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The biological and physiological significance of pain for higher animals and humans is enormous, since pain is a “signal” of a danger threatening the body: injury, the destructive effects of an infection, a malfunction of some organ. When pain appears, the body’s defenses come into full “combat readiness” – in order to eliminate painful irritations and their negative impact. And often the first alarm signal is pain after sleep.
Causes of pain after sleep
Pain after sleep arises from a negative effect on the body and its individual parts, both external damaging factors (injuries, adverse weather conditions, chemicals, etc.) and internal ones. With external ones, everything is clear: every person perceives them, as they say, “in real time,” and in this case, for example, pain in the legs after sleep, which appeared after being on one’s feet for a long time, does not raise any questions…
But with internal algogenic factors (that is, factors that cause pain), everything is much more complicated and… more dangerous. Internal causes of pain after sleep include: acute or chronic inflammatory processes, the presence of infection, dysfunction of an organ or an entire system, benign or malignant neoplasms, changes in the innervation system of internal organs, decreased blood supply to an area of the body, organ or tissue.
At the same time, the psycho-emotional and vegetative manifestations of pain are so diverse (and in many cases are individual in nature) that finding out the true causes of pain after sleep – especially chronic pain – can only be done by a doctor with sufficient clinical experience, who, based on test results and a comprehensive examination, will make the correct diagnosis. diagnosis.
But, unfortunately, people rarely go to doctors with such complaints. In addition, neuropathic pain after sleep, which is caused by damage to the human somatovisceral sensory system, in most cases has a psychogenic etiology and is therefore rarely diagnosed.
Back pain after sleep
Back pain after sleep occurs from an unusual physiological position of the body during sleep, with traumatic injury to the spine, spasms of the spinal muscles, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, curvature of the spine (scoliosis), excess body weight, and also during late pregnancy.
The simplest and most common cause of back pain after sleep is the position in which a person rests at night. Orthopedists believe that it is best to sleep on your side, with the shoulder on the mattress rather than on the pillow, and the space between the head and shoulder should be filled with a small pillow. Therefore, you should abandon large square pillows, replacing them with small rectangular ones. This recommendation applies, first of all, to those who have problems with the cervical spine, in particular cervical osteochondrosis.
Pain in the spine after sleep often torments those who sleep on their stomach. As a rule, in this position the head is turned to the side, which causes pressure on the blood vessels. And sleeping on your back does not allow the spine to relax, so in the morning a person may feel back pain.
Lower back pain after sleep can be caused by lumbar radiculitis (radiculopathy), lumbago (lumbago in the lumbar region), destruction of the lumbar intervertebral disc, displacement or prolapse of the disc (herniation), and traumatic strain of muscle tissue. In addition, lower back pain after sleep, radiating to the lower abdomen, accompanies kidney stones, and in women is associated with certain gynecological diseases, for example, endometriosis.
Neck pain after sleep
Neck pain after sleep is a symptom of such widespread pathologies of the cervical spine as cervical osteochondrosis and spondylosis, migelosis, and muscle hernia.
Neck pain radiating to the back of the head in the morning torments those who have a sedentary job and move little. It is they who are most often diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis, as well as cervical spondylosis, in which cracks in the cartilage discs lead to attacks of acute pain in the neck, the back of the head, and the shoulders.
Due to drafts, incorrect posture and nervous tension, a person can develop nodular seals in the muscle tissues of the neck (migelosis), which provoke neck pain, including after sleep, and pain in the muscles of the shoulder girdle. With a cervical hernia, a typical sports injury, pain is caused by a rupture of the membrane (fascia) of the long and posterior scalene muscles of the neck.
Shoulder pain after sleep
First of all, the cause of shoulder pain after sleep may be associated with the already mentioned osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, as well as with inflammation of the shoulder joint – arthrosis or arthritis. With arthritis, pain in the shoulder torments at the slightest movement of the arm. For arthrosis, which develops from arthritis, pain in the shoulder after sleep is felt even in the absence of movement, which often makes it impossible to fall asleep at all.
It should be noted that many people who have some kind of pathology of the cardiovascular system may feel a dull pain in the left shoulder upon awakening.
Headache after sleep
Primary stress headaches may occur in the morning, immediately after waking up, if you had an intense workout at the gym the night before or did heavy physical work. By the way, after intense mental work or sitting in front of a computer monitor for many hours, pain in the back of the head may also occur after sleep.
