Lower back pain can be a serious and debilitating thing. More than half of the people working in the United States report that they have felt back pain during the year. The type of pain that people feel can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. The pain can be a constant pain or it can be something that comes and goes. Some people will live with the back pain, but it that can create other problems. A person may not be able to function the way they want or cannot enjoy the things they are doing as result of the pain that they feel.
Treating Lower Back Pain
While some people may live with the pain and pass it off as a minor inconvenience, if you ask them if they would rather not have to deal with it, they would answer with a resounding yes. Back pain is not something that should be accepted as normal. It is a sign that something is wrong, and treating the back pain is something that should be done the moment the pain starts.
When back pain is left untreated, there are several things that can happen.
- The pain can go away – If the pain is the result of a muscle pull or some other minor injury, it could simply go away. This is not always the case. Most injuries to the back require at least some type of treatment.
- Treatment can take care of the pain – Massages, chiropractors and rest are some of the ways that back pain can be dealt with. It may require some time, but once the damage that was causing the pain is healed, the pain should go away.
- Seeking serious remedies – Some back pain requires more serious treatments. Pain medications and surgery are some of the options that people choose to treat their back pain. These are the treatments that are used for chronic pain and debilitating lower back pain.
Treatment can help reduce the back pain that is felt by an individual, but what many people forget about is finding the source of the back pain. If the source is not discovered, the pain will return the next time that the individual does whatever caused the pain in the first place.
Sleeping as the Source
Everyone has to sleep at some point. Most people try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a day. Some get more and some get less. It may surprise people to learn that the sleep they are getting could be the reason they are dealing with pain in their lower back.
When a body is sleeping it is also hard at work. It is the time when muscles that have been damaged through exercise are repaired. It is the time when the body is able to regain the strength it will need to function. It could also be the time when the back is injured if a person does not have the right tools or does not sleep in the right way. There are three things that can cause lower back pain while sleeping.
- The mattress – Mattresses are supposed to support the body while sleeping. If the mattress is old and worn out or if it is too firm, too soft or just poorly made, the result could be pain in the back.
- The pillow – The pillow is another form of support for the neck and when it is old and not supportive, the lower back may suffer. Mattresses and pillows lose their support over time and should be replaced on a regular basis.
- The position – A person should consider the position they sleep in. Sleeping on the stomach may result in pain in the lower back. Sleeping on the back and on the side also carries risk. If a person is feeling pain, they need to consider trying a different sleeping position.