How Wedge Pillow Help Relieving Back Pain
A wedge pillow can be used in different ways for relieving back pain. Some of them are described below. Sleep in a gentle inclined position which can help in improving your spinal alignment. It also works by improving your respiratory issues and reduces your pain and aches. While sleeping on the side and your back, you can place the thickest side of your wedge pillow under the head, and tuck the thin edge under the shoulders and see the results.
Set your Pillow Vertically
When you are sitting on a couch or a bed, place your wedge pillow behind you, as it helps in offering good spine and back support. Set your wedge pillow in a vertical position, by pointing the thin edge towards the ceiling and its flat side against the headboard of your bed.
Place it under the Knees
The back sleepers can place their wedge pillow under the legs by keeping the tall corner of your wedge pillow under the knees. This elevation can improve the poor circulation, achy feet, swollen feet and even minimize the problems of varicose veins. Simply elevate the upper body as it can help in decreasing the pressure on your lumbar spine for reducing back while you sleep.
Place the Wedge Pillow Under your Belly
These wedge pillows are not the standard pillows they are a bit heavy and wide. It is because they are made from several foam layers. They come with a significant inclination, which helps in elevating the back and upper body. It supports the knees and one can elevate them as well.
Could Upper Back Pain Mean Something More Serious
There is always a chance that your upper back pain could be caused by a much bigger problem. Degenerative Disc Disease , a herniated disc, and osteoarthritis are possible underlying problems causing your upper back pain. Shapiro cautions that while pain should never be ignored, normal muscle soreness from exercising is nothing to be concerned about. He warns, however, that you should question intense pain that doesnt go away over time. If you notice symptoms like fever, chills, tingling in your chest or stomach along with your upper back pain you should see your doctor.
Sharp, shooting, radiating, severe, unexplained acute pain or chronic pain lasting more than a few days could be your body’s way of telling you that something more serious is going on, Shapiro says.
Tips To Lessen Back Pain At Night
About 80 percent of Americans will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. Depending on the cause which may include injury arthritis and chronic conditions like fibromyalgia symptoms range from dull throbbing aches to sharp shooting pains. If pain becomes too severe it can interfere with quality sleep leaving you feeling exhausted and depressed. Poor sleep can also disrupt the bodys natural healing process which can make pain worse and keep it from getting better.
Some people can sleep in positions that relieve pain. Others with nighttime back pain may feel like they cant find relief no matter what they do. For these folks pain may even worsen or flare up when they lie down. If this sounds like you and pain is getting in the way of sleep its time to try something new. These five tips can help relieve symptoms so you can get the sleep you need.
You may also consider seeing a pain specialist at Reid Pain Management.
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Hip Pain Vs Low Back Pain Summary
To summarize the information above, heres how to tell if you have hip or back pain.
- If the pain radiates from the hip and groin area and spreads down to your thigh and knee, then your hip is most likely the source of the pain.
- If the pain radiates from your low back, buttocks, hips, and hamstring, you are most likely dealing with a lower back or spinal problem.
Again, taking medication such as Advil for back pain and hip pain can be effective. However, getting a kind of care that addresses the root of the issue is better.
You may need upper cervical chiropractic care to correct the underlying cause of lower back pain, such as nerve and spinal issues. Your upper cervical spine is responsible for the balance of your head and neck. A misalignment in this topmost region of your spine can irritate your spinal nerves, leading to lower back pain issues. So, correcting upper cervical misalignment is the best way to prevent low back pain from recurring. After addressing this problem, you may experience long-term relief and complete recovery.
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What Causes Upper Back Pain
Upper back pain before and after sleeping can be brought on by several factors, including poor posture, overuse injuries, excess sitting and hunching if you work in an office, sports injuries, and muscle strains. Other factors like being overweight, smoking, and even heavy backpacks and purses frequently create upper back pain problems. One often overlooked cause is sleeping position.
Bill Fish, certified sleep science specialist and co-owner of Tuck Sleep, points out, There is no question that your preferred sleeping position could result in some back pain. According to Fish, 41 percent of people sleep in the fetal position. Its also the most popular sleeping position and helps keep your spine aligned at night. With the proper mattress and pillow support for your neck, shoulders, and hips, sleeping on your back will also relieve any pressure on the spine.
If you are sleeping on your stomach and notice you are suffering some back pain, there probably is a reason, Fish says, It knocks your spine completely out of alignment. He points out that the upper back pain comes from your bodys weight pushing the core into the sleep surface and misaligning the spine.
Much like when recovering from back surgery, it is important to adjust your sleeping positions to minimize discomfort overnight for your upper back pain.
A simple change to help stop upper back pain before and after sleep includes standing often and moving periodically.
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Change Up Your Sleep Position Or Mattress
Switching to a more supportive sleep position can reduce lower back pain. Also consider how you can use pillows or invest in a new mattress to support better spinal alignment and relieve lower back pain.
Research suggests medium firm mattresses are the best mattresses for back pain. In one study of people with low back pain, those who slept on medium firm mattresses reported lower pain scores both during sleep and upon getting up in the morning.
What Can Cause Back Pain
There are a few different ways that back pain can manifest. Most of them involve issues with the spine and its vertebrae. Among the most common reasons for feeling pain in your back are herniated disks, poor posture and straining back muscles.
Having a herniated disk isa serious condition.Verified SourceMayo ClinicRanked #1 hospital by U.S. News & World Report and one of the most trusted medical institutions in the world. The staff is committed to integrated patient care, education, and research.View sourceThese occur when the soft interior of a spinal disk protrudes into its hard exterior. This can cause moderate to severe pain. Herniated disks require medical attention.
If youre having numbness in your back or chronic pain, visit a chiropractor and see what their diagnosis is. Some people can have herniated disks and not even realize it, but it is important to get checked so the issue doesnt escalate.
Another leading cause of back pain is poor posture. It can easily cause pain or worsen current symptoms. By hunching over, having your legs crossed, or a combination of both your spine will start moving out of its natural alignment. Without thinking about it, having a laptop that is on a desk can make it easy to hunch and put stress on your back.
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Picking The Right Pillow
Remember memory foam when youre pillow shopping. The sponge-like material contours to your body, combining the comfort you crave with ample support for your head and neck, says Dr. Bang.
Memory foam pillows come in multiple forms, with the top three being contoured, shredded and block . At that point, it comes down to personal preference, says Dr. Bang.
As for other options:
- Feather pillows offer little in the way of through-the-night support for your head and neck. They dont hold their shape, notes Dr. Bang. By morning, theyre smushed and theres almost nothing under your head.
- Synthetic fill pillows tend to break down quickly, says Dr. Bang: They lose their fluff to the point where youre not getting the support you really need. Theyre just not that durable.
Whatever choice you make, though, watch to make sure the pillow maintains its shape and support. Memory foam pillows can last up to three years.
Stretches For Upper Back Pain
Because tight muscles are likely the source of much of your pain, stretching is perhaps the most obvious method to remove upper back pain. Always warm-up before any exercises or stretches that you may perform for pain relief.
- Shoulder Roll: Roll your shoulders forward, forming smaller circles as you go. Ten times in a row, then ten times in the opposite direction.
- Butterfly: Your left palm should be on your left shoulder, and your right palm should be on your right shoulder. With your elbows together, hold for five seconds until you feel a stretch in your upper back. Repeat ten times more.
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Ask For Recommendations To Find The Best Mattress
If youre wondering how to get rid of lower back pain while sleeping, and youve decided to spring for a mattress, you can also rely on reviews to help.
Ask the salesperson which ones he or she would suggest for back pain. Also look towards the internet for online reviews and testimonials. We suggest checking out these mattresses that were created specifically for people with back pain.
What Type Of Mattress Is Best
Appropriately, a bedtime story offers the best game plan for selecting a mattress. Basically, take the Goldilocks approach: Not too soft and not too hard, but just right. Thats typically a mattress that carries a medium-firm designation.
Starting on the firmer side of things allows you to make adjustments as needed, says Dr. Bang. You can add softness to a mattress by using a foam topper.
One word of caution, though: Manufacturers use their own methods to rate and describe firmness, as theres no set standard for the industry. That means a medium-firm from one company might feel vastly different from a medium-firm from another.
So when youre buying a mattress, take the time to test it out in a showroom to see if it feels right, says Dr. Bang.
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The Worst Sleep Position: On Your Stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is the worst position for your spine, according to Raymond J. Hah, MD, a spine surgeon at Keck Medicine of USC and assistant professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. This position puts the most pressure on your spines muscles and joints because it flattens the natural curve of your spine, he says. Sleeping on your stomach also forces you to turn your neck, which can cause neck and upper back pain.
Research shows that theres a correlation between pain and sleep, so it makes sense to incorporate simple changes in your sleep style that alleviate back pain and less pain means better sleep.
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Best Positions For Back Pain
Good posture isnt just important when youre standing or sitting, says Dr. Bang. Its also key when youre lying down.
Aligning your head, shoulders and hips puts your body in a neutral posture that eases stress. Your goal should be to find a position that maintains and supports the natural curves in your back and neck.
Heres how.
Sleeping on your side
The side sleeping position is the most popular and its loaded with opportunities to get your body out of line. Dr. Bang offers these tips to get it right.
- Switching sides can help reduce the chance of imbalances developing.
Sleeping on your back
If you sleep on your back, consider slipping a small pillow under your knees, says Dr. Bang. This little lift works well with your spines natural curve and helps take some pressure off of your back.
For your pillow, look for a height that keeps your head in a neutral position to reduce strain on your neck. A pillow thats too low will send your jaw pointing toward the ceiling too high, and your jaw aims toward your chest.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach
Lying face down on your bed can put you in an awkward position for long periods of time, putting pressure on your neck and lower back. If people come in with pain and they know its related to sleep, its usually stomach sleeping thats the culprit, says Dr. Bang.
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Tips For Getting To Sleep With Sciatic Pain
Sciatic pain can make it almost impossible to find a comfortable position and fall asleep. The symptoms dont abate just because it is time for you to go to bed. And often a throbbing pain in your foot or burning sensation in your calf can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night abruptly. Some of the questions that most people have are: What is the best way to sleep with back pain, or more specifically what is the best way to sleep with lower back pain? Try these tips to help you fall asleep and wake up refreshed and ready to face the day.
Get The Right Amount Of Sleep
Letting your body restore itself is important in managing any type of pain. Schedule at least eight hours of rest every night. A consistent schedule with a sufficient amount of sleep will wipe out sleep debt and let your body restore itself to your full potential.
If you find yourself sleeping more on the weekends or have an extremely hard time getting up in the morning, schedule your bedtime earlier to allow yourself to find a comfortable position and get to sleep.
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Dont Forget That Its A Mattress For Your Body
Yes, read reviews. Yes, try out and test as many mattresses as you can. But, as the Cleveland Clinic points out, the mattress you pick also depends on your body shape:
If your hips are wider than your waist, a softer mattress can accommodate the width of your pelvis and allow your spine to remain neutral. If your hips and waist are in a relatively straight line, a more rigid surface offers better support.
What You Can Do To Relieve Sciatica
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When Youâre Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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Add A Few Pillows For An Easy Fix
Another easy and customizable way to improve your sleeping situation is to use pillows for additional support while sleeping.
For back sleepers, place a pillow under your knees to bring your body back into natural alignment. If you sleep in the fetal position, WikiHow suggests using a pillow in between your knees to relieve lower back pain. Their illustration of this is below. Side sleepers should also make sure to alternate sides during the night.
Sleeping On The Back:
Sleeping on your back is the best sleeping posture because it helps distribute weight evenly across the body, keeps the alignment of your internal organs in check, and reduces the amount of pressure points that you might experience from side sleeping. Tip: use a thinner pillow to make sure your head doesnt protrude forward which can contribute to forward neck posture.
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Best Sleeping Positions For Neck Pain
The best sleeping positions for the neck are on your back or your side. The back in particular is recommended just make sure to use a pillow that supports the curvature of your neck and a flatter pillow to cushion your head.
If you sleep on your side, use a taller pillow under your neck so your neck aligns with your head. This will relieve any strain on your neck and keep your spine straight.
The trouble with sleeping on your stomach is that you have to twist your neck to keep your head on its side, which puts pressure on the nerves. You can try to retrain yourself to adopt another position, using pillows to coax yourself and to support you in a side or back-lying position. If you must sleep on your stomach, use a thin pillow or no pillow, trying to keep awkward angles at a minimum.
For all sleep positions with neck pain, you should use a pillow under your neck that provides support, such as a rolled towel or cervical pillow.
There is also such a thing as neck pain from sleeping wrong. Sometimes you wake up with neck pain. Sleeping at an awkward angle, sudden head or neck movements during sleep or neck strain from injury may cause neck pain. In addition to utilizing treatments to relieve this neck pain, make sure that future sleep includes a good pillow for neck support.
