Lower back pain is one of the most common causes of disability on a global basis. If you are suffering from pain, one thing you may wonder about is how your sleep position affects your pain level. It can be disheartening to wake up from 8 hours of sleep to find out that your pain is worse, and you may have to take the day off from work. Here are a few sleep suggestions.
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Proper Sleep Positions for Lower Back Pain Sufferers
The Worst Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain
Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up. Sleeping on your stomach is considered the worst position for your spine. If this is the way you normally sleep, it’s a good idea to train yourself to switch to side or back sleeping. In the meantime, a body pillow can help to prop you up and get you used to sleeping in a better position. Use the body pillow to tilt yourself up as close to your side as you can, and sling the top leg over the pillow so your lower back can remain straight.
The Neutral Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain
Side sleepers can very easily get the spine into a neutral position. It just takes the addition of a pillow between the knees. This keeps the upper leg from slipping forward or backward during the night. Either movement would twist the lower back. You don’t want the pillow to be so thick that it is awkward to get your knees around, but the pillow has to have enough thickness to stop you from rolling during the night.
The Best Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain
If you love to sleep on your back, you’re ahead of the curve. This is a great position for your spine. You can take even more pressure off of your lower back by putting a pillow under your knees.
Upper Cervical Care for Lower Back Pain
Another good idea is to seek upper cervical chiropractic care. The fact is that your posture is based on the alignment of your C1 and C2 vertebrae. That means a misalignment in the top bones of your neck can cause problems all the way down the spine. That’s right—that pain in your back may be caused by your neck. An examination can determine if an upper cervical misalignment exists.
To schedule a complimentary NUCCA consultation, call 248-831-0729 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.