Stress could be the source of your chronic pain

Often chronic pain emerges in the absence of any definable condition. While most people are familiar with chronic pain stemming from an acute injury, a degenerative condition or something like an autoimmune disorder, pain can exist as a standalone condition all to itself. When people come to us with physical pain that has manifested itself for more than 3 months without real relief, we need to form a picture of their life that goes beyond a physical examination and diagnostic analysis. What lifestyle factors could be contributing to this chronic pain? What we quite often find is that stress is pulling strings behind the scene. Here’s how it works:

The link between stress and chronic pain

If people associate stress with any physical manifestation, it is going to be a headache; other frequently identified symptoms include: digestion problems, low energy and lack of focus. But physical pain is less frequently thought of. However, there is a significant link between stress and chronic pain. Stress causes your body to react defensively- by tightening muscles. This defense mechanism is beneficial in a fight or flight scenario, but less useful in our more mundane, everyday lives. If tension in the musculature is allowed to remain unresolved for months and even years at a time, it will start to take a toll. Your muscles will become fatigued and the tightness will pull your spine out of alignment, impinging on nerves and limiting mobility. The physical pain then contributes to more mental stress as the wheel rolls on. 

Addressing physical pain and mental stress in Hackensack

Evidence suggests that improving one symptom (pain) can help improve the other (stress). That’s where we come in. Chiropractic aims to use soft tissue therapy to reduce tension in the musculature, while spinal adjustments restore natural spinal alignment and reduce nerve impingement. Our modalities also improve circulation which bring oxygen and healing nutrients to the brain to help you better deal with stress. if you are interested in finding out more about the relationship between stress and chronic pain, give our office in Hackensack a call to schedule an appointment today.