Night Back Pain: Causes and Treatment
Nighttime back pain is a special type of lower back pain that could indicate a serious problem with your spine.
In the U.S., up to 80% of the population experiences some form of low back pain at some time in their lives. It's the second most common reason people see their doctor. But as debilitating as back pain can be, most instances of it are manageable, and people who get adequate rest and proper exercise often see improvement within a matter of weeks.
Neck Strain and Whiplash
Neck strain is often just called whiplash. Although it's usually associated with car accidents, any impact or blow that causes your head to jerk forward or backward can cause neck strain. The sudden force stretches and tears the muscles and tendons in your neck.Neck strain afflicts many amateur and professional athletes. People who play contact sports like football are especially prone to neck strain.Neck strains are often confused with neck sprains. They're a bit different. Neck strains are...
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With nighttime back pain, however, people can't get the rest they need because they can't get relief from their pain.
The majority of people with back pain are able to adjust how they sleep to get relief from the pain they experience during the day. But with nighttime back pain -- also called nocturnal back pain -- the hurting doesn't stop when a person lies down, no matter what adjustments he or she makes. For some, the pain actually gets worse. And for others, the pain doesn't even start until they lie down.
A person can actually go through a day virtually pain-free. But then at night, he or she might find it nearly impossible to get a full night's sleep.
Just as with normal back pain, the cause of nighttime back pain isn't always clear. Among other things, back pain can be caused by any of the following:
A large number of the participants in the British study suffered disc degeneration.
Sometimes the cause of back pain might not be determined.
In the U.S., up to 80% of the population experiences some form of low back pain at some time in their lives. It's the second most common reason people see their doctor. But as debilitating as back pain can be, most instances of it are manageable, and people who get adequate rest and proper exercise often see improvement within a matter of weeks.
Recommended Related to Back Pain
Neck Strain and Whiplash
Neck strain is often just called whiplash. Although it's usually associated with car accidents, any impact or blow that causes your head to jerk forward or backward can cause neck strain. The sudden force stretches and tears the muscles and tendons in your neck.Neck strain afflicts many amateur and professional athletes. People who play contact sports like football are especially prone to neck strain.Neck strains are often confused with neck sprains. They're a bit different. Neck strains are...
Read the Neck Strain and Whiplash article > >
With nighttime back pain, however, people can't get the rest they need because they can't get relief from their pain.
What Is Nighttime Back Pain?
The majority of people with back pain are able to adjust how they sleep to get relief from the pain they experience during the day. But with nighttime back pain -- also called nocturnal back pain -- the hurting doesn't stop when a person lies down, no matter what adjustments he or she makes. For some, the pain actually gets worse. And for others, the pain doesn't even start until they lie down.
A person can actually go through a day virtually pain-free. But then at night, he or she might find it nearly impossible to get a full night's sleep.
What Causes Nocturnal Pain?
Just as with normal back pain, the cause of nighttime back pain isn't always clear. Among other things, back pain can be caused by any of the following:
- Problems with the way the spine moves or other mechanical problems, the most common of which is disc degeneration. Discs are tissue between the vertebrae that function as a type of shock absorber; the discs can break down with age.
- Injuries such as sprains or fractures or more severe injuries such as a fall or an auto accident.
- Diseases and conditions, such as scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, or spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column. Kidney stones, pregnancy, endometriosis, certain cancers, and various forms of arthritis can all lead to back pain.
A large number of the participants in the British study suffered disc degeneration.
Sometimes the cause of back pain might not be determined.