When you wake up in the morning, do you feel achy? While aches and pains are common from time to time, waking up every morning with them can indicate a more serious problem.
If you have painful sensations in the morning for no apparent reason, don’t hesitate to contact Dubuque Physical Therapy as soon as possible for assistance. We’ll get to the root of your problem to help you find relief, so you can wake up in the mornings feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day ahead.
Common causes of chronic pain in the morning
Has your doctor diagnosed you with a more serious medical condition that impacts your joints and tissues? If so, physical therapy may be the next step. Physical therapy is a very common and effective treatment plan for pain relief.
Here are some of the most common ailments that can be relieved with the guidance of a physical therapist:
- Osteoarthritis.
- Gout.
- Bursitis.
- Tendinitis.
- Lupus.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Injury.
Aches, pains, and stiffness can be caused by any of these disorders. In addition to pain alleviation, physical therapy treatment regimens for these diseases will focus on helping you attain a broader range of motion in your affected joints or limbs. These help you regain your typical movement by improving overall function.
Why is pain worse in the morning?
Overuse of your joint tissues throughout the day might aggravate them without you even noticing it. When you fall asleep, you are nearly immobile for several hours, which can cause tissue inflammation to thicken and irritate the affected area further. As a result, you feel stiff and achy when you wake up in the morning.
Most of the time, after you get up and walk around, this feeling will subside pretty quickly. This is due to the fact that movement causes the inflammation to become liquid-like, reducing chronic pain. Hydration is an easy way to avoid aching morning wake-up calls.
Staying hydrated allows your body’s tissues to function at their normal pace, whereas dehydration slows down your chemical processes. This will keep your tissues from becoming overly inflamed, easing irritation.
Great ways to ease your discomfort and pain
Your physical therapy treatment plan will be determined by your symptoms and/or diagnosis. In addition to your customized treatment plan, many physical therapists will recommend at-home remedies. On your path to wellness, your physical therapist will most likely give you the following advice:
- Maintain a healthy diet. Consumption of brightly colored fruits and vegetables can help alleviate pain. These healthy foods have more antioxidants and vitamins, which fight off the inflammation that leads to pain and irritation. A better diet also helps you to get better sleep and helps your body receive more benefits from exercise – thus, adding to the endless cycle of benefits.
- Practice proper posture. Avoiding unwanted aches and pains can be as simple as maintaining proper posture. Try to get up every half hour for some light stretches if your job needs you to sit at a desk for extended periods of time or if you stay sedentary for hours every day. Move around and keep your circulation running to relieve joint pain. Make sure your spine is straight and your shoulders are back at your desk to avoid slouching or hunching.
- Get enough sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep creates an endless cycle of benefits, especially when it comes to physical therapy. Sufficient amounts of sleep will increase your ability to exercise effectively, which in turn will help you sleep better at night. Your sleep and exercise habits go hand-in-hand, and the results of one will always affect the other.
The benefits of physical therapy
It is in your best interest to see a physical therapist if you are experiencing chronic aches and pains. Your physical therapist will perform a physical examination to establish the source of your discomfort and develop a treatment plan based on that information. Your physical therapist will work with you to relieve your pain and enhance your function, and will be there to support you every step of the way.
Get on the fast track to pain relief today
Physical therapists are movement specialist who can help you recover from your pain condition. Our treatment strategies include focused stretches and exercises to relieve your symptoms and prevent them from coming back in the future.
If you’re suffering from aches and pains, call our office right now to see how we can help! We’ll help you reclaim your freedom to live life on your own terms.
