The exercise topic of the month is…sleep?! Weird? Not at all! Sleep is just as important as exercise for pain management as well as management for back pain. New Hampshire Spine and Sport helps many Southern New Hampshire 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 intermittent, a condition that is handled rather than cured, it is a good thing that researchers are looking into just how a back pain sufferer can control the Southern New Hampshire 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 studying sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to figure that out. New Hampshire Spine and Sport shares the term “flare” as it has to do with a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Southern New Hampshire low back pain flare is one that includes increased pain, paresthesia, or muscle tension, longer duration of symptoms, reduced functional (social, cognitive, physical), and negative emotions. Researchers found that back pain sufferers don’t describe their back pain to be a flare just because of heightened pain, therefore healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to see what else is going on around the pain event, what psychosocial factors are involved. (1,2) The mind-body connection can’t always be ignored! 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 bring on a new episode of their pain. Researchers discovered that poor sleep quality and morning pain were risks for such flare-ups. Increased pain risk rose with days of more afternoon and evening pain, fatigue, and fear of activity. Sleep is recommended to decrease the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares. (3) Sleep quality also plays a part in how Southern New Hampshire back pain is felt.
SLEEP QUALITY
An analysis of sleep quality in mature adults in six middle-income countries found that women experienced more sleep problems. Additionally, 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. Fortunately, sleep quality is able to mediate anxiety, making sleep a reasonable recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
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 ease arm pain and numbness that was preventing him from sleeping.
Make your Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment now. Let’s talk sleep next time you’re in for a visit!