Is Your Morning Back Pain More Than Just 'Stiffness'? New Cryotherapy Could Be The Answer

Many people wake up or experience back stiffness due to various factors that can cause disability. The inability to move or experience extreme pain when you try to use your back muscles can be a deeper health issue if it occurs persistently. This is a serious health issue that affects 619 million people globally, as per the World Health Organization, and needs to be treated via therapeutics or supportive exercises to reduce its disease burden. The exact health issue is termed ankylosing spondylitis or inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine and can lead to stiffness and pain. But there is hope as a new review suggests whole-body cryotherapy may help certain patients who have ankylosing spondylitis.

When Morning Back Pain Is Not "Normal"

Morning back pain can occur if there is too much physical strain or too much exercise that strains back muscles, or even an injury or trauma can cause it. But there is a clear difference between temporary stiffness and ongoing pain that needs to be made to understand the mechanism behind ankylosing spondylitis. The red flags that can help you differentiate are as follows:

• When lower back pain lasts for over 30 to 60 minutes which means the spinal muscles have tissue damage.
• And it tends to recur daily, which points to its persistent nature.
• Age alone isn't always the cause, as certain wrongful physical loads can cause permanent spinal damage that can manifest as lower back pain.

What Is Ankylosing Spondylitis?

The WHO has pinpointed that 60% of Indians experience lower back pain, out of which Ankylosing Spondylitis is becoming common. The research published in the Frontiers in Immunology highlights that the condition is rheumatic and autoimmune in nature. It is commonly associated with a chronic inflammatory response, mainly characterized by pain, stiffness, or limited mobility of the spine and joints.

The symptoms of this condition are worse in the morning as the body remains stiff during sleep, and the muscles are awakened in the morning, which causes the pain.

Also Read: Back Pain Is A Common Concern Among All Age Groups, Says Doctor; How To Prevent It

What The New Study Found

According to a new study published in the European Medical Journal, the therapy that is showing the most promise in addressing the pain caused by Ankylosing Spondylitis is Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC). Here is how:

• WBC helped reduce pain and stiffness that is common among people who are suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis.
• The therapy showed positive results with improved mobility and quality of life in patients, as pain due to Ankylosing Spondylitis is a leading cause of disability.

Note: The systematic review and meta-analysis pooled data from five studies involving 310 patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis, so its implications for an even wider data pool are needed to measure its complete effectiveness.

What Is Cryotherapy and How Does It Work?

Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a practice wherein the body is exposed to sub-zero temperatures, which causes the body's muscles to relax. The exact temperature guidelines followed are between -60 degree celusis and -10 degree celusis, which the body is exposed to in sessions that last from 80 seconds to three minutes. This practice helps the body to reduce the inflammation and pain levels of patients primarily.

Why Cryotherapy May Help Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients

WBC may help patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis as it has the ability to:

• Targets inflammation, not just pain pathways that may signal tissue damage or injury to the spine.
• Helps ease morning stiffness that can be persistent in nature to a certain extent.
• WBC should be used alongside standard treatment, not as a replacement for Ankylosing Spondylitis treatment.

Who Should Consider Seeing A Doctor

People who have been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis or who exhibit the symptoms should see a doctor and seek a treatment plan that can work for them. Here is the criteria that should warrant a visit to the doctor:

• Morning stiffness that lasts over an hour, as clearly there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
• Pain improves with movement, not rest, which signals that the back muscles, when used, are able to relax and contract easily, but when unused, there is still pain.
• A family history of arthritis should force you to seek a timely medical evaluation, so that you can prevent the condition even before it manifests.
• Young adults with unexplained chronic back pain should seek medical advice to address their pain levels and figure out the root cause.

Also Read: Exercise Offers Limited Relief For Arthritis Pain: Study

What Patients Should Know Before Trying Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is an experimental and supportive healthcare practice that should only be done in medical supervision. It shouldn't be used for leisure, as it does have side effects when otherwise healthy individuals use it not for its intended purpose.

• Cryotherapy should be practiced when it is doctor-recommended to ensure patients with ankylosing spondylitis seek pain relief.
• It is not suitable for everyone, especially those with weak hearts or genetically weak heart muscles, or those who have issues with hypertension or high blood pressure.
• Cryotherapy works best as part of a treatment plan, as it is a supportive therapy that can ease pain.

Morning back pain shouldn't always be brushed off as a serious health condition, like ankylosing spondylitis need early diagnosis. And full body cryotherapy is a new therapy that shows promising support.

Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.