The exercise topic of
the month is…sleep?! Unusual? Not at all! Sleep is just as vital
as exercise for pain management as well as back pain management. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. helps many Auburn
pain sufferers cope with 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 is sporadic, a condition
that is handled rather than cured, it’s a good
thing that researchers are looking into just how a back pain
sufferer can take charge of the Auburn back pain and how
often it ‘rears its head.' Ask 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 figure that out. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
introduces the term “flare” as it relates to
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A Auburn low back pain flare is one that consists
of increased pain,
paresthesia, or muscle tension, longer 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 heightened pain, so
healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to know
what else is going on around the pain event, what
psychosocial factors are involved. (1,2) The mind-body connection
can’t 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 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 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 role in how Auburn back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
An analysis of sleep quality in mature
adults in six middle-income countries found 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 reasonable
recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)
CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
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.
Set up your Auburn
chiropractic appointment soon. Let us talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!