Question from Hoping for Better
I’m new to the concept of outgassing. I’ve had allergies for years, and they did seem to get worse when I bought my memory foam mattress in the 2004/05. I finally broke down and went to an allergist, who will be testing me for allergies in a couple of weeks. I have 2 questions:
1) Is outgassing bad enough in a tempurpedic mattress that it’s worth it to replace it after 4-5 years of sleeping on it? Aren’t there other (cheaper) options? I had really hoped to keep it for 30 years. It has helped my back problems considerably, although I’m not surprised that it might be connected to my allergies because I do wake up with allergies every day, even though I’m pretty good about using allergy covers and cleaning the sheets in hot water pretty regularly.
2) Is there a way my allergist can test me for being allergic to chemicals like the ones in the bed? How do I know which chemicals I’m allergic or sensitive to? I can’t continue living with constant allergy symptoms!
I’m so glad I found this site. Thanks so much in advance for your help!
Best,
Hoping for Better
Debra’s Answer
In general, materials that outgas do so most when they are new and less as time goes by. If you noticed an increase in your allergies after you started sleeping on your Tempurpedic mattress, I would not continue to sleep on it.
Certain doctors can test you for chemical sensitivities by using what is called “provocative neutralization” testing. To find a doctor near you, visit American Academy of Environmental Medicine.
