Back pain during the night: how to relieve your back pain?

Often of inflammatory origin, nighttime back pain can have many other causes. Learn to identify them to ensure a restful sleep.

Inflammations, specific pathologies, poor sleeping positions, inappropriate gestures when getting up or going to bed, unsuitable bedding... There are many possible causes of nighttime back pain. Nevertheless, by determining their origin, it is possible to take care of them effectively and find peaceful nights.

The inflammatory origin of back pain that occurs during the night

When pain that occurs in the middle of the night and when waking up, which is accompanied by stiffness and a feeling of "rusting" in the back: these are the signs of so-called "inflammatory" low back pain. It reflects inflammation in the spine. It can be due to a herniated disc, disc disease or spondyloarthritis.

If you think you may be suffering from inflammatory low back pain, it is advisable to see your doctor to determine its precise cause and the appropriate treatment. It generally consists of counteracting pain crises with anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics or injections.

Gestures and bedding: the right reflexes to avoid back pain at night

Inflammation is not the only possible cause of nighttime back pain. It could well be that the culprit is in fact ... your mattress! A mattress that is too firm, too soft or poorly adapted to your morphology can be harmful to your back. It must be chosen on a case-by-case basis, and replaced every 10 years. The same goes for the bed base and pillows.

Other common reasons for back pain at night and in the morning are bad gestures when getting up and going to bed. Be careful not to get up too quickly or lean too far forward. To avoid pain when waking up: move to the edge of the bed before standing up with your arms and sitting on the side of the bed. Take a few seconds, then gently place your feet on the floor and stand up. Ideally, you should contract the muscles of your abdominal strap (often heard as "gaining") during these movements in order to limit the movements of the spine, which can be painful.

Certain sleeping postures can also cause stress on the spine and back muscles. To adopt a good position, sleep on your back or side, with a pillow placed between your legs.

Poor sleep and back pain: a vicious circle

The interactions between sleep and back pain are complex. Several studies that have looked into the issue have concluded that chronic low back pain greatly affects the quality of your nights. However, poor quality sleep often leads to physical consequences and a deterioration in quality of life.

While the researchers have highlighted relationships between sleep quality and chronic low back pain, they have been unable to determine the extent to which one affects the other. The most plausible hypothesis is that they reinforce each other. To regain quality sleep, painful symptoms must be treated, and vice versa.

In any case, remember to move your back and consult your healthcare professional in case of severe or persistent pain.