhousekeeping.com. 

"There isn't one best mattress for everyone," said Dr. Kirschner. He emphasized the importance of comfort for each individual when shopping for a new mattress, especially those with underlying conditions. While a firmer mattress may feel more supportive to some, it won't completely resolve existing back or hip pain, so it's best to consult with a physician to identify the nature of any recurring pain. 

Read the full article at goodhousekeeping.com. 

Dr. Kirschner said, “I personally see [the therapy] as the 'gold standard' for treating chronic pain in patients who underwent knee replacement surgery.” He noted that more research is necessary to increase awareness about the procedure.

Kirschner is currently conducting a prospective study looking at how long pain relief lasts after the procedure and which patients respond better to CRFA.

He mentioned, “Historically, the only options we had were drugs and medications to treat the pain. This is unique and novel way of treating it without drugs.”

Read the full article at Medscape.com.

Pillows for side-sleepers are meant to keep the head level and fit the space between the head and shoulder. “A square or rectangle shape could work fine to support the head and neck of a side-sleeper, assuming the pillow is the correct height,” said Dr. Kirschner. He suggested sizing down as you can always add another pillow for more height. Just because you sleep on your side doesn’t mean you need a special “side-sleeping” pillow, added Dr. Kirschner, as it is important to find a pillow that can be customized to fit your body’s needs.

Read the full article at Nytimes.com.

Dr. Kirschner explained for sleepers who don’t have specific conditions, pressure points are less of a medical concern. That’s because most of people move around quite a bit when they sleep. When trying out a mattress and you feel it pushing against certain parts of the body, it’s probably not the right mattress for you, just from a comfort standpoint.

Read the full article at NYtimes.com.

How long your mattress lasts depends on several factors including how much weight you apply to it. “If you're placing 250 pounds or more on your mattress each night, it may wear out faster than the standard 7 to 10 years,” said Dr. Kirschner.

According to Dr. Kirschner, if you regularly wake up with pain, especially in your neck, shoulders, hips, or back, your mattress might not be supporting you properly anymore. Whether you sleep on your side, back, or stomach, you should maintain neutral spine alignment when you sleep, explained Dr. Kirschner, adding your preferred sleeping position will determine what type of mattress is best for you. “Many side sleepers will find a firmer surface to be more uncomfortable, since the mattress should give a bit to allow the shoulders to sink in, encouraging neutral spine alignment,” he noted. Stomach and back sleepers generally prefer firmer mattressed. "But this is by no means set in stone and is highly personalized,” he added.

Waking up with increasing stiffness is common as you age, said Dr. Kirschner. "This is normal for most people until the body loosens up," he cited. "A new mattress may not change that stiffness, unless it is very worn and has lost its support and cushioning."

Read the full article at Insider.com.

“Osteoarthritis (OA) often affects the lower back (lumbar spine) and neck (cervical spine) and develops through wear and tear, though it has a strong genetic component, too,” said Dr. Kirschner. “OA pain is typically more noticeable when you bend backward or twist your back or when you’re standing for a while.”

Dr. Kirschner explained other possible causes for back pain such as scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, and lumbar spinal stenosis. “The physical changes of scoliosis often start in childhood or adolescence, but the condition might not start causing back pain until middle or older age. Scoliosis usually causes back pain from muscle imbalance or because it leads to other conditions (like spine arthritis or disc disease), but it in and of itself doesn’t cause pain." Degenerative disc disease is a condition where pain is caused from an unhealthy disc. Normally, discs don’t have much feeling, however after a disc injury, new nerves grow into the area that can transmit pain signals, he noted. Lumbar spinal stenosis compresses the nerves that branch out from the spinal cord, causing symptoms such as tingling, numbness, or weakness. You may have sharp shooting pains that radiate down the leg. Or, pain can be dull, burning, tearing or feel like a muscle pull, said Dr. Kirschner.

Radiofrequency ablation is another option for treating OA in the back aside from medication. “The treatment can provide longer-term pain relief for some patients; pain can be eased for one to two years,” said Dr. Kirschner. “However, it may not work in all patients and recent osteoarthritis treatment guidelines say there is only limited evidence for its effectiveness. It has limited effectiveness in knee OA, but guidelines don’t comment on spine OA,” he added. Surgery such as a spinal fusion, which fuses two or more vertebrae together in your spine permanently, are typically done for severe spinal arthritis causing deformity or for scoliosis, cited Dr. Kirschner.

Read the full article at Creakyjoints.org.

HSS physiatrist, Jonathan S. Kirschner, MD, RMSK, explained he is not in favor of any one particular mattress (firm or soft), but it has to be just right. “Different people find different degrees of firmness more or less comfortable so to a large degree it's a personal decision,” said Dr. Kirschner. “That being said if the mattress is too soft it may not provide enough support and can cause issues. Likewise a mattress that is too firm may not accommodate the natural contours of the human body and put stress and pressure points in certain areas that may cause pain. If the mattress is too worn out making it soft then it should be replaced but otherwise there isn't an ideal degree of firmness universal to everybody,” he added.

Read the article at Creditdonkey.com.

TheWireCutter.com spoke to Jonathan S. Kirschner, MD, RMSK, physiatrist at HSS, who explained the importance of maintaining the body’s natural alignment when choosing a pillow. “In the neck we have a natural curve called the lordosis, and you want the pillow to accommodate for that,” said Dr. Kirschner.

Read the full article at TheWireCutter.com.