Neurology Medicine

- Feeling discomfort in bed is associated with an increased risk of back pain. Studies show that back pain is more frequent among those who feel discomfort when lying in bed or on rising.

In some studies, discomfort in bed has been associated with a risk of up to 1800% more back pain, both among adolescents as among adults, while most of the other factors studied (such as gender or physical effort at work or at leisure) have been associated with much less effect.

In addition, scientific studies have also shown that among people who already suffer from back pain, mattress firmness influences its evolution, so a medium firm mattress is recommended that a very firm. These data suggest that the surface characteristics of rest are a relevant factor in relation to the existence or development of back pain.

It is possible that this influence is due to several factors. If the characteristics of bed induce the adoption of poor posture while lying down, you can alter the burden-sharing in that position, affecting the muscles (by inducing its overhead or simply hinder their relaxation) or increasing the burden on intervertebral discs and facet joint.

Since this factor would act repeated and prolonged (estimated a subject spends approximately one third of your life in bed), medium or long term inadequate sleep in a bed could induce alterations in the structures. – Have experienced previous episodes of back pain is associated with an increased risk of back pain. Scientific studies show that once a patient has had an episode of back pain, is likely to return to have others in the future.

Some of the recommendations based on scientific evidence establishing that the majority of patients recurring painful crises from time to time, without necessarily meaning that they are getting worse or that they have become a back injury. This could be explained by several reasons: Those with a crisis often have one or several risk factors related to their lifestyle or characteristics. Unless special measures are taken, which is not always easy-change of habits, exercise etc .

It is likely that these risk factors continue to rise to new episodes. Studies show that back pain causes muscle contraction by a neurological mechanism, and that the muscle receives less blood flow while contracture. This may facilitate re-contracture in the future and provoke new crises of pain, especially if kept idle during the painful episode or from him.

On the contrary, maintain the highest level of physical activity as possible (as much when there is pain when it is not), improved risk and the state of the muscles, reducing the risk of the occurrence of back pain and improving its development when already have. Studies also show that if the back pain limits activity for some time the muscles will atrophy easily. Atrophy of muscles can make more vulnerable the column and make it difficult to adopt the correct postures, which in turn may increase the risk of new episodes of pain.

A neurological mechanism explains that if the cells perceive pain in the spinal and brain remain active for some time, increases the ease with which they are activated in the future, so that small stimuli can cause back pain. In fact, if their activation lasts long enough, tend to stay activated even disappears painful stimulus that initially triggered, in which case the pain persists even though their initial cause disappears.

Source: www.espalda.org/divulgativa/dolor/causas/factores.asp
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