Waking up with back pain is uncomfortable and frustrating. It’s one thing if you have the luxury of staying in bed until you feel better. But with responsibilities, such as getting the kids fed and ready for school and getting yourself ready for work, you need the issue resolved, ASAP.
If you frequently wake up with back pain, there could be several causes.
Why Does My Back Hurt Every Morning When I Wake Up?
- You may need a new mattress. There are many factors that influence whether a mattress will provide a good night’s sleep: Firmness, materials, thickness, the age of the mattress, your weight, and preferred sleeping positions. If any of these are off-kilter, you could wake up with back pain. If your mattress is close to 10 years old, investing in a new one should result in significant improvements in your back pain, if you’re an otherwise healthy person.
- Sleeping position. Certain sleeping positions strain your spine. If you suffer from chronic back pain in the mornings, avoid sleeping on your stomach, since this position flattens the natural curvature of the spine. If this is the only way you can fall asleep, place a pillow under your pelvis to ease the strain.
- Herniated discs. The spine is composed of vertebrae. In between the vertebrae, there are soft discs that serve as cushions for the bones. When these discs become inflamed, you’ll experience back pain that is exacerbated by inactivity. Therefore, the discomfort is heightened when you first wake up in the morning.
- Spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a condition that occurs when there’s a narrowing of the spaces around the spine. This causes surrounding nerves to compress. As a result, you may wake up with back pain, and/or numbness that radiates to the neck, arms, or legs. Epidural steroid injections may help to alleviate the pain.
- Disc degeneration. Some people, as they age, experience a degeneration of the spinal discs. It can also occur due to obesity or as the result of a back injury. It primarily affects the lower back, and may come and go; so you may not feel the backache every single morning.
While the rationale stated above explains some of the most common reasons for waking up with back pain, there may be underlying circumstances causing the pain. Such is the case with arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, fibromyalgia, smoking, depression, or a sedentary lifestyle.
If You’re Experiencing Back Pain, Let Us Help You.
At Spine Works Institute, we take pride in helping patients through safe and natural therapies. We have an entire team of physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and other healthcare professionals who are ready to assist you.
Call us at (817) 616-0700 to schedule an appointment, or learn more about our practice here.
