Determining The Best Sleeping Position for Your Back Pain

Back pain may really tough for you to get a comfortable good night's sleep. Unfortunately, what most people do not understand is the way you sleep may make things worse. Some positions may put a lot of strain on aching back. On the other hand, some positions may help get relief from pain.

Experts have revealed a strong link between back pain and sleep problems. It is also believed that sleep problems lead to increase in the intensity of back pain. Sleep deprivation can affect mood and functional ability. It also has a negative impact on the perception of pain. Pain affects sleep quality resulting in a lighter sleep state. Patients tend to wake more frequently throughout the night.

As per a study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine (November 2016 issue), there's a strong link between the severity of pain, function ability and one's overall mood. It was revealed that a good night of sleep will reduce these symptoms.

So is there a specific sleep position that helps you to fight off back pain or ease pain? Yes. There are some favourable and worst sleep positions that can affect back pain. You can choose these positions only after knowing the actual cause of back pain or the type you are suffering from.

Here's What You Need to Know:

Spinal Stenosis

If you suffer from this condition, sleeping on your side in a curled-up position may help you reduce symptoms. This will take significant pressure off your nerve root. Sleeping on the back will also offer you a lot of relief.

Lumbar Herniated Disc

The preferred sleeping position will depend on the exact location of your herniated disc. For instance, if you are diagnosed with paracentral herniation, sleeping on the stomach will help. On the other hand, sleeping on the side in a curled-up position is helpful for forminal herniation.

Degenerative Disc Disease

Under this condition, you will get relief from your symptoms by sleeping on the stomach. You can also place a slim pillow between your hips/stomach and mattress.

Maintaining Sleep Hygiene

In addition to finding the appropriate sleeping position, practicing good sleep hygiene also plays an important role in helping people with back pain both fall asleep and stay asleep. For example, the perfect sleeping position won't be enough to help you fall asleep if you drink a cup of coffee right before bed.

Additionally, while it may sound too simple, good sleep hygiene practices like maintaining a consistent bedtime, avoiding the use of electronics before bed, and giving up day-time naps can all help with your sleep-related problems.

It is important to note that back pain and sleep-related problems need to be treated together. So if your back pain is keeping you awake at night, make sure to tell your doctor about your back pain problem so you can work together to formulate a treatment plan that tackles both problems.

Beware of Worst Sleep Positions for Back Pain

Did you know certain sleep positions can place added pressure on the shoulders, neck, hips, knees, lower back, and even heels? This will be quite painful. First, it is important to understand that There’s no one-size-fits-all sleep position to get rid of back pain. Avoiding the following pattern will definitely help:

Sleeping on Stomach - Most people sleep on the stomach. This can flatten the natural curve of the spine, adding more strain on back muscles. Additionally, sleeping on stomach keeps neck rotated, resulting in neck pain, back pain and pain between your shoulders. The problem can be controlled by altering sleep positions at night. Sleeping position when maintained for longer periods can amplify back pain.

Sitting A Lot – If you sit for a long period of time during waking hours, you are actually inviting back and neck pain. Experts believe that most people sit too long and in an improper way. They sit slouched with backs rounded. So varying your posture as far as possible and practising good posture when standing and sitting will ease back pain at night.

Comfort Factor

First, you’ve got to be comfortable to get a good night’s sleep. All you need to do is make some simple changes to your regular sleep positions. These are apt to take a load off your back:

Pillow Under Knees – This will help only if you are a back sleeper. Simply place a pillow under your knees. This allows your spine to maintain its natural curve.
Pillow Under Lower Abdomen - Stomach sleepers must place a pillow under lower abdomen and pelvis. This helps ease back strain.
Pillow Between Knees - Side sleepers will benefit from this. Draw your legs up slightly toward your chest. Sleep with a pillow between your knees.

Choosing the Right Mattress and Pillow for Sleep

Have you given a thought about this? When choosing a mattress and pillow, the best factors to take into consideration are preference and comfort. Some prefer the firm harder mattresses while others are more comfortable on a soft mattress. You may also use a contoured pillow to alleviate neck strain.

To Sum Up

The above information comprises of only general guidelines. Finding the best sleeping position for your back pain is mainly a process of trial and error. Try maintaining a journal right next to your bed in which you will record how you feel each morning.

In case, you don't feel any significant improvement in back pain despite making a few changes to your sleep position, it may be time to get some medical opinion. Your doctor may check for any potentially serious problems.

Scoliosis Surgery – The Process

Surgery is usually recommended to treat severe scoliosis. The surgery works towards severe spinal curve. It results in a perfectly straight spine. However, the main goal is to ensure overall spinal balance and prevent curve from getting worse. The scoliosis surgery usually involves stabilizing of spine and preventing curve from getting worse through a process of joining vertebrae together permanently.

Considerations to Make Before Surgery:

• Age of patient
• Size, direction, and location of the spinal curve(s).
• If any other treatment (e.g. bracing) has failed to produce results in the past.

Surgery is an Option under the following cases:

If the child has a moderate to severe curve
An adult suffers from severe with curve getting worse
Pain or discomfort while undertaking day to day activities
Bracing does not work
Doctors feel braces cannot be used

Surgical Options

Spinal Fusion

The primary type of scoliosis surgery involves a spinal fusion after attaching rods to the spine. The process of spinal fusion will work towards stabilizing and decreasing the overall size of the curve. It also effectively stops the curve from getting worse via joining the vertebrae permanently into a solid mass of bone.

Instrumentation

This is yet another technique undertaken without any fusion. Here, the surgeon will attach devices such as metal rods to the spine with an aim to stabilize a spinal curve sans fusing the spine together. The process is only recommended for very young children when a fusion that stops growth of the spine's fused part is no more required. The child has to wear a brace full-time post surgery.

What to Know

The timing of surgery for scoliosis in children is controversial. Spinal fusion stops the growth of the fused part of the spine, so some experts believe that surgery should be delayed until the child is at least 10 years old and preferably 12. But even after surgery the rest of the spine will continue to grow normally in children who are still growing.

Surgical treatment in children and teens usually requires several days in the hospital and limitations on activity for approximately a year. In adults, the average hospital stay is longer.

Adults who have surgery for scoliosis that results from changes in the spine due to ageing (degenerative scoliosis) are more likely than children to have significant complications. Even though surgery usually reduces their pain, other complications, such as wound infections, may occur.

Scoliosis - Other Treatment

Other treatments for scoliosis surgery recommended include:

Observation - A mild spinal curve is growing children may require regular checkups every 4 to 6 months. This will help the doctor keep tabs on the curve and make out if it is getting worse.

Bracing – Wearing a brace is a part of orthotic treatment which is usually used for a child with moderate curve. The bracing technique is very effective in preventing the curve from getting worse as the child grows. Doctors usually recommend patients to continue with the treatment until the skeleton stops growing.

Other Options – Doctors also recommend spinal manipulation, corrective exercises, and electrical stimulation as a part of scoliosis treatment. However, there is no evidence that these make for effective treatments for the condition.