A recent study shows that 50-80% of the US population experience one episode of back pain during a lifetime. There are a lot of causes pointing to this problem which is laid down in this article along with the possible solutions.
Check out the common reasons why people suffer from back pain and what you can do about it.
Worst Sleep Positions for Back Pain
“There are some sleep positions that can put added pressure on different parts of the body especially our back,” says Santhosh Thomas, DO, MBA, a spine specialist with the Cleveland Clinic and associate medical director of the Richard E. Jacobs Medical Center in Avon, Ohio.
“The most common offender of them is sleeping on stomach,” he added.
Sleeping on your stomach can put additional strain on your back muscles. Additionally, it can also result in neck pain and back pain between your shoulders as it will need you to rotate your neck.
Try changing your position by flipping on the side or sleeping on your back to ease the pain. You can also sleep with a pillow underneath your stomach or between your legs to give your back some extra support.
It’s Your Old Pillow’s Fault
A too thin or too soft pillow can cause your back to bend downward at an angle. If it’s too thick, your spine might bend unnaturally upward. To keep your spine aligned and straight, choose a specialist orthopedic pillow.
Since issue relies on the spine alignment, make sure to keep your spine aligned and straight. An orthopedic pillow designed to correct body positioning in bed can help.
A full body pillow can also provide extra support as it follows the contour of your body. Buckwheat pillows due to their malleable and adjustable nature confirm the shape between your head and mattress. It eliminates the pain-causing pressure points in your neck and back.
Blame Your Mattress
Mattress just like pillows should also provide support that conforms the body to ease the pain. Choosing the right mattress for back pain will eliminate your worries of waking feeling sore.
Too firm mattresses do not conform to your body’s shape making your lower back unsupported. Too soft mattresses, on the other hand, allows your body to bend too far downward providing little support to the lumbar region.
Memory foam mattresses provide a great solution as it cradles to the natural curves of the body and providing you excellent back support.
Your Existing Health Problems
Some existing health and fitness problems might be adding some trouble to your back pain. Five of them are listed below:
- Myofascial pain syndrome – It is a chronic pain disorder that affects the fascia (the connective tissues which cover the muscles). This syndrome typically occurs after a muscle has been contracted repetitively which may cause back pain.
- Inflammatory back pain (IBP) – This health problem is characterized by a frequent feature of pain caused by immobility. Most IBPs is caused by autoimmune conditions when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body tissue.
- Chronic low-grade inflammation – This happens when our body perceived an internal threat and immediately sends an inflammatory response that does not necessarily require. The severity increases as we age.
- Fibromyalgia – This neurological disorder causes pain all over your body including the lower back. In fact, 49% of people with fibromyalgia are suffering from lower back pain.
- Vitamin D deficiency – Vitamin D deficiency may result in a throbbing or achy feeling in your bones which are often noticeable in the knees and back.
Visit your doctor if you think you are suffering from any of these health problems. It will help minimize future issues to arise.
Time Spend During Waking Hours
One doctor claimed that one of the most significant factors for back pain is in the amount of time we spend sitting during waking hours. We do not practice proper sitting posture that causing back pain during the night. We tend to sit too long or slouched with backs rounded.
During daylight hours, practice good posture when standing and sitting to minimize back pain at night.
Takeaway
There are a lot of solutions to waking up with lower back pain. Identify the causes and try to work out on the alternatives you think best fit you. If you can discover the best remedies, there is no reason why you should not get a good night sleep.