The Best Sleeping Positions for Lower Back Pain

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Lower back pain, whether it’s acute or chronic, can have an impact on your everyday life. In fact, 90% of adults experience back pain at some point in their lives, and up to 40% report having lower back pain in the past 3 months, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). The best position for humans to sleep in is the side posture position. Side sleepers experience less spinal pain since they have proper alignment of three natural curves. 

Side Sleepers

Lying on your side may not be ideal, but it’s definitely better than sleeping face-down. 

According to an Italian study, participants who slept with their sides pressed against a pillow had less low back pain than those who didn’t. Side sleepers generally experience lower back pain because of spinal curvature: The body naturally curves on one side, which causes stress on that part of your spine and can lead to inflammation or muscle strain.

Stomach Sleepers

It might feel like you’re relieving pressure on your lower back by sleeping on your stomach, but that’s not always true. In fact, it can exacerbate pain in certain cases. Stomach sleepers tend to over-arch their backs when they sleep, which causes stress and tension in their lower backs and upper thighs. If you already have lower back pain, that can make things even worse. Stomach sleeping is the worst possible position to sleep in since this posture reverses your body’s three natural curves and applies more tension to your discs, joints, and muscles. 

What makes lower back pain worse?

A number of things can make lower back pain worse. Some people are just more susceptible to lower back pain, while others sleep in a way that aggravates their condition and leads to chronic pain. For example, Sleeping on your back causes your lower back to arch more creating increased tension on your joints, discs, and muscles. 

Why are these good sleeping positions for lower back pain?

Good sleeping positions can help alleviate lower back pain by reducing pressure on your spine. Placing a pillow between your knees while you sleep can make it easier to keep your back straight and in alignment. This will reduce any pressure that might come from improper posture during sleep. It’s also important to place a pillow under your head when you sleep, as doing so may relieve stress in your upper body, which could contribute to lower back pain.

How a Chiropractor Treats Lower Back Pain

Chiropractic treatments for lower back pain are focused on minimizing disc, nerve, and muscle pressure. A chiropractor will likely start by analyzing your spine’s alignment and perform a physical exam to identify any possible areas of strain, inflammation, or misaligned of your joints and muscles. From there, they’ll typically alleviate your symptoms with spinal manipulation. In some cases, they may provide soft tissue treatment using a deep tissue technique such as ART or Graston technique to help release inflamed muscles. Spinal adjustment may also be performed if you have a joint subluxation. Chiropractors may use other therapies as well, including heat, cold, ultrasound, electric stimulation, and Laser. Chiropractors in the state of NY are not allowed to use NSAIDs or prescribe medicine for their patients. 

To schedule an appointment with us, please call us at 516-248-2870 or visit Islandwide Chiropractic online. Our office is located at 230 Hilton Ave, Suite 220, Hempstead, New York 11550.

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