Nocturnal joint pain: what are they and what can be done?

Having to get up in the morning does not like anyone, but if the squeal of the alarm clock is also added to muscle and joint soreness of various localization and intensity, getting out of bed on the right foot becomes really difficult, and not only from a psychological point of view.

Sometimes, pain in a shoulder, neck or back manifests itself in a completely unexpected way, after a seemingly peaceful sleep; Others, it is the predictable continuation of joint or muscle problems already present, which had contributed to disturb the night’s rest, imposing unnatural positions and repeated awakenings.

In both cases, a frequent and often underestimated cause of the onset or aggravation of joint pain during sleep is the choice of the wrong mattress and / or pillow, with all that follows in terms of inflammation and contractures, especially when age advances and the propensity to suffer from osteoarthritis increases.

The ideal bed for painless nights

Many do not like it and when it happens to find it in a hotel room, they complain about it sincerely. However, the ideal mattress to protect muscles and joints from certain suffering is rigid, because only a little or not at all deformable support allows the musculoskeletal system, and the back in particular, to maintain physiological postures during sleep.

Especially if you have a tendency to suffer from low back pain, you should try to find a comfortable mattress, but in which it is impossible to “sink” dangerously. If you do not have a mattress with these characteristics and do not intend to change it, you should (at least) place a rigid plank on the base, about 2 cm thick, to reduce its deformability. This precaution is necessary and useful even if you are using a slatted net, better than the spring one, but still insufficient to guarantee an adequate seal.

A second crucial aspect to prevent and counteract nocturnal joint pain concerns the identification of pillows suitable for your physical conformation and the position in which you are used to sleeping.

Contrary to what is commonly thought, pillows should be used almost everywhere, except under the head, where they risk imposing inadequate curvatures on the neck and shoulders and facilitating muscle contractures and attacks of cervical osteoarthritis. If you really cannot do without the pillow in the classic position, you should choose it very low or with anatomical conformation, suitable for your neck and the posture assumed during sleep (supine or on your side).

Small and shaped pillows should, however, always be placed: between the legs, to fill the voids and avoid tension, if you sleep on your side; under the lumbar bend of the spine and under the knees slightly flexed, if you sleep supine; under the abdomen if you sleep prone. In the latter case, we must also try not to keep our arms under the belly during sleep to avoid circulatory disorders and soreness at the origin of unpleasant awakenings.

If the pain prevents you from falling asleep

Not infrequently, especially after the age of 50, “nocturnal” joint pain is, in fact, already present before bedtime and can make it quite complicated to be able to fall asleep. In this case, the advice regarding mattress, pillows and protective positions remains valid, but to mitigate the discomfort also need pharmacological help.

Whether it is low back pain, cervical osteoarthritis or shoulder pain, the active ingredients of reference to counteract acute painful episodes lasting one or a few days, belong to the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), drugs that while exerting their analgesic effect also counteract the inflammation at the origin of pain. Depending on the location of the pain and its intensity, you can choose whether to use the topical formulation, gel or cream, or instead prefer oral administration. Whatever the formulation used, it is always important to follow the dosages indicated in the package insert, or recommended by the doctor, to take the drug in greater safety.

If, after 7 days of treatment with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, joint pain shows no sign of abating, it is advisable to consult your doctor to carry out further investigations or perhaps decide to follow an alternative therapy. The doctor’s advice is instead essential if the patient is already on other drugs, or has a previous history of events affecting the gastrointestinal system.