If you have ever experienced chronic pain you know firsthand how difficult it can be to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep and pain appear to have a bidirectional relationship. For instance, many people say that their painful symptoms tend to be alleviated after a better night’s sleep. Therefore, if you are living with chronic pain, prioritizing sleep may significantly help in recovery.

What is Pain?

Pain is an unpleasant sensation that we experience when nerve receptors send a signal to the brain telling us something is wrong. Pain can be acute or chronic.

Acute pain refers to pain that lasts for a short time, such as a broken bone that eventually heals. Chronic pain refers to recurring pain or pain that lasts for longer than a few months, such as lower back pain, arthritis, recurrent headaches, cancer pain, or fibromyalgia.

Effects of Poor Sleep on Body Pain

There is an unquestionable link between sleep and pain, with research evidence showing that the effect of sleep on pain may be even stronger than the effect of pain on sleep.

Researchers found that poor sleep causes low levels of a neurotransmitter called N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) within an area of the brain called the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), resulting in heightened pain sensitivity, medically known as hyperalgesia.

The researchers explained that short sleep times, poor sleep quality, and fragmented sleep often cause increased sensitivity to pain in chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

People with sleep problems also appear to be at a higher risk of eventually developing conditions like migraines and fibromyalgia.

Sleep and pain appear to share similar pathways and neurotransmitters. Therefore, sleep deprivation affects the release of essential neurotransmitters and hormones involved in pain regulation, such as serotonin and cortisol, contributing to increased pain sensitivity.

Lack of sleep can also cause inflammation in the body, which will often result in muscle aches and pains and can exacerbate inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

Discover how improving your sleep can reduce body pain

Sleep quality and pain sensitivity have a significant correlation. Good sleep quality can help decrease pain sensitivity. Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining healthy pain processing in the brain reducing the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Sleeping better also helps the brain with its painkilling capabilities. Sleep is considered a natural analgesic that can help manage and lower pain.

During sleep, the brain undergoes important restorative processes necessary for pain modulation, reducing the risk of chronic pain conditions.

Therefore, addressing sleep quality can lead to better patient outcomes with reduced pain levels, improved physical function, and better mental health outcomes.

Contact Us for a Chiropractic Appointment

If muscle and joint pains are making it difficult for you to enjoy adequate sleep, chiropractic may help.

Your chiropractor will use a range of techniques, including massage, heat application, joint mobilization, exercises, and advice to improve circulation and healing in the affected areas and relieve muscle and joint pains.

Contact 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason B. Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.

Do your achy joints become more painful in cold weather? Well, you are not alone. Many people complain that during cold weather, especially during late fall and winter, they experience joint pain, especially in the hips, knees, and ankles. The question that arises then, is what is the cause of joint pain in the cold? To answer your questions, we have explored the scientific reasons for this kind of pain and given you applicable tips to help manage joint pain during colder months. Have a look!

Why Joint Pain Occurs Due To Cold Weather

Scientific evidence shows that joint pain feels worse in cold weather. When it is cold outside, nerves and blood vessels constrict in the arms and legs, decreasing blood flow and circulation to keep our inner core, heart, and organs, warmer. This causes our joints to become more stiff and painful.

A drop in atmospheric or barometric pressure may also increase joint pain for some people. Atmospheric or barometric pressure refers to the weightiness of air and decreases in cold weather. This drop in barometric pressure may cause your soft tissues to swell and put pressure on your joints, causing your nerves to transmit increased pain signals.

Also, when it is cold outside, people move around or exercise less, which can lead to a loss of muscle strength and flexibility and, therefore, more joint pain.

Another theory suggests that synovial fluid inside your joints thickens in cold temperatures, causing joint stiffness and pain in cold weather.

Tips to manage joint pain during colder months

Although the cold weather may make your joint pain feel worse, there are some things you can do that can help. Have a glance!

• Dress warmly: Layer clothing to stay warm and reduce exposure to the cold whether you are indoors or outdoors. Consider thermal underwear to protect your hips and knees, and insulated gloves to keep your hands and fingers warm. Also, don’t forget warm boots with good tread to prevent falls. While in the house, keep yourself warm and cozy.
• Regular exercise: It helps build up muscle and bone strength to help protect your joints. It also promotes better mobility by keeping your joints and muscles from becoming stiff. If you exercise outdoors, be sure to dress appropriately and stretch afterward.
• Maintain your weight: Cold and blustery outside can be tempting to coil up in a coach with a warm blanket enjoying your favorite snack and coffee. Pair these situations together, and you get weight gain. Unfortunately, weight gain puts added stress on already painful joints. It’s important to eat a balanced diet with a good check of fruits and veggies, and lean proteins to help maintain weight and promote joint health.

Besides keeping your weight in check, it also ensures your joints are getting the vitamins and minerals they need to stay strong. For achy joints, try incorporating foods that naturally contain anti-inflammatory properties like avocado, oily fish, nuts, garlic, and berries, to help reduce pain. Also, avoid unhealthy choices, such as processed foods, which can cause inflammation.

• Stay hydrated: The cold weather can easily tempt you to assume you do not need to take plenty of water. But remember, just because you are not hot and sweaty doesn’t mean that you are not losing fluids. Dehydration can increase sensitivity to aches and pain, reduce joint fluid lubrication, and cause muscle cramping.

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, including water, naturally flavored water, or fruit juice. Warm soup and flavored tea also help with hydration.

If you find that cold weather significantly impacts your joint pain, speak to Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC. You will get a proper diagnosis and a guide on developing a personalized treatment plan.

Sciatica refers to the nerve pain resulting from an injury or irritation to your sciatic nerve. Sciatica is not a condition, but rather a symptom of another problem involving the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, and down the legs, ending just below the knee.

The sciatic nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs and supplies sensation to the skin of the foot and the majority of the lower leg.
Causes of Sciatica

Sciatic nerve pain is often a result of a herniated disk in the spine. Other causes include bone spurs on the lower back bones, tumors, or nerves affected by another health issue.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica symptoms include:

• Pain: Sciatica pain is a result of pressure exalted on the affected nerve. Most people who have experienced sciatica pain describe it as burning or like an electric shock. The pain often shoots or radiates down the leg on the affected side.
• Numbness and tingling: It occurs when you can’t feel sensations on the skin in the affected areas of your back or leg. The numbness usually happens when you wake up or sit in one position for a long time.
• Muscle weakness: This is a more severe symptom. It means that muscle command signals are having trouble reaching their destinations in your back or legs.
• Urinary incontinence or fecal incontinence: This is a very severe symptom. It means that signals that control your bladder and bowels are not reaching their destinations.

Risk Factors for Sciatica

The common risk factors for sciatica include:

• History of back pain: A history of back pain or problems with the back may increase one’s risk of sciatica.
• Having excess weight or obesity: The more weight you have, the more your back muscles have to work to support the body weight. That can lead to back strains, pain, and other issues.
• Your job: Jobs that require heavy lifting, a lot of bending, or prolonged sitting without proper back support may increase your risk of lower back problems.
• Physical inactivity: Sitting for long periods and a lack of physical activity can increase the risk of sciatica.
• Normal wear-and-tear: As we get older, wear-and-tear is normal, especially on the spine which can lead to pinched nerves, herniated disks, and other conditions that increase the risk of sciatica.

How to Manage Sciatica Symptoms Effectively

Depending on the cause, milder cases of sciatica usually get better with self-treatment. Some of the applicable self-treatment include:

• Stretching and physical activity help strengthen the core muscles and reduce back pain.
• A home remedy that targets the use of ice during the first 1-2 days when pain first begins.
• Another practical home remedy is applying a heat pack to the area if the pain persists longer than 2 days.

Chronic sciatica pain can effectively be treated through chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors use a special method called spinal manipulations where they gently move the vertebrae and joints back where they should be, using quick and soft thrusts. The adjustments and movements aim to fix the spine’s alignment, reducing pressure on the sciatic nerve for pain relief and allowing the body to recover. When the joint or vertebra returns to its proper place, inflammation decreases, and the healing starts.

Are you experiencing chronic sciatica pain? Start your chiropractic care today! Call 252-335-2225 to schedule a visit with Dr. Jason B. Jones - 706 W. Ehringhaus Street - Elizabeth City, NC 27909.