The exercise topic of
the month is…sleep?! Weird? Not at all! Sleep is just as valuable
as exercise for pain management including back pain management. The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR helps many Colorado Springs
pain sufferers manage their spine, neck, and back pain with chiropractic spinal manipulation, nutrition advice, and exercise direction. Sleep – good
sleep – is added to 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 looking into just how a back pain
sufferer can take charge of the Colorado Springs 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 an objective. But how? Researchers are studying sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to figure that out. The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR
shares the term “flare” as it relates to
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Colorado Springs low back pain flare is one that consists
of heightened pain,
paresthesia, or muscle tension, longer 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 know
what else is influencing 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 over 3 months were studied to see what might precipitate 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 reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares.
(3) Sleep quality
also plays a part in how Colorado Springs back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
An analysis of sleep quality in mature
adults in six middle-income countries uncovered that women had
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 contribute to chronic low back pain. Fortunately, sleep quality is able to mediate anxiety, making sleep a reasonable
recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR
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 preventing
him from sleeping.
Set up your Colorado Springs
chiropractic appointment today. Let us talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!