The Best Mattress Toppers For Back Pain, Medically Reviewed

Tempur-pedic is well-known for its proprietary TEMPUR® material, which is made from millions of moveable cells and engineered to respond to each individual sleeper’s unique shape, weight, and body temperature.

While these materials are not the most sustainable, sleepers who want personalized comfort will enjoy this topper.

On the higher end of the firmness scale, this mattress topper delivers optimum spinal alignment and pressure relief.

Corner straps help the topper stay tight across your mattress, and the cover (which is dust mite- and allergen-resistant) can be removed and machine-washed in cold water.

For an additional $80, you can add the brand’s cooling technology to the cover, which hot sleepers tend to love.

This topper is shipped to your door in a box. While there may be a slight off-gassing odor, reviews say it won’t last more than one to two weeks.

The mattress topper has a 5-star overall rating on the brand’s website, with one person writing, “My husband and I both suffer from severe back pain. This topper on our mattress has made such a difference in our quality of sleep.”

If you’re not prepared to spend hundreds of dollars, try the Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper, which rings up at under $100 for a twin size topper—a price point that’s considerably less expensive than most other options on the market.

It does not have a cover, but there are multiple heights to choose from (2- or 3-inch).

This is not the most sustainable option, as it’s made from memory foam—but for those who prefer the foam feel, it is a good choice at an affordable price.

Memory foam contours well to your body, offering pressure relief that can help with back pain. The foam is infused with a cooling gel, which hot sleepers will enjoy.

The topper arrives in a box, and any off-gassing odor should dissipate within 24 hours.

With a 4.3 star rating overall, this mattress has many positive reviews. Most comment on how comfortable it is, the good night’s sleep they get with it, and of course, how affordable the topper is.

Avocado makes natural and sustainably-focused products—many of which have been selected on previous mindbodygreen roundups. The brand harvests latex and wool from its own farms, so you know exactly where your mattress is coming from.

The natural latex material of this topper offers both support and cushioning to relieve joint and back pain. To top it off, the organic wool cover is lightweight, breathable, and cooling.

This mattress topper will contour to your body’s natural curves to add extra cushioning and create a luxurious feel. The latex not only helps with pain relief, but it’s also resilient, durable, and temperature-regulating.

The Avocado topper ships via FedEx and because of the natural materials, there won’t be any off-gassing odor. You may smell the latex scent, but it is not noticeable through sheets and bedding.

Currently, the topper has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on the brand’s website. “After sending back three other toppers, this Avocado Green is a keeper,” one buyer commented. “I’ve been sleeping well—finally no back pain. Definitely recommend."

Made from high-quality 100% natural latex, this topper also has an optional organic cotton cover (which you can add for an additional $93). While most latex is buoyant and responsive—so you sit above it rather than sinking into it—Plushbed's repurposes the material into a more flexible, perforated layer that's optimized for pressure point relief. Of course, the topper still gives your body the support it needs to help alleviate lower back and joint pain.

This topper is also great for people who have allergies. The latex is odor-free, anti-microbial, and resists dust mites and mildew. The only downside? Plushbeds does not offer any trial period and you cannot return the topper.

The natural latex topper will arrive in a box, and does not have any off-gassing smells.

There are a ton of rave reviews on the brand’s website, granting this topper a 4.9 out of 5-star rating overall. One shopper who says they have struggled with back pain for years writes that “this topper was the perfect solution.” The same person writes, “In one night—literally, in one night!—it changed my life.”

The mattress topper is hypoallergenic, highly breathable, and cool to the touch. The grip layer helps your mattress and topper stay aligned, so you don’t have to worry about the topper sliding around on top of your bed.

The Puffy topper arrives in a box, and off-gassing takes about 12 hours.

It has a five-star rating overall (which does make us raise an eyebrow), and comes highly recommended by both side sleepers and back pain.

One person writes, “I laid down my Puffy Topper over my new mattress and I am so pleased. It’s like sleeping on a luxury hotel bed now! I have back, hip, and knee pain and this is a wonderful topper. The Puffy topper is better than the others I have tried because it brings that added three inches of softness to cushion this side sleeper.”

You can choose from two firmness options (plush and luxury foam) based on your preferences. This topper is a great choice for those who sleep hot, thanks to its cooling cover.

Offering dual comfort and support, this topper takes stress off your joints and pressure points. It also promotes proper spinal alignment, which can improve back pain.

The mattress topper ships for free and does not emit any smells upon arrival.

Its current rating on the Nolah website is 4.9 stars. One reviewer says, “I love my mattress topper! It’s the perfect combination of cushiony comfort and support. It gives me the pressure point relief I need…and I don’t wake up in pain anymore.”

Silk & Snow’s Organic Mattress Topper is GOTS- and GOLS-certified, and made from 95% organic latex and organic cotton. Choose from two firmness levels (medium or firm), depending on your sleep style and preferences.

Latex is naturally cooling and highly durable. The cover on the topper is easy to remove and can be machine-washed. What’s more, the brand offers a 15-year warranty to protect your purchase.

Both the medium and firm options are great for back or stomach sleepers, and the material is pressure-relieving—great news for those who suffer from back pain.

This topper arrives in a box and, thanks to its natural materials, has no off-gassing odor.

According to customers, the firmness level is just right. “After a few days, we started to see a difference in sleeping. Less and less back pain. We are very satisfied with the topper,” reads one review.