From: "patriotmike2001" <mtnpatriot@...>
Date: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
Subject: Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) patriotmike2001
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Over the past several weeks I have had some interesting experiences
with Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) and thought I would share them with
the group. I have not been on this group for awhile and was
surprised to see that Inclined Bed Therapy has not been discussed in
quite awhile.

Several months ago I finally made a wood frame/platform to fit
inside of my queen size 4 poster bed after using wood blocks under
the headboard feet for months. It uses wood dowel pivots at the
foot so that it swings upward from the head of the bed. As it is
quite heavy, I use a car scissor jack midway under the top of the
frame to raise it to the incline I desire and then place car jacks
on both sides of the top of the frame. The frame is made with 2x4's
and ½' plywood and is extremely strong and stable. The IBT frame
places much less strain on the bed frame itself and looks less
noticeable than placing wood blocks under the bed posts. I also
removed the box springs and use only the mattress with a 4" Sensus
memory foam pad on top. If I had not removed the box springs my
wife would have to pole vault to get into bed.

The first time I used this contraption, I suffered lower back pain
for weeks until I realized that I had the bed inclined higher than
it been before. I checked the incline and lowered it to 5 degrees
which is about a 3.5" lift on my bed. The back pain stopped
immediately and I continued to get the benefits of Inclined Bed
Therapy, e.g. no back or leg pain, no snoring, little or no teeth
grinding, no more signs of sleep apnea, no getting up at night to
use the toilet, fall asleep faster, and wake up less during the
night.

Over the holidays I had a houseful of guests and my wife and I slept
on the floor of my home office while we let some of our guests use
our bed (which I had lowered to level).
After the guests left, I raised our bed but did not check the angle
and again raised it too high using marks on the jack stands.

For nearly two weeks I started to suffer lower back pain and
soreness in my legs, sometimes both but more so the left leg, right
above the knees. I thought I was experiencing signs of heart
problems until I realized that the pain only occurred when I was
sitting in my car or at work.

Yesterday, I decided to check the incline of our bed and found my
error. The bed was inclined over an inch higher than I used before
the holidays. I lowered it to just over 3.5" (slightly less than 5
degrees) and today I am pain free! It just goes to show that you
have to proceed slowly and cautiously with IBT and find the right
incline for you.

Interestingly, a month or so ago, the music teacher at my wife's
school ran into her class room to tell her what his doctor had
recently told him. You see, the music teacher had seen me building
my IBT frame in my garage and was amused when my wife told him what
I was doing. Anyway, the music teacher had been fighting a
persistent sinus problem/nasal drip. Guess what the doctor told him
to do? That's right, incline his bed! Not use a wedge pillow but
incline his bed. You see, there are some informed doctors out
there after all &#61514;

If you are new to Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) do a Google search and
search this group and other Yahoo Groups to get more info.

Hope this helps someone.

Mike