Stress/ anxiety = Back Pain? An unfortunate but integral part of growing up, back pain can be attributed to several types of mental and physical stress triggers.
When caused due to anxiety or other stressors, pain in the back can lead to a never ending chain of future pains that are unrelated to stress.
Importantly, one of the overriding tenets in the numerous theories pointing to the causes of stress related pains are the emotional and psychological factors that lead to physical changes (those which exacerbate the pain cycle).
They lay the platforms for patients becoming anxious and timid about their daily activities.
Read on for more.
Characteristics of Stress Related Pain This cycle is generally characterized by: 1.
The patient becoming unnecessarily limited in his/ her daily life functions, along with avoidable leisure activities.
2.
A marked decrease in activities that can be attributed to the patient's fear of injury and pain.
3.
Impending stress and fear worsened by admonitions from health advisors, doctors, friends and family