Happy Wednesday,
A while ago, I saw my client (let’s call her B) for a check in and she told me that she had been having a hard time sleeping recently.
My first questions were;
- What's your bedtime routine?
- Are you in pain?
- Do you get enough to eat before bed?
- Are you drinking alcohol or eating sugar close to bed time?
- Do you have any lights in your room or is it too warm?
- Do you do anything in your bed besides sleep and have sex?
Based on her responses, B seemed to have great sleep hygiene so I was a little stumped.
She volunteered that she’s been trying very hard to stick to the instructions that her chiropractor gave her for the “right” way to sleep so that her back wouldn't "go out" again but that it doesn’t feel restful and she has a hard time relaxing in the “right” position.
My internal dialogue: Ummm….. Who does this guy think he is telling my client what the right way to sleep is?
My actual words: Okay, let's figure out what would be more comfortable so you can get some sleep.
B was under the impression that if she didn’t follow the very specific sleeping position recommendation given to her by a health care provider that she trusted, that her back would go out again. She worried she would have to go back to getting regular adjustments. B also added that she had just gotten down to maintenance adjustments since she wasn’t in pain anymore. (Don’t even get me started about what "maintenance" is, when it comes to getting adjustments.)
First, zero shade to chiropractors as a profession, I know a few great ones.
Second, I am all about problem solving and finding a comfortable sleeping position. This is a gold mine of possibility for people who are having trouble sleeping because of pain. I usually recommend that you grab all the extra pillows in the house and use them in any arrangement needed to decrease pain points. You can rearrange as needed throughout the night, and you can try my specific recommendations based on your pain, or toss them out the window (the pillows or my recommendations) if they don’t actually help you sleep.
Most people who have experienced back pain know that it can happen as easily from sneezing or picking up a tissue from the floor as it does from picking up a loaded cooler. That means that you can’t always predict or prevent it.
The best thing we can do is focus on recovery when it does happen, so that it doesn’t interrupt your life.
And one of the first and most important elements of recovering from an injury? Good sleep.
If you take anything away from this newsletter today, let it be a reminder that you know your body better than anyone, and that a doctor’s recommendation is only as good as it is effective. I do believe the chiropractor in question was trying to help B sleep better. If it was truly about preventing back pain, it was a misguided recommendation.
When recommendations from a doctor become a source of fear and disrupt life instead of assisting it, those recommendations become harmful, rather than helpful.
You, as a patient, always get to decide what will help you get the best outcome for you. If a recommendation or treatment isn’t working, it might be time to try something new.
As an aside, at the end of our conversation B said maybe she’d take a break from chiropractic since she’s not in pain anymore. I think that is a brilliant idea.
Warmly,
Katy
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