How Sleep Quality Affects Osteoarthritis Symptoms

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

The connection between people with OA and their ability to sleep is indisputable. The arthritis pain, common with the condition, can make getting a good night�s rest challenging for anyone. The symptoms related with osteoarthritis are definitely an important element behind many individual�s interrupted sleep, but researchers have found that the relationship among osteoarthritis and sleep is much more complex. Rather than OA causing insomnia, the two conditions are believed to coexist.

A 2012 study published in the journal SLEEP, evaluated the quality of sleep in people who reported symptoms of chronic pain, including those with osteoarthritis. The researchers found that the amount of pain individuals were in before going to bed had little to do with how well they slept through the night. Additionally, the study concluded that an individual�s sleep quality the night before predicted how much pain they would be in the next day. People who slept inadequately experienced more pain the following day, according to the research.

Researchers believe that a lack of sleep may actually produce inflammatory pathways which may aggravate arthritis pain. Michael V. Vitiello, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle stated, �Poor sleep can also make you more sensitive to the feeling of pain. It�s not that the disturbed sleep makes you achy per say, but the disturbed sleep changes your perception of pain.�

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Neck Pain Associated with Improper Sleeping Posture

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

According to Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation, human beings spend approximately 33 percent of their lives sleeping. This amounts to about one third of an individual�s life, roughly the eight hours per day we need to function properly. Because of this, neck pain and other symptoms present during sleep should be considered a priority. Poor neck posture can result in constant stress being placed on the complex structures of the neck which can ultimately lead to complications, causing pain or an increase in symptoms that can lower the chance of improvement.

In healthy individuals during sleep, the neck is at an increased risk of damage or injury when the soft tissues become overly relaxed, resulting in strain from poorly controlled movements and improper support while sleeping. For individuals with previous neck disorders, the risk is combined with muscle and other tissue weakness that may have been stretched before.

Improper sleeping posture is described as a form of continuous stress which can lead to neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches. An individual who sleeps on their back with a pillow that is too high, forcing the head forward can create a disruption of the natural curvature in the neck. This position hyperflexes the neck, stretching the muscles, ligaments, and other tissues in the back of the neck. The longer a person sleeps this way, the more damage can be caused, further aggravating neck pain and other sleeping complications.

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Effective Treatments for Sciatica Symptoms

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Sciatica is commonly described as leg pain caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back region. Although the issue usually begins in nerve roots located on either side of the lower spine, the symptoms can travel through the sciatic nerve, which runs the length of each leg from the buttock down into the foot.

�The leg pain, referred to as radiculopathy, is often worse than the back pain,� stated William A. Abdu, MD, medical director of the Spine Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

The most common cause for sciatica symptoms is a herniated disc. When a disc develops a tear or crack and bulges into the spinal canal, it can pinch the sciatic nerve. Generally, the symptoms can resolve within approximately 6 weeks, but for some individuals, the pain and discomfort may continue, developing into chronic symptoms. Fortunately, there are a variety of alternative treatment options available to help people suffering with these painful, sciatica symptoms.

A study conducted by the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics in 2010 found that 60 percent of individuals diagnosed with sciatica who didn�t get relief from other therapies but then tried spinal adjustments had experienced the same degree of pain relief as individuals who had surgery.

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Sleep Posture and Sleep Quality

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

According to Steven Park, MD, author of Sleep, Interrupted and clinical assistant professor of otolaryngology at New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., sleeping posture can affect an individual�s quality of sleep and overall health. Park explained that fatigue, sleep apnea, headaches, heartburn, and back pain are several of the most common complaints that can be aggravated as a result of improper sleep posture and a bad night�s rest.

But, when it comes to sleeping on your side, stomach, or back, which is the best sleep position? Additionally, if the certain sleep position one currently favors is not the best for their health, many individuals frequently question whether switching to another position may offer better health benefits for them. �You�re naturally going to gravitate toward a position that you feel best sleeping in,� Steven Park stated. Also, individuals will generally choose their preferred sleep posture based on how well they�re able to breathe in that position. �The smaller the airway in your throat becomes at night, the more likely it is you�re going to sleep on your stomach,� Park added.

Back sleeping is not recommended for individuals who snore or for those with sleep apnea. Individuals with these complications should preferably sleep on their side because it can help maintain their airways open. Research suggest that sleeping on the left side can relieve heartburn symptoms while right side sleeping can worsen them. Left side sleeping is also recommended during pregnancy as it can improve circulation to the heart, which is good for both mom and baby.

Steven Park advices that people may attempt to experiment with different sleeping postures but he strongly suggested against switching from the individual�s natural sleep position unless a previously diagnosed or currently identified health condition demands it.

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Preventing Neck Pain with Posture & Ergonomic Techniques

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Neck pain may occur as a result of various activities that add extra strain on your neck. An abundance of individuals frequently report feeling pain at the base of their skull and down into their shoulders, or they also often describe feeling a knot in their neck and stiffness. Many others also experience headaches along with their other symptoms. Severe cases of neck pain can impair a person�s ability to move their head and can even become serious enough to greatly restrict the individual�s ability to function to their fullest capacity, especially during the job.

