Stop Bad Bed Habits to End Back Pain
Many people associate back pain with carrying heavy loads or overworking the back and hip muscles with difficult manual labor. Some see back pain as a result of an accident or even a violent incident. What many fail to realize is that back pain could be due to bad habits in bed.
When they ask back pain chiropractors near Marlboro, NJ, they realize that their sleeping habits have a lot to do with their health. They figure out that having a poor sleeping posture can lead to all sorts of pain in the back and the rest of the body.
Table of Contents
Common Signs and Symptoms of Back Pain
For those who have felt back pain, they describe it in so many ways. Some say that what they feel in their back and surrounding areas include:
- Muscle ache
- Stabbing pain
- Shooting pain
- Pain that seems to flow or radiate from the hips and down each leg
- Body stiffness
- Reduced range of motion
- Loss of flexibility
Known Causes of Back Pain
Based on data and interviews made by our back pain chiropractor in Monmouth, back pain are usually due to these causes:
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Ruptured or Bulging Discs
Along our spinal column, there are spongy pads or discs in between the vertebrae. The discs act as shock absorbers whenever the body is moving and carrying a heavy load. Over time, however, a disc may become degraded, and a rupture occurs. This rupture or bulge can come into contact with a nerve, which creates excruciating pain. There are also cases that no pain is felt, but a bulging disc might make a person feel tingling sensations or experience numbness.
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Muscle Strain or Ligament Tear
While our muscles and ligaments have a structure that enables them to carry weight many times their mass and size, strains and tears do happen. As it lifts weighty loads, sudden jerks of the body can produce these kinds of minor to moderately severe injuries.
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Osteoarthritis
This refers to the degeneration of joints of the body, resulting in stiffness and pain. Even the hip joints and other bony parts of the lower back can experience this kind of condition.
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Osteoporosis
This condition generally refers to the weakening of the bones in our body. Once the bones become porous or lose their density, they can become more prone to injury.
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Other Bone Problems
There are many other bones or skeleton-related conditions that can cause back pain. For example, scoliosis is one of the most common reasons people experience painful backs. In some scoliosis cases, nerve impingement happens as the spine unnaturally makes a curve beyond its original shape.
In some instances, no pain is felt by the person with scoliosis, but posture is often highly compromised. The spine’s compromised curvature causes muscle and ligament tension plus possible nerve compression. The unnatural curve could lead to pain or result in terrible posture, aching bones and muscles, and pressure on some body organs.
Sleeping Positions and Their Effects on the Back
When people seek the care of a back pain chiropractor in Monmouth, they first learn about how critical it is to have good posture during sleep. How we lie down on bed can spell the difference between a restful night or an aching back the following morning.
Here are a few sleeping positions or habits and how they can contribute to back pain or back relief:
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On Your Belly
Sleeping on your belly is not a good way to get recuperative rest. First, you are forced to twist your neck to the left or the right, often changing positions throughout the night. This sleeping posture is not suitable for the spine, especially the upper cervical spine area that connects the head to the neck. Breathing is not optimal since the body’s weight is pressing on the stomach in a downward manner.
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On Your Back
By far, the best position to sleep in, being on one’s back does not pressure the chest or abdomen. This makes normal breathing unhampered, whether one breathes through the nose or via the mouth. Since the back is flat on the bed or mattress, there is no unnecessary contortion or spine bending. The lower back and hips are likewise flat and stable. However, the crook behind the knees needs to be supported by a small pillow for better stability. The pillow will also help reduce pressure on the lower back once the knees are straightened out on the bed.
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On Your Side
Lying on one’s side is also an acceptable position as long as the pillow on the head is thick enough to support one side of the face and the neck. Too high or too low a pillow can create a painful neck crank. It is also advisable to put a thin pillow between the legs to serve as a cushion and not cross over the legs. This leg crossover can put a strain on the lower back as well as the legs.
Knowing these sleeping positions will help a person choose the right one and train the body to remain in that posture during sleep. Doing this will prevent spinal contortions that could lead to back pain and other discomforts.
NUCCA Chiropractic and Back Pain
When people need help from a back pain chiropractor in Monmouth, our office, Upper Cervical Chiropractic of Monmouth, offers a variety of services that help people relieve their back pain and other discomforts. Contact us at your convenience if you would like to know more about NUCCA chiropractic and how it helps people find pain relief.
To schedule a consultation with the Upper Cervical Chiropractic of Monmouth clinic, call 732-617-9355 or just click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
