Things to do as soon as you wake up in the morning with lower back pain

Many people experience mild lower back pain and stiffness after waking up due to maintaining a fixed sleeping position for a long time. But if your lower back pain persists, with the pain getting worse even after you’ve been awake for a few hours and moved around, or flares up so much that it disrupts your nighttime sleep, it could be due to an underlying health condition that may require a visit to the doctor for early intervention.

Identifying the exact cause of your lower back pain and treating it promptly will help you sleep better and feel more energized to start a new day and avoid serious health complications due to prolonged illness that is not treated at the root.

1. Why do I have lower back pain when I wake up in the morning?

Back pain tends to be worst in the morning, lasts a few hours, and then subsides throughout the day as back activity returns. While some people experience lower back pain occasionally, others experience chronic lower back pain, including waking up with back pain.

Below are some possible causes of back pain that you can refer to:

- Sleeping position

Poor sleeping posture can lead to back pain or worsen existing back pain because it puts stress on the spine. Certain sleeping positions can lead to upper or lower back pain, while other sleeping positions can help reduce the risk of back pain.

According to the Sleep Foundation , a good sleeping position can help promote a healthy connection from your head to your hips. For example, sleeping on your back or side is better than sleeping on your stomach and can also help prevent back pain caused by poor sleeping positions.

- Mattress

An old or unsupportive mattress can cause you to wake up with lower back pain. Signs that the mattress needs to be replaced are when the mattress is sagging, concave, and can no longer support the body and spine.

- Incorrect posture when getting out of bed

How you get out of bed in the morning can either reduce or increase back strain. Standing up too quickly or bending or twisting incorrectly or quickly can strain your back and lead to more pain and stiffness.

When you are ready to get out of bed, move slowly to the edge of the bed. Use your arms for leverage and move into a sitting position with your legs hanging over the edge of the bed. Rest in this position for at least 10 seconds, then slowly lower your feet to the floor and stand up.

- Exercising too hard

Regular exercise and proper stretching can help improve lower back pain and stiffness. However, over-exercising for several days without allowing the body time to recover can cause a person to wake up with lower back pain and pain in many other joints.

In addition to avoiding over-exercising for long periods of time, when exercising, it is important to pay attention to warming up properly before exercising and cooling down after exercising to prevent muscle stiffness and pain, as well as to give muscles time to recover after exercise, avoiding mistakes that affect exercise effectiveness as well as sleep quality at night.

- Degenerative disc

Disc degeneration refers to changes in the spinal discs that lead to back pain. Disc degeneration can occur due to aging, injury or sometimes as a result of some improper daily activities that damage the spinal discs.

Degenerative disc disease can cause a person to have lower back pain, which may be worse in the morning, pain when lying on the back or lying on the side for a long time, causing the disc to become inflamed, swollen, pressing on the nerve roots or causing neuritis.

- Fibromyalgia

Back pain is a common symptom of fibromyalgia, a musculoskeletal condition that causes widespread pain. Most fibromyalgia symptoms are not easy to spot. Symptoms that indicate you need to see a doctor for a diagnosis include: Trigger points that are painful when pressed, feeling more tender than usual, fatigue, difficulty sleeping at night, restless leg syndrome, throbbing headaches that may be accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, jaw pain, brain fog, and increased sensitivity to light, sound, and touch.

Back pain caused by fibromyalgia can cause a person to feel deep aches and stiffness, and this pain may be more common in the morning.

- Arthritis

Many different arthritis conditions can cause back pain, including lower back pain in the morning. These conditions can be: Osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

If you have one of these conditions, you may experience back pain when you are stationary for long periods of time, such as when you sleep. The pain and symptoms will vary depending on the condition.

In addition to the above health conditions that can cause lower back pain when waking up, lower back pain can also be related to pregnancy. The rate of back pain during pregnancy accounts for 30 - 78%, with different levels of pain. There are many causes of lower back pain during pregnancy, including: increased release of hormones that soften the ligaments and pelvic joints, reducing the ability to support the back; the weight of the fetus increases; During pregnancy, the mother's center of gravity also shifts forward, making the lower back more susceptible to pain.

2. Tips to reduce lower back pain when waking up

Depending on the cause of the pain and the severity of the pain, the treatment for back pain after waking up will also be different. According to Medical News Today, if the back pain does not improve on its own after waking up and moving around for a few hours, the patient can relieve lower back pain with some measures such as:

- Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: Patients can take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

Muscle relaxants: These prescription medications relax muscles and can help relieve back muscle pain. However, a 2021 study found that muscle relaxants are generally not effective for chronic back pain and that long-term use may increase the risk of unhealthy side effects. Before use, talk to your doctor to get appropriate advice.

- Heat and cold therapy: Applying heat or ice packs to the lower back can reduce pain and inflammation and improve mobility.

- Gentle back stretching: Gentle stretching can relieve pain and improve mobility in the lower back. However, patients should discuss with their doctor in advance to ensure that stretching does not aggravate lower back pain symptoms when waking up, especially when the pain is severe.

3. When do you need to see a doctor when you wake up with lower back pain?

If lower back pain occurs frequently and becomes more severe, affecting your daily life and activities, you need to see a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis of the cause as soon as possible.

Your doctor will help determine where your lower back pain is coming from. It is important to seek prompt medical treatment for severe lower back pain that interferes with mobility and daily activities.

You should also see a doctor soon if your back pain is accompanied by health problems in the intestines; in the bladder; numbness or weakness in one arm or leg; shortness of breath.

To make a diagnosis, the doctor will ask the patient about the symptoms they are experiencing, their medical history, their medication history, and conduct a physical examination. In some cases, the doctor may recommend tests to help determine the underlying cause of lower back pain, such as imaging tests including X-rays or CT scans.