Sleep Medicine Provider for pain management

Sleep Hygiene

If you have tried all the recommendations around sleep hygiene and you’re still suffering from poor sleep, there may be an underlying condition that warrants a visit to a Sleep Medicine Provider.

Below, Dr. Philip Eichling M.D., M.P.H., F.AASM, a board-certified sleep medicine physician, explains the relationship between pain and sleep and how the two are interconnected:

sleep medicine provider for pain management

Sleep and pain are intertwined. i.e. poor sleep worsens pain and pain can worsen sleep. In the past it was thought that the primary problem was the latter. Pain, of course, could wake anyone up. For example, normal moving during the night may cause pain and then arousals. However, pain and sleep are both regulated by similar neurotransmitters. Specifically, the neurotransmitter dopamine helps control pain. Sleep deprivation reduces dopamine action. This may be due to sleep’s effect on dopamine receptors. It has been found that there is reduced dopamine in the spinal fluid in fibromyalgia patients, which is a common example of chronic pain.

Additionally, the neurotransmitter serotonin is increased in chronic pain. Serotonin is an alerting chemical, promoting wakefulness. This may be a reason chronic pain patients have trouble initiating and maintaining sleep: it is not necessarily pain episodes themselves causing awakenings and therefore poor sleep, but the presence of chronic pain causes a general increase in alertness chemicals.

Another aspect of sleep and pain is the opioid system; this is the natural neuro-receptor system that reduces pain. Apparently sleep affects the pain reduction process. For example, sleep deprivation down-regulates the intrinsic pain reducing qualities of the opiod system. Thus, being sleepy means that the natural pain reducing body mechanism isn’t as effective.

Philip Eichling M.D., M.P.H., F.AASM
ABIM certified in sub-specialty of sleep medicine
Clinical Associate professor of medicine
University of Arizona College of Medicine

Find a provider to help with your sleep

When looking for a provider to help you with your sleep, ask them if they are a board-certified sleep medicine physician. A board-certified sleep medicine physician has all the skills necessary to diagnose and treat sleep disorders, prevent serious life-threatening disorders, and improve your quality of life. Board-certification shows a level of dedication and understanding of the field of sleep medicine. A sleep medicine provider can also connect you with other sleep specialists who may be able to help remedy your sleep woes.

sleep medicine provider for pain management

Experts you may want to collaborate with to help with chronic pain management: