Exercise tip of the month: sleep. Odd? Not at all! Sleep is just as valuable
as exercise for pain management including management for back
pain. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC helps many La Grande
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 often is a condition
for life that is intermittent, a condition
that is managed rather than cured, it’s a good
thing that researchers are studying just how a back pain
sufferer can take charge of the La Grande back pain and the frequency that it ‘rears its head.' Question any back
pain sufferer and you’ll know that keeping
the pain away is a goal. But how? Researchers are studying sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to find out. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
shares the term “flare” as it has to do with
a back pain episode.
BACK PAIN FLARE
A La Grande 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 don’t describe their
back pain to be a flare just because of heightened pain, so
healthcare professionals need to look beyond the pain to see
what else is happening around the pain event, what
psychosocial factors are at play. (1,2) The mind-body connection
cannot always be ignored! Nor can the time of day
that pain is experienced.
PAIN: MORNING NOON AND NIGHT
Patients suffering with low back pain for over 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 suggested
to reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares.
(3) Sleep quality
also plays a part in how La Grande back pain is experienced.
SLEEP QUALITY
A study of sleep quality in older
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 linked to
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 Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
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 getting sleep.
Schedule your La Grande
chiropractic appointment soon. Let’s talk sleep
next time you are in for a visit!