The exercise topic of
the month is…sleep?! Odd? Not at all! Sleep is just as valuable
as exercise for pain management as well as management for back
pain. Minster Chiropractic Center helps many Minster
pain sufferers cope with their spine, neck, and back pain with chiropractic spinal manipulation, nutrition advice, and exercise direction. Sleep – adequate
sleep – is included in that list for a good purpose!
CONTROLLING BACK PAIN
Since low back pain many times is a condition
for life that is intermittent, a condition
that is managed rather than cured, it’s a positive
thing that researchers are studying just how a back pain
sufferer can control the Minster back pain and how
often it ‘rears its head.' Ask any back
pain sufferer and you’ll know that warding off a pain episode is an objective. But how? Researchers are looking
at sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to figure that out. Minster Chiropractic Center
shares the term “flare” as it has to do with
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Minster low back pain flare is one that includes heightened pain,
paresthesia, or muscle tension, longer duration of symptoms, reduced
functional (social, cognitive, physical), and negative emotions. Researchers
found that back pain sufferers do not consider their
back pain to be a flare just because of increased pain, therefore
healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to visualize
what else is influencing the pain event, what
psychosocial factors are at play. (1,2) The mind-body connection
can’t always be overlooked! Nor can the time of day
that pain is felt.
PAIN: MORNING NOON AND NIGHT
Patients suffering with low back pain for over 3 months were studied to see what might precipitate a new episode of their pain. Researchers discovered
that poor sleep quality and morning pain were threats for such
flare-ups. Increased pain risk rose with days of more afternoon and
evening pain, fatigue, and fear of activity. Sleep is suggested
to reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares.
(3) Sleep quality
also plays a role in how Minster back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
A study of sleep quality in mature
adults in six middle-income countries uncovered that women had
more sleep problems. Further, age, depression, low back pain,
and poor self-rated health were also significantly associated with
sleep problems. (4) Sleep, perceived stress, and anxiety contribute to chronic low back pain. Luckily, sleep quality is capable
of mediating anxiety, making sleep a reasonable
recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Ted Siciliano on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes
his use of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction to deliver
relieving treatment for his arm pain and numbness that was preventing
him from getting sleep.
Make your Minster
chiropractic appointment soon. Let us talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!