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Toronto Back Pain Benefits from Good Sleep

The exercise topic of the month is…sleep?! Unusual? Not at all! Sleep is just as important as exercise for pain management as well as management for back pain. Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre helps many Toronto 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 many times is a condition for life that comes and goes, a condition that is managed rather than cured, it’s a good thing that researchers are studying just how a back pain sufferer can control the Toronto back pain and how often it ‘rears its head.' Ask any back pain sufferer and you’ll know that warding off a pain episode is an objective. But how? Researchers are looking at sleep, fatigue, emotion, and more to figure that out. Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre shares the term “flare” as it relates to a back pain episode.

BACK PAIN FLARE

A Toronto low back pain flare is one that consists of increased pain, paresthesia, or muscle tension, increased 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 increased pain, therefore healthcare professionals need to look past the pain to see 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 experienced.

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 new episode of their pain. Researchers found 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 suggested to reduce the intensity, frequency, and risk of back pain flares.  (3) Sleep quality also plays a part in how Toronto back pain is experienced.

SLEEP QUALITY

A study of sleep quality in mature adults in six middle-income countries uncovered that women experienced 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 contribute to chronic low back pain. Luckily, sleep quality is able to mediate anxiety, making sleep a practical recommendation in the treatment plan. (5)

CONTACT Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre

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 sleeping.

Make your Toronto chiropractic appointment today. Let us talk sleep next time you are in for a visit!

 
Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre shares research that says good sleep helps keep back pain at bay.  
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."