Secondary headaches in the morning after sleep appear as a result of sleep-disordered breathing (apnea), increased blood or intracranial pressure, pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, and also as a side effect of constantly taken sedatives and sleeping pills.
Headaches that become more intense at night and headaches after sleep are sure symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. This pathology is the result of an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid – the fluid that washes the brain. The circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is disrupted in cases of traumatic brain injury, brain tumor or hematoma, as well as in meningitis and encephalitis.
A very common occurrence is a headache after a nap. In theory, there is absolutely no need for a healthy adult to sleep during the daytime. True, this does not apply to those who work and are on night shifts, or who simply temporarily do not have the opportunity to get a good night’s sleep, such as parents of infants.
Ancient Chinese healers believed that an adult’s daytime sleep shortens his life, since the irresistible desire to take a nap in the light of the sun indicates weakness of the blood vessels and heart. Modern views on the advisability of daytime sleep for adults are diametrically opposed and agree on only one point: you should sleep during the day not lying down, but half-sitting, and the duration of such rest should not exceed 25-30 minutes. In all other cases, you are guaranteed to feel exhausted and have a headache after a nap.
If a headache occurs after a long sleep, then you should keep in mind: the optimal duration of night sleep is 7-8 hours a day. Everything is clear about “lack of sleep”, since it is definitely harmful. But doctors consider constant oversleeping to be a pathology and call it increased sleepiness (hypersomnia). Despite a long night’s rest, sleep lovers often complain of lethargy, feeling tired, irritability and memory problems.
Improper sleep patterns not only lead to headaches after sleep, but also reduce a person’s mental abilities, increasing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s syndrome. According to the International Association for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease, insufficient and excessive sleep accelerates the aging of the human brain.
Leg pain after sleep
Due to significant physical activity, the content of lactic acid, which is formed during the breakdown of glucose, sharply increases in muscle tissue. This is why leg pain occurs after sleep. The pain affects the foot, lower leg and thigh.
The same pain often accompanies rheumatism, arthritis, arthrosis, and sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve). In cases where pain in the legs after sleep is accompanied by swelling of the soft tissues of the lower extremities, doctors first suspect the development of varicose veins in the patient – even in the absence of its visible manifestations.
Also among the causes of pain in the legs after sleep are tight or uncomfortable shoes, high-heeled shoes and, of course, excess weight, which creates additional stress on the joints of the legs.
Pain in the feet after sleep can be caused by osteoporosis (that is, calcium deficiency in the body), poor circulation, nerve damage, and a type of arthritis such as gout.
With plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the muscle located along the foot – from the heel to the phalanges of the toes), pain in the heel after sleep is bothersome. Such pain often occurs in those who work standing, have extra pounds or have flat feet.
Chest pain after sleep
Short-term squeezing and pressing pain in the chest after sleep, which radiates to the neck, back and shoulders, is associated with heart disease – from angina pectoris to myocardial infarction.
Experts advise not to forget about intercostal neuralgia, in which chest pain after sleep is a consequence of a violation of the correct position of the ribs and pinching of the intercostal nerves. Most often this happens with injuries in the chest area, with scoliosis, from prolonged overstrain of the chest muscles, as well as in the presence of displacement of the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc with rupture of its fibrous ring, that is, a herniated intervertebral disc.
Abdominal pain after sleep
Abdominal pain after sleep or abdominal pain syndrome is a typical manifestation of functional disorders of the esophagus, stomach or intestines, as well as a sign of possible pathologies of organs located in the upper abdominal cavity – the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, pancreas and spleen.
In addition, morning abdominal pain can be caused by diseases of the human reproductive organs: the uterus and ovaries in women, the prostate gland in men.
Muscle pain after sleep
This type of pain (myofascial pain syndrome) from the point of view of anatomy and physiology is explained by the fact that when muscles spasm, a reaction occurs in the special hypersensitive “trigger” (or trigger) points present in them – compactions of muscle tissue with a diameter of several millimeters. There are such points of increased irritability in many muscles. That is why morning myofascial pain – at the slightest stretch of a muscle during some movement – is perceived as pain in the body after sleep.
