Sitka Back Pain Benefits from Good Sleep
The exercise topic of the month is…sleep?! Odd? Not at all! Sleep is just as vital as exercise for pain management as well as back pain management. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka helps many Sitka pain sufferers cope with their spine, neck, and back pain with chiropractic spinal manipulation, nutrition advice, and exercise direction. Sleep – adequate sleep – is added to 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 managed rather than cured, it’s a good thing that researchers are looking into just how a back pain sufferer can take charge of the Sitka back pain and the frequency that it ‘rears its head.' Question any back pain sufferer and you will know that keeping the pain away is an objective. But how? Researchers are looking at sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to figure that out. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka introduces the term “flare” as it has to do with a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Sitka low back pain flare is one that incorporates intensified pain, paresthesia, or muscle tension, longer duration of symptoms, decreased functional (social, cognitive, physical), and negative emotions. Researchers found that back pain sufferers don’t consider their back pain to be a flare just because of increased pain, so healthcare professionals need to look beyond the pain to know what else is happening around the pain event, what psychosocial factors are involved. (1,2) The mind-body connection cannot 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 more than 3 months were studied to see what might precipitate a flare up 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 recommended to reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares. (3) The quality of sleep also plays a part in how Sitka back pain is felt.
SLEEP QUALITY
An analysis 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 practical recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
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 deliver relieving treatment for his arm pain and numbness that was keeping him from sleeping.
Make your Sitka chiropractic appointment soon. Let’s talk sleep next time you’re in for a visit!
