Poll

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I would love to know how many of you sleep flat as opposed to with your head slightly or greatly elevated and why--what it makes you feel. Would love your input.

 

Dr. M & B

 

Comments

calieve's picture
calieve

I have to sleep with at least 2 pillows. I do not feel comfortable flat or with only 1 pillow. My head has to be elavated. It's like my head feels heavy or just uncomfortable if not elavated.

katiekookaa's picture
katiekookaa

Something I learnt a long time ago is that if I sleep with a pillow underneath my knees it really helps both my back and bladder discomfort. I tend to have a pillow under my head as well and I find the knee pillow balances it out.

Jeannie Burden's picture
Jeannie Burden

I sleep with one pillow . A medium size one can't be really high . Usually sleep on my side . I have had a sore neck a lot in my life & I usually use a small neck roll inside my pillow where my neck rests .

C's picture
C

I sleep with a soft, not too high pillow (can't be high or I get neck ache) and I mainly sleep on my stomach, even when my bladders bad I prefer to be on my stomach for sleeping.

deir's picture
deir

I sleep on my back with a very slim pillow. Not sure why!

AlishiaM's picture
AlishiaM

I sleep with one average pillow under my head.  I usually sleep on my right side but will roll to my stomach or back as well.  Not sure if that impacts how I'm feeling or not!

Claire's picture
Claire

I fall asleep on my stomach using no pillow but will often turn in the night and end up on my back with one or two pillows under my head.

DLFox123's picture
DLFox123

 

I sleep with one pillow - however, for the first time in years I occasionally sleep on my stomach - which was how I slept prior to getting sick.

I would love to know why you ask.

Denise

 

drbrizman's picture
drbrizman

Sorry for the delay in answering everyone--just picked this post to repsond. I'm asking because I've thought about this for a long time--how the lymphatic system circulates more efficiently flat at night. Lying in different positions can impact that flow in different ways. I was thinking to myself--I wonder how many people are sleeping and how that may be affecting their process. Food for thought for everyone. Remind me of this when I speak next to each of you so I notate it in my records. 

 

calieve's picture
calieve

Interesting, sounds like I'm not the only one with the neck ache. I have the heating pad on it right now.

drbrizman's picture
drbrizman

Neck aches are super common with chronic inflammatory issues--which can be correlated in a few ways--from Chinese medicine point of view and from a western point of view. The way I think it makes the most sense to explain is that the lymphatic system is very tied in with the condition of IC and other inflammatory disorders. The lymphatic system runs upward toes up and fingers up. It runs off of the movement that is created from your own body and warmth. As gravity is pulling things downward and the lymph is trying to flow upward, the combination between that and the toxicity creates build-up around the upper shoulders and neck. This lessens as the system becomes more clean. 

natasha149's picture
natasha149

I've been using Mediflow water pillow ever since TMJ hit a few years ago. Love it :)

fahlmank's picture
fahlmank

The one constant in my sleeping is that I am a side sleeper. No other position works for me;) When I have more than two thin pillows, my lower back and neck become sore so I prefer to have two flat-ish pillows and sleep on my side. Very interesting Dr M! 

lolo's picture
lolo

My normal sleeping thruout IC treatment has been  on the left side with 1 soft pillow. Howver because of chronic sinusitis over last while,  I have been slleeping on my back, elevated  with a foam wedge and 1 pillow...Oh I I yearn to return to side-sleeping... This is interesting  info, Dr M....

 

 

 

 

armstrongchell's picture
armstrongchell

Know this is a very old post. I cant lay on my side when i have an infection or flaring . It makes urgency worse. I have to lay on my back and itll eventually allow me to fall asleep (for 30min -an hour,lol)