Studies have shown that pain in the muscle itself, as well as in adjacent areas, is caused by prolonged muscle strain, which triggers the formation of trigger points. And prolonged muscle strain occurs during a forced long stay in one position – with an incorrect posture at a desk, in front of a computer, or while driving a car. Hypothermia provokes muscle pain.
Moreover, muscle pain after sleep can be the result of constantly wearing a bag with a shoulder strap, narrow bra straps, a tight jeans belt, heavy warm clothes putting pressure on the shoulder girdle…
Treating pain after sleep
The choice of treatment for pain after sleep is influenced by the etiology of pain and the location of its occurrence. In the pharmacological treatment of pain, including pain after sleep, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most often used, although they do not always have a positive effect. The most widely used drugs for the treatment of pain include Indomethacin, Piroxicam, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac.
Indomethacin (synonyms – Inteban, Metindol, Indocid, Articin, Artizinal, Melitex, Nurikon, Peralgon, Vellopan, Arthrotsid, etc.) is an effective anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent for rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthrosis and neuralgic pain. Adults take the drug orally after meals, 0,025 g (25 mg) 2-3 times a day. To relieve acute attacks of pain, the dosage can be increased to 0,05 g (50 mg) 3 times a day, the maximum daily dose is 200 mg, with long-term use – no more than 75 mg. Possible side effects of Indomethacin: headache, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain in the epigastric region, skin rashes. The drug is contraindicated for use if there is a history of gastric and duodenal ulcers, ulcerative processes in the intestines and esophagus, with bronchial asthma, during pregnancy and lactation.
Piroxicam (tablets or capsules of 0,01 and 0,02 g, as well as gel and cream) has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects and is prescribed for pain and inflammation of the joints and soft tissues of the musculoskeletal system. Take 1-2 tablets orally once a day. After the acute stage of the disease, maintenance treatment is prescribed. For external local use, Piroxicam gel or cream (5-10 mm column) is applied to painful areas of the skin 3-4 times a day. Possible side effects of this drug include nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and discomfort, constipation, diarrhea, in rare cases, liver or kidney dysfunction, stomatitis, skin rash and itching, swelling of the legs, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, and also anemia, leukopenia or thrombocytopenia. The drug should not be taken for ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, asthma, impaired liver and kidney function, or for pregnant and lactating women.
Indications for the use of Ibuprofen (synonyms – Nurofen, Ibupron, Ibuprof, Ibusan, Ipren, Bonifen, Profen, etc.) are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, neuralgia, myalgia, radiculitis, traumatic inflammation of soft tissues; It is prescribed as an adjuvant for headaches and toothaches. 1 tablet contains 200 mg of ibuprofen. For moderate pain, the drug is taken orally at 400 mg three times a day (maximum daily dose – 2,4 g). It should be borne in mind that taking Ibuprofen may cause side effects such as nausea, flatulence, constipation, heartburn, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, insomnia, skin rash. The drug is contraindicated for ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, disorders of hematopoiesis and kidney and liver function, in childhood (up to 6 years). And during pregnancy, it can only be used as prescribed by a doctor.
Main indications for the use of Diclofenac in the treatment of pain after sleep
similar to Ibuprofen. Adults take Diclofenac tablets 25-50 mg 2-3 times a day, children over 6 years old – 2 mg per kilogram of body weight. Diclofenac in the form of ointments or gels is applied only to intact areas of the skin.
Side effects of this drug include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, exacerbation of peptic ulcers, dizziness, headache, insomnia, tinnitus, cramps and itchy skin rashes. Contraindications include: gastric and duodenal ulcers, hypersensitivity to diclofenac, children under 6 years of age, pregnancy and lactation. In the presence of chronic or acute diseases of the liver, kidneys and stomach, as well as people with bronchial asthma, hypertension and heart failure, Diclofenac should be taken with great caution due to the threat of negative side effects.
According to statistics from the European Federation of Pain (EFIC), 19% of Europeans have chronic pain, and most often something hurts among citizens of Norway, where almost 30% of residents complain of pain after sleep, as well as among Italians, 26% of whom suffer from such pain.
The third US President, Thomas Jefferson, once said that “the art of living is the art of avoiding pain.” If you do not master this art, and your body constantly gives you pain “signals,” seek qualified medical help so that pain after sleep does not overshadow your life.