If your neck pain worsens by the end of a long work day, it may be due to all the excess stress being placed on your neck while working. Consistently prolonged activities can affect bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and other tissues in the region of the cervical spine. Activities that cause these complications, for example, include an improper posture while sitting at a desk, incorrect lifting techniques, and repetitive movements of the arms and upper body. Holding your head forward to read a computer screen, a posture best referred to as forward head posture, is one of the most common types of improper postures. Research shows that simply using a computer for an extended period of time can cause or even aggravate neck pain. Also, when doing heavy lifting at work, the neck is as much at risk for damage or injury due to incorrect lifting techniques as the back. Furthermore, overusing the arms and upper body repeatedly can irritate their surrounding tissues, leading to degeneration or wear and tear damage.

Regardless of your job, ergonomics can help protect your neck from damage or injury. Ergonomics is the science of fitting a work environment to the job in a manner that is best fitting to the individual�s overall well being. For instance, if you work by a desk at a computer station, ergonomics takes into consideration how your desk, chair, and computer monitor should be positioned to reduce the stress on your neck and body. If you work in an industrial setting, ergonomics may involve teaching you about the most appropriate lifting techniques as well as using heavy equipment.

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The Differences of Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Sciatica is identified as a group of symptoms occurring when the sciatic nerve, found on the lumbar region of the spine, becomes irritated. The most commonly diagnosed cause of sciatic nerve irritation, or sciatica, results due to compression or impingement of a single or multiple nerve roots caused by natural spinal degeneration with age or a disc herniation in the lower back, which may occur after trauma from an injury. The symptoms of sciatica generally originate in the area of the buttock, and depending on the grade of the underlying nerve compression and inflammation, sciatic nerve irritation may radiate down the entire leg into the ankle and foot.

Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the piriformis muscle, found in the buttock region from the upper femur bone to the edge of the sacrum, or the pelvic bone below the lumbar spine, contracts and spasms causing pain and tightness as well as tingling and numbness. The symptoms of piriformis syndrome are very similar and are often closely associated with sciatica. In some cases, the condition actually causes sciatic nerve irritation. Because the sciatic nerve runs underneath or through the middle of the piriformis muscle, contraction or inflammation of the tissues in this area may compress the sciatic nerve and develop sciatica symptoms. This is one of the main reasons sciatica and piriformis syndrome are often misdiagnosed.

As previously mentioned, the symptoms of sciatica and piriformis syndrome are very similar. Both cause pain, tingling and burning sensations, and/or numbness down the affected leg which can radiate down into the foot. Furthermore, this set of symptoms and the condition tend to closely correlate to biomechanical functional complications in the joints of the back and pelvis. Sciatica and piriformis syndrome may even be present simultaneously in the same person which can make telling both complications apart more difficult.

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Physical Effects of Improper Posture

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

When an individual maintains a proper posture, the muscles and other tissues supporting the structure of the neck and back remain strong while the spine preserves its natural and healthy alignment. Studies have previously concluded that good posture can help you have more energy, less stress, as well as prevent fatigue. As a matter of fact, good posture is crucial if you want to maintain an ideal physical fitness. Ultimately, a proper posture is a sign of good health.

If you have bad posture, not only will it create spine complications along with pain and discomfort in the present, but gradually, improper posture can have negative effects later in life if not corrected in time.

One of the most distinguished negative effects associated among individuals with improper posture includes a change in the spinal curve. The spine is naturally designed to have a slight S-shaped curvature, however, after an extended period of time practicing incorrect posture when sitting or standing, the spine is put under a tremendous amount of pressure. This occurs because the spine is repeatedly being forced into an unnatural position. The altered spinal curve can not only lead to chronic pain and discomfort, but it can impede the spine from naturally absorbing shock as well as maintain proper balance.

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Neck & Shoulder Pain from Improper Posture

by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic

Forward head posture is the most common form of improper posture responsible for neck and shoulder pain in many individuals. The head weighs nearly the same as a bowling ball. When the head is placed in a further forward position than normal, it adds an increasingly greater force on the neck, much like when you hold a bowling ball away from you, it�s more difficult to hold it.

The supplementary force from a forward head posture adds even more stress on the cervical spine and increases the demands on the surrounding muscles which function to hold the head upright. Imagine the effects of the increased and sustained efforts from these muscles on the rest of your body. The improper posture can often cause restrictions in blood flow that cause a decrease of oxygen and energy delivery which can impede waste removal. The neck ultimately suffers, causing stiffness as well as trigger points that attribute to the well-known symptoms of head and neck pain along with discomfort on other parts of the body.

The increased tightness resulting from forward head postures can contribute to nerve compression as numerous nerves pass through the surrounding muscles. Because these specific nerves also run down into the arm, any type of neck complication can cause pain, tingling, and numbness on the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers.

Furthermore, rounded shoulders from an improper posture can create a variety of shoulder complications. As the shoulder blades move forward, they restraint the space the rotator cuff tendons have between two of the bones found in the shoulder. The space restriction can lead to compression of the cuff tendons, occasionally causing tears.

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