The exercise topic of
the month is…sleep?! Weird? Not at all! Sleep is just as crucial
as exercise for pain management including back pain management. Vancouver Disc Centers helps many Vancouver
pain sufferers manage their spine, neck, and back pain with chiropractic spinal manipulation, nutrition advice, and exercise direction. Sleep – good
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 sporadic, a condition
that is handled rather than cured, it is a positive
thing that researchers are looking into just how a back pain
sufferer can control the Vancouver back pain and the frequency that it ‘rears its head.' Question 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 find out. Vancouver Disc Centers
shares the term “flare” as it has to do with
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Vancouver low back pain flare is one that incorporates intensified pain,
paresthesia, or muscle tension, increased 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 heightened pain, so
healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to see
what else is influencing the pain episode, what
psychosocial factors are involved. (1,2) The mind-body connection
can’t always be overlooked! Nor can the time of day
that pain is experienced.
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 part in how Vancouver back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
An analysis of sleep quality in mature
adults in six middle-income countries found that women had
more sleep problems. Further, age, depression, low back pain,
and poor self-rated health were also significantly linked to
sleep problems. (4) Sleep, perceived stress, and anxiety play a
role in chronic low back pain. Luckily, sleep quality is capable
of mediating anxiety, making sleep a reasonable
recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Ted Siciliano on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses
his use of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction to ease arm pain and numbness that was keeping
him from getting sleep.
Schedule your Vancouver
chiropractic appointment soon. Let’s talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!