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Date: 29.03.2016
From: Barry

Subject: Sleeping with spondylosis

Got this spondylosis lower back, also similar lower neck, been sleeping on an old, but good, silent night firm mattress, that's sadly tired itself now, practice diet eg no gluten or any wheat, oat or corn products, no refined sugars, no dairy, plus I try to exercise but mainly stretch affected areas in particular, and so far so good, however I thought I'd go back to trying a 75 MM. thick memory foam topper on top of this mattress with disastrous results, first two nights, snug as a bug in a rug, maybe slight discomfort, but the third night, well, in the morning, this morning, woke with refered pain rib cage, both sides, every rib, or in between them, feel like I've really injured myself, pain so bad, can't catch my breath at times. Been looking at new mattresses, found one today, firm indeed, advised to lay on it, so embarrassing, couldn't get off it, so much pain, and I was loaded with tramadol , frightened I'll spend a whole wad of money on something that'll crucify me, it all seems to be big bucks for these things now, plus delivery charge, gotta get it right, anyone out there with this affliction got any ideas, I mean should I get a blow up bed, keep adjusting the pressure, or constantly take painkillers overnight till hopefully my back settles to new bed, I'm even considering getting a well postured adjustable chair, screw the bed, it seems most of my probs start from first thing in the morning, from the previous nights posture in bed, when I originally bought this bed I never had this health problem, not really sure what to do except get rid of this foam topper, scares me if I take a break somewhere, was using travelodge coupler years back, their beds were awful, apparently they have Hypnos now, but the rubbish they had then was just sponge
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Date: 31.03.2016
From: Sean

Subject: Re: Sleeping with spondylosis

Hi Barry - My AS can catch me out with random flares occasionally.

I completely understand the pain you are describing here - and have had even with a comfortable bed, it is quite firm but good. Not a fan of foam toppers myself - we have 2 duvets folded under our bed sheet :)

I wake with lower back pain about once every 3 weeks - and can spread to my hips and ribs, I rarely have any pain at bed time.

Recently I have been following a Low Carb Higher Fat diet and any flares I have are over within a day or so. It is like my body backs off from the attack - and my immune system becomes tolerant.

If you do have a form of Ankylosing Spondylitis then the 'golden' alternative therapy is low or no-starch.

Wheat / corn / oats are of course all starches - but I have noticed that I need to be careful not to overdose on rice and to a lesser extent potatoes also. Also some drinks like whisky - and too much alcohol / refined sugar can flare me.

This is because AS is caused by an errant immune response to Klebsiella gut bacteria - and starch feeds the bacteria.

Klebsiella is a normal resident of our gut flora and when we get stressed or eat take too many pain killers the gut lining opens up allows more of the "Klebs" in to the blood stream.

Tips to ease lower back -

- If in pain on waking - A bit personal but strongly suggest best advice is to fast initially and do stretching and drink a coffee or hot water. I find that the attack on waking is gut related with bacteria in the colon - once clear the immune system can regulate

- Breakfast! nearly always carb free - Omlette, but my best regulator for my immune system is a Sheeps Milk Yoghurt (from Sainsbury) with Omega Seeds from the healthshop and few nut and blueberries.

- If you have a slippery floor, then I find a crouching position with a twist of my knees from side to side, keeping my torso facing forward like skiing help ease lower back inflammation.

- Seated knee raise - is a bit more gentle, pulling knee up toward chest helps blood flow to the sacro joint

- I remember having to sleep with pillow between my knees quite a few years ago - which helped me too but was weird to try

- People need pain relief but if it's not working then try and let your gut rest - Im in to my 3rd year now with no NSAID ever, not a single pill apart from 2 lemsips for colds.

It is not surprising that a disease that is caused by gut bacteria and has a first line treatment of NSAID - ends up with greater progression and need for Biologics

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aviva-romm/5-steps-to-heal-a-leaky-g_b_5617109.html

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239948756_The_Link_between_Ankylosing_Spondylitis_Crohn%27s_Disease_Klebsiella_and_Starch_Consumption


Regarding beds - we got a great comfy bed for our spare room from HAPPY BEDS a few years ago -

http://www.happybeds.co.uk/

All British made quality beds with pockets springs - really good value too!
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Date: 06.04.2016
From: Barry

Subject: Re: Sleeping with spondylosis

Hi yah Sean, thanks for a very helpful reply, living with a body that's a muddle of problems is no fun, being diagnosed with spondylosis took ages, I'd pestered doctors, consultants alike to help me understand why I had so much pain in so many joints in my body, without reasonable cause, when, some months ago an x Ray finally gave them reason to diagnose me as such, however, now I'm not convinced so, you see I'd slipped a disc lower lumbar twice before, my work had involved pushing heavy roller cages around most of the day, and quite often up hill, as a child between the age of 11 and 15 I worked a paper round, in fact I did two, the satchel with the papers had a strap bandolier fashion across my body, it pulled my neck to one side, hunched me over, especially when all the suppliments came out twice a week, and I was out in all weathers, a very important time in my life for spinal development, I ended up poor postured with a burning pain between my shoulders I still have. I believe having to lean forward to push heavy roller cages over time compressed my lower vertebrae , the pushed my whole spine out of shape, you see where my lower lumbar should curve in mine bulges out in one solid lump, then curves in sharply. When I stand in front of a mirror I realise my left shoulder is lower than my right, and when I walk in a straight line my upper body is crabbing, my right shoulder is ahead of my left, therefore my hips are developing arthritis, both knee joints have complications, especially under both patellars , and arthritis starting in both ankle, the right one particularly bad. My upper body resulted in neck arthritis, that I can relate back to an armed robbery in which I was hit about my skull over 20 times, what saved my life was the thickness of my skull, and a big head due to a triple crown, but it didn't save my neck, the problem has spanned across causing impingements in both shoulders, tendon issues, golfers and tennis elbow, both arms, and arthritis in the pisiform, both wrist, stemming from the neck arthritis that also affects my jaw, especially the top right side I also have severe tinnitus, so in any event I never touch NSAIDs, for tinnitus that's like pouring petrol on a fire taking those dam things, I can't sit anywhere long, sleep is six hours max the lower back pain really kicks in, can't get my arms level with my shoulders, can't catnap, that causes huge soars in tinnitus, can't stand around long, my back just siezes up, can't squat with my knees, just feel like everything is out of alignment, frequent nueropathy around and below the knees both shins, both legs, pins and needles over both feet, also have permanent pins and needles full length right side of my neck, but seldom any pain, so finding the right mattress , the right orthotics, the right shoes, painkillers, whatever, just a nightmare, found a good firm mattress on 'happy beds', thanks, cheap enough to give it a try, whatever, pain in my rib cage originally doctors kept telling me it was peptic ulcers, why do I ever go to these people, then pain generally they told me that was psychosomatic , I had to be drunk to agree on that one( I don't drink alcohol), even eventually sent me to the mental health clinic. I also have problem with my pudential nerve system, whole stack of problems with my bowels and in particular urine incontinence, live life one day at a time. I d like to try fasting initially for 3 days, I'm off gluten, dairy still a little, don't touch refined sugars, I feel there is some benefit, but still early days, have to give gluten at least a year, but stretching so important, but so difficult, try to stretch tendons, hamstrings both legs without pressurising lower back, just sit on floor with back right angle to the wall, that helps, can take 30 mins just to get legs to flatten out, helps to remove nueropathy lower legs, saw a queue of neurosurgeons with that problem, scans etc.., they gave up, blamed it on a herniated disc just above this bulge lower back, I found that to be more nonsense, the neuropathy was caused by tendon tightness, all this has driven me almost insane over the years, finally coming to terms with it, thanks again, barry
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