West Des Moines Back Pain Benefits from Good Sleep
Exercise tip of the month: sleep. Weird? Not at all! Sleep is just as vital as exercise for pain management including back pain management. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa helps many West Des Moines pain sufferers cope with 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 managed rather than cured, it’s a positive thing that researchers are studying just how a back pain sufferer can take charge of the West Des Moines back pain and how often it ‘rears its head.' Question any back pain sufferer and you’ll know that warding off a pain episode is a goal. But how? Researchers are studying sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to find out. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa introduces the term “flare” as it relates to a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A West Des Moines low back pain flare is one that includes heightened pain, paresthesia, or muscle tension, increased duration of symptoms, decreased 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, so healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to see what else is happening around 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 felt.
PAIN: MORNING NOON AND NIGHT
Patients suffering with low back pain for more than 3 months were studied to see what might trigger a flare up 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 reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares. (3) Sleep quality also plays a part in how West Des Moines back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
A study of sleep quality in older adults in six middle-income countries uncovered that women experienced more sleep problems. Additionally, age, depression, low back pain, and poor self-rated health were also significantly associated with 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 practical recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
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 preventing him from sleeping.
Make your West Des Moines chiropractic appointment today. Let’s talk sleep next time you’re in for a visit!
