Your brain and body respond to this type of negative stress, whether it’s real or imagined. Remember the last time you saw a car veering into your lane, and your heart rate went through the roof? That is an acute stress response in action! But if you are consistently dealing with negative stress each day, you may be on your way to developing a serious case of chronic stress that has profound negative health implications.
The above may seem obvious but what most people fail to consider is that the chronic stress of pain from a pinched nerve results in the same chemical changes in the body. Add to this poor quality sleep and anxiety and the result is a perfect storm leading to all sorts of health problems.
In the short term, acute stress can be a good thing. It helps us react quickly. Your brain tells your adrenal glands to release hormones (chemicals) that help your body respond in an instant. If the stress continues, you may slip into a mode of chronic stress. Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your brain and body. The symptoms of chronic pain and chronic stress overlap and often feed into each other.
- Chronic stress can lead to anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep problems, and more
- Stress, pain and inflammation are all connected by the stress hormone cortisol
- Spinal Decompression Therapy may be able to decrease your cortisol level
The Link Between Your Stress and Your Spine
Your stress level and spinal health are connected and linked through your nervous system. Just think about your posture when you get stressed out. Your muscles get tense, and your breathing patterns change in response to the stress. Changes to your posture and movement patterns resulting from stress can lead to neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and more.
Stress often triggers a vicious cycle of pain and dysfunction. The process is coordinated through your nervous, immune, and musculoskeletal systems. Here’s an example. If you’re stressed out, you may notice yourself not exercising much, which leads to an increase in weight that brings your mental health down, which leads to more stress.
- Stress can affect your posture and movement patterns
- Abnormal motion of your spinal joints can lead to pain and inflammation
- Spinal Decompression Therapy works by improving the motion of your joints and by influencing your nervous system
3 Ways Spinal Decompression Therapy Can Help Reduce Your Stress
Chronic stress can contribute to health issues like anxiety, depression, and even back pain. In a constant state of stress, your body produces hormones that can disrupt almost all of your body’s natural processes. This puts you at risk for a dizzying array of health problems. Discovering healthy ways to cope with stress in your life is one of the best ways to manage your stress.
New research has proven that chronic stress affects your brain and body and can contribute to many chronic diseases. Identifying chronic stress early and taking proactive steps to manage it is the best way to avoid long term health challenges. Early signs of chronic stress include sleeplessness, headaches, muscle tension, and joint pain. We can help you overcome stress in a few unique ways. Here are three ways we can help you reduce stress:
- Reduce Muscle Tension – reducing tension in your muscles can help your mind and body feel better
- Restore Function – spinal decompression therapy can help restore proper function to the joints of your spine, arms, and legs
- Offer Personalized Exercise – daily exercise can help reduce your mental stress and improve the results of your care.
Next Steps:
Staying healthy is an attainable goal if you take just a few minutes each day to be proactive with your healthy habits. Managing your level of physical, chemical, and emotional stress with daily physical movement, mental focus, and portion planning is a great way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. If you need help- give us a call today! We’re here for you.
Science Source:Stress Management. Mayo Clinic 2019
Chronic Stress, Cortisol Dysfunction, and Pain: A Psychoneuroendocrine Rationale for Stress Management in Pain Rehabilitation. Physical Therapy 2014
REDUCTION OF CORTISOL LEVELS AND PERCEIVED ANXIETY IN A PATIENT UNDERGOING CHIROPRACTIC MANAGEMENT FOR NECK PAIN AND HEADACHE. Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic. 2020
Neurophysiological effects of spinal manipulation. The Spine Journal 2002
The Interaction Effect of Posture and Psychological Stress on Neck-Shoulder Muscle Activity in Typing: A Pilot Study. EHAWC 2011
