The exercise topic of
the month is…sleep?! Unusual? Not at all! Sleep is just as valuable
as exercise for pain management as well as back pain management. Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc helps many Fort Wayne
pain sufferers manage 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 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 control the Fort Wayne back pain and the frequency that it ‘rears its head.' Ask any back
pain sufferer and you’ll know that warding off a pain episode is a goal. But how? Researchers are looking
at sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to figure that out. Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc
shares the term “flare” as it has to do with
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Fort Wayne low back pain flare is one that incorporates increased pain,
paresthesia, or muscle tension, increased 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 increased pain, therefore
healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to see
what else is going on around the pain episode, 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 dealing with low back pain for over 3 months were studied to see what might bring
on a flare up of their pain. Researchers found
that poor sleep quality and morning pain were risks for such
flare-ups. Increased pain risk grew 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 Fort Wayne back pain is felt.
SLEEP QUALITY
An analysis of sleep quality in mature
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 capable
of mediating anxiety, making sleep a reasonable
recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc
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.
Set up your Fort Wayne
chiropractic appointment today. Let’s talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!