I was speaking to a patient who has visited us for years regarding lower back achiness at night. He had tried using a pillow between his legs while side sleeping and wasn’t sure how much this helped. On the other hand, women more commonly do this and they claim it reduced back pain when they sleep on their side. . There are many things we do for relief of back or joint pain including braces, foam rolling, medication, etc. Do these approaches to relief of back pain resolve our problems or relieve pain while the cause of the problem worsens over time as we age. Contrary to what most of us read on the internet or in magazines, back pain, sciatic and leg pain, knee, hip pain and even foot and ankle pain can have many causes. There is no one size fits all approach to back pain that works reliably although how we have adapted over the years, our body mechanics and many other factors can result in chronic back pain. Using Advil to relieve it early on simply makes the problems more tolerable although, recent research shows us that the myofascial system plays a roll in the symptoms of back, leg, foot, knee and even shoulder and upper body pain. We do adapt, grow, have injuries, readapt and continually adapt throughout our lives. We are all different mechanically, and have different body styles, sexes and solving these problems must be done on an individual basis. Solving back pain requires our health care practitioners to see us as holistic beings and how we move determines how we feel and function. Common reasons why our back aches while in bed. There are many reasons for back pain while sleeping. They may include A bad mattress Broken boards in a box spring. An existing mechanical problem that has never been properly treated. This is by far the most common cancer infections which may include kidney. kidney stones. Body mechanics Of course there are others, but back pain is by far the most common. Who is most likely to get relief from a pillow between the knees while side sleeping? Women are most likely to get relief of back pain from a pillow between the legs here’s why. Men have a narrower pelvis and a women’s pelvis is wider. The wider pelvis requires the leg has to move farther down to meet the other knee. The pillow reduces how far that leg must move down. If your legs and hips are tight, placing one leg on top of the other while side sleeping will strain the hip and cause back pain. It is that simple. If your shins or medial knee fascia is sore, just laying on your side with the knees together can cause knee pain. There are many people selling pillows with different shapes and sizes and there is no shortage of companies selling them with memory foam and many are shaped to keep the knees in place. You also can just use a regular pillow and try it out. These pillows can relieve Back pain. sciatic or sacroiliac pain knee pain from placing one knee on top of the other, often from sore leg or shin muscles. hip pain While a pillow may help relieve the condition, it does not improve the mechanical reason you ache. These problems over time worsen as we age, and the body mechanics that caused them in the first place may eventually affect ankle, knee, foot and even back function regardless of your using a pillow for relief. There is a better approach. Improving function and resolving painful conditions with chiropractic care. Why chiropractic? You don’t need braces or pillows to help you sleep, you need solutions. You don’t need an MRI in most cases; you need a thorough evaluation. Most people mistakenly think of chiropractic physicians as back or spine doctors. Chiropractors are holistically orientated with methods that help people avoid drugs and surgery. They are primary care for the musculoskeletal system with an expertise in improving how you move which reduces pain, improves function and helps you age better. Sports chiropractors are certified or diplomate level providers who have additional knowledge to treat every joint of the body and understand how to help you solve problems that may have become chronic. A chiropractic visit begins with a thorough history and an evaluation to understand why you hurt. Back pain while side sleeping is often relieved with better function of the spine, legs, hips and fascial system. Our history and exam can help us understand why you hurt and find solutions that are natural, and free you from always needing temporary relief from medications, or needing a pillow between the legs to help you avoid back pain at night. Chiropractors are doctors of movement. Improve how you move, feel and function with chiropractic care. Your body will thank you. You will sleep better and you will be less likely to develop many of the chronic painful problems caused by poor function. Chiropractors keep it simple. We are primary care and the same doctor will evaluate you on every visit, show you your functional improvements and set goals for you to feel better with methods such as myofascial release, exercises and manipulation of the spine and extremities. Everyone is different and the care we recommend is crafted uniquely to help you. We are thorough and keep it simple. Most patients do not require a team of people of different specialties who are looking at where you hurt rather than why. You need a solid problem solving approach. My background in sports medicine helps me help you better, bringing my on the field experience and 40 years of practice experience to help you. Do you need a better pillow between your knees or a more informed approach to resolve the reasons you have pain. Need help today? Book online or call either of our offices.