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 management for back
pain. Pflugerville Wellness Center helps many Pflugerville
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 reason!
CONTROLLING BACK PAIN
Since low back pain many times is a condition
for life that comes and goes, a condition
that is managed rather than cured, it is a good
thing that researchers are studying just how a back pain
sufferer can take charge of the Pflugerville 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 a goal. But how? Researchers are looking
at sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to find out. Pflugerville Wellness Center
shares the term “flare” as it relates to
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Pflugerville 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 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 happening around the pain episode, what
psychosocial factors are involved. (1,2) The mind-body connection
cannot always be overlooked! Nor can the time of day
that pain is experienced.
PAIN: MORNING NOON AND NIGHT
Patients dealing with low back pain for more
than 3 months were studied to see what might bring
on a flare up of their pain. Researchers discovered
that poor sleep quality and morning pain were threats for such
flare-ups. Increased pain risk grew 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 Pflugerville back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
A study of sleep quality in mature
adults in six middle-income countries found that women had
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 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 Pflugerville Wellness 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 ease arm pain and numbness that was keeping
him from getting sleep.
Schedule your Pflugerville
chiropractic appointment soon. Let’s talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!