Should You Get An Adjustment
It is a very wise idea to get a wellness adjustment from your chiropractor before you go mattress shopping. This can help relieve pain and help you have better posture and body support while you sleep. Ask your chiropractor for advice on sleeping positions, as well as recommendations for mattresses. Not only is your chiropractor a back expert, but he has probably heard a lot of recommendations from his patients who suffered from mattress-induced back pain.
Sooner Or Later Any Posture Gets Awkward The Trouble With Tissue Stagnacy Regardless Of Position
Being still always gets uncomfortable, regardless of what position were in. We like to move, and sitting or lying down always gets uncomfortable in time. Forced immobilization is a potent torture method. Working in stagnant postures like sitting in at a desk, no matter how well we do it can start to feel more like a kind of torture as we age.21
Sleeping is an obvious potential source of tissue stagnancy, of course, but beds are more comfortable than chairs in every way, physically and psychologically. Healthy young people are relatively immune to simply being still in bed, but as we age and develop assorted vulnerabilities and sensitivities things like fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, and chronic inflammation it starts to become a problem.
Trigger points may be aggravated by stillness, for instance.22 Morning pain could be a wake-up call , letting you know that you have a bumper crop of mostly asymptomatic trigger points that flare up overnight. In Litas case, trigger points could account for the consistency of her symptom timing, and for the peculiar way in which she is fine at 6am, yet cant stay in bed past 7am, but then is fine again by 8am as she gets moving and her trigger points calm down.
How Sleep Can Contribute To Back Pain
Although there are many potential sources of lower back pain, how youre sleeping can be a factor. When youre sleep-deprived, your tolerance for pain is lower than it would be if you slept well. Studies have shown that losing sleep can heighten sensitivity to painful stimuli. In theory, sleep loss increases painful inflammation and getting enough sleep may reduce inflammation.
Another factor that can increase back pain is your response to pain medication when youre sleep-deprived. In a study of healthy normal adults, the analgesic effects of codeine are diminished in sleep-deprived individuals versus non-sleepy individuals. Sleeping well may help your pain medications work better.
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You Have A Bone Condition
Sometimes bone issues are the cause of your pain after sleeping, Dr. Drake says. Take, for instance, arthritis in your spine, which can cause pain and stiffness along your back, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
If your arthritis is the result of age-related wear and tear, it can also contribute to a condition called degenerative disc disease. This is when the cushion between your spinal joints deteriorates and can cause back pain, stiffness, tingling, numbness and weakness, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The fix: How you deal with your arthritis depends on what form of the condition you have, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Some types of arthritis like osteoarthritis are the result of aging, whereas other kinds like rheumatoid arthritis are autoimmune and cause excess inflammation.
Accordingly, visit your doctor to determine how to best treat your specific condition.
In general, though, certain natural remedies for arthritis may ease your symptoms, including:
- Exercising regularly
Whats New In This Article
Seventeen updates have been logged for this article since publication . All PainScience.com updates are logged to show a long term commitment to quality, accuracy, and currency. moreWhens the last time you read a blog post and found a list of many changes made to that page since publication? Like good footnotes, this sets PainScience.com apart from other health websites and blogs. Although footnotes are more useful, the update logs are important. They are fine print, but more meaningful than most of the comments that most Internet pages waste pixels on. I log any change to articles that might be of interest to a keen reader. Complete update logging of all noteworthy improvements to all articles started in 2016. Prior to that, I only logged major updates for the most popular and controversial articles.See the Whats New? page for updates to all recent site updates.
2020 New section, Poor quality sleep and insomnia are probably major causes of morning back pain. Also made some minor improvements to the introduction and article summary.
2020 Comprehensive editing. Re-wrote the summary. Refined advice on treating inflammation. Explained fibromyalgia more clearly and accurately. Added more about mattresses. Improved organization, in-document navigation, and added a few sprinkles of humour.
2018 Significant science update: cited Steffens on back pain risk factors, a fascinating study that adds some important data to this article.
2007 Publication.
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Signs Your Back Pain Might Be An Emergency
In our 20s and 30s, normal back pain often can be attributed to factors of daily life, such as sitting too long, picking up children, or overdoing it while exercising.
In our 40s and older, work injuries and the beginnings of arthritis and degenerative conditions are more common.
Back pain is so common, in fact, that many patients shrug off symptoms that might indicate a medical emergency.
Approximately 80% of adults will experience back pain in their lives, so its important to be able to identify the severity of your symptoms and track how long the pain lasts.
If back pain can be associated with a specific activity, such as lifting or twisting wrong, and the pain goes away within 72 hours after resting and applying ice, its usually nothing to worry about. However, if pain creeps on gradually, appears suddenly, or doesn’t go away, you might have a more serious condition.
The Scariest Type Of Morning Back Pain: Inflammatory Back Pain
The closest thing to back pain that is truly prominent in the morning is inflammatory back pain , or spondyloarthritis.3 Although IBP is well known to medical science, it often eludes diagnosis, its biology is mysterious, and morning symptoms specifically are a stumper, as unexplained as joints that ache before a storm. Its just something IBP does.
But dont panic! Although studies have confirmed that morning is a common time for inflammatory back pain to flare up, they have also shown that the connection is not strong or exclusive.4 In fact, most morning stiffness and pain is not pathologically inflammatory. Its just that IBP is the only official morning back pain culprit.
The pain of IBP tends to be quite severe. If its not actually waking you up, its probably not IBP, or its a minor case.
When should you consider the possibility of IBP? Basically if your morning back is particularly bad: nasty and very consistent morning symptoms. The diagnosis is also more likely if you have other signs of this kind of back pain. Heres a good inflammatory back pain quiz, and heres my own quick checklist of reasons to ask your doctor about spondyloarthritis:5
Recommended Reading: Back Pain Advil
Why Is Back Pain Worse In The Morning
Even if youre an early bird, getting out of bed when you suffer from back pain can be daunting. As many patients know, a sunrise can leave them stiff, sore and wondering why they have morning back pain.
For many patients, morning back pain isnt a symptom of a larger spinal issue, but a manifestation of other bad habits. Before seeking professional help consider common environmental causes of back pain:
- Bad Mattress: Firm bedding supports your spine better through the night, and well-worn, cratered mattresses may aggravate your back while you sleep.
- Poor Sleep Position: Sleeping on your stomach causes your lower back to extend, placing it under pressure. Side sleepers who dont bend their knees may also be irritating their backs as they sleep.
- Poor Ergonomics: Bad posture? Work in a bad environment? Your ergonomics may take a toll on your back that worsens at night when youre still.
If youve sorted out the environmental factors that contributes to morning back pain, it might be a medical condition that causes those achy mornings. Youll need to seek a professional diagnosis for treatment options, but you may suffer from:
Morning back pain can have many contributing factors, so consulting with experts at Front Range Orthopedics & Spine in our three locations Longmont, Lafayette and Frederick can help you locate the root of your pain and treat it.
Cause : Mechanical Back Pain
By mechanical, Im talking about the position you sleep in.
Typically, patients are sleeping on their stomachs, and its a big no-no. When you sleep on your stomach, youre going to put your back into extension, increasing the pressure into your lower back and making you really uncomfortable.
So how should you sleep? Get on your back. Put a pillow, or something rolled up, underneath your, your knees. Get your knees bent to like a 45 degree angle. That will take some of the pressure off your back.
Or, lie on your side. Get your knees bent to a 45 degree angle. And maybe get something between your knees. Just stay off your stomach.
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First Us Cases Of Flurona Are Diagnosed In Kids With Mild Symptoms
She explained their data found almost 50 per cent of the new daily cases were in people who only had two jabs.
The expert urged caution over the next few weeks, warning the NHS is “already under immense pressure” with the rest of the month set to be a “trial”.
A number of trusts have declared “critical incidents”amid staff shortages and beds filling up.
Dr Steves said while case numbers are starting to slow in positive signs, the return of kids to schools could see it rise again.
But if everyone eligible has their boosters, wears masks, takes tests and notes any new symptoms it will be a huge help to stem the spread, she added.
The expert said anyone who has a cold should avoid going out to be safe, saying: “If you’re feeling at all under the weather please get a test and make sure you are clear of Covid.”
New data from London showed a drop in cases, after the Omicron outbreak exploded in the capital before Christmas.
Follow our Covid live blog for all the latest updates
Reasons Why You Might Be Waking Up With Lower Back Pain
Waking up in the morning with pain in your lower back doesnt set you up well for the day ahead. You might assume that your mattress is to blame, or you simply slept funny thanks to your partners elbow in your side. But did you know that lower back pain when you wake up might actually be down to your kidneys?
Louise Baillie
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Misunderstandings You Must Correct To Stop The Pain In The Morning
If youve been struggling with countless times of waking up with a very sore back, you are not alone.
Have you reached the point where rest and medication are no longer a suitable option? Even though it seems like you are feeling better, the very next time you awaken becomes yet another ordeal.
I have found that there are a lot of mistakes that we all make to cause this. At least 8 of them so far! But the best way to overcome the morning struggle is to tackle them one at a time.
Muscle Imbalances And Guarding
The underlying causes that I indicated above can cause you to have muscle imbalances and guarding. As harmless as these two terms may seem, they are a BIG factor of what is always hurting you. They can even add or worsen some of the very same causes above.
Why its an important factor for you to understand and correct
You cant feel a muscle imbalance. Only when the imbalance hurts you.
Its like a back spasm. The spasm is actually a muscle imbalance that feels very painful, but its trying to protect something else that may be from another muscle imbalance you cant feel.
The most common form of morning stiffness and pain is due to muscle imbalances and poor conditioning of the muscles themselves. These problems may then lead to disc, vertebrae and joint issues which will hurt even more. A lumbar muscle imbalance area will cause a disc problem which then may put pressure on a nerve. To prevent further injury in that area, the muscles of the lower back will stiffen, tighten or spasm.
This common reaction is known as muscle guarding. Here, the muscle spasms and becomes painfully rigid to prevent any further motion. This happens to protect either a nerve, disc or a possible muscle strain or sprain.
Spasms and guards rarely resolve entirely without adequate treatment so you end up locked and twisted.
Tip: Use this Exercise to Help Loosen your Tight Hip Muscles
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Choosing A Mattress That Can Help With Back Pain
With the right mattress, you can align your spine and relieve pressure points, which can alleviate or eliminate back pain. Thats why its important to choose a mattress that meets your needs for firmness, comfort, and support. When youre shopping for a bed that can relieve your back pain, consider these points:
Articles Like This Dont Write Themselves
Suggested price to continue reading is $6 USD.? Dont want to pay? Just keep on scrollin by! Like passing a street busker.
You do not have to pay to continue reading. The suggested price really is just a suggestion. I refuse to clutter my pages with typical internet advertising so instead you get a strongly worded suggestion to support my work. But only in a few of the most substantive and popular articles.
And why six bucks? I would rather suggest $3 for this, honestly, but my hands are tied. Its weird, but $5 online purchases are rejected by credit card companies at an extraordinary rate, because that price point is strongly associated with fraud . And under $5, the fees start to defeat the purpose of the donation. So $6 is the minimum viable price point for a micro-transaction.
But, if youve come this far with me, you can see that this is a super deep dive into the topic of morning back pain, like a small ebook that I could easily be selling to Kindle users . Certainly its more than a mere article: its an actively maintained resource, heavily referenced, and ad-free for millions of readers over the years. Please help it exist.
Or support PainScience with a premium newsletter subscription, and get 13 mostly short posts of pain science news per week, plus some extra posts, plus members-only content scattered around the site. See the membership page.
Vancouver, Canada
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Connecting Inflammaging To The Curse Of Morning Back Pain
This is an interesting topic, but does it have anything to do with morning pain or back pain specifically?
The morning connection isnt much of a reach: for whatever reason, inflammatory diseases are notoriously morning-o-centric , and so its reasonable to assume that less serious inflammation has a thing for the morning too. We also know only just recently that the body can suppress inflammation at night, pumping out an anti-inflammatory protein on a schedule,11 which probably accounts for some morning pain and stiffness as the suppression wears off. No one knows anything about how to actually control that effect, but at least we know it exists.
The back connection is trickier. Being overweight is less of a risk factor for back pain than most people think,12 so theres no obvious association with metabolic syndrome. If there is a connection, it might be that the spinal joints are among the first structures to be affected by inflammation and not necessarily because they are more fragile or harder working than, say, knees, but perhaps because the brain is quite over-protective about the back, and more likely to raise the alarm sooner.13 Also, we do know that metabolic syndrome is associated with at least some common pain problems, like neck pain.14
You’re Sweating Too Much At Night
Another reason why you might be waking up in the morning with back pain is sweat. Even if you drink plenty of water during the day, if you sweat a lot during the night then you will become dehydrated. Dehydration, simply put, is when your body loses more water than it gains. If youre not replenishing your water levels while you sleep, then any water lost during the night will have an effect in the morning.
Women going through menopause often experience night sweats as a symptom of falling oestrogen levels. When oestrogen levels lower, so does the bodys thermostat. As a result, the body thinks it is overheating and starts sweating to cool itself down.
Top tip: Make sure your duvet and pyjamas are not too heavy if you struggle with sweating at night. It may help to keep two duvets a cosy one for cold winter nights and a lighter one for the rest of the year. Or, keep a light blanket close by if you find the duvet too hot. This means you can keep yourself cool without disturbing your partners sleep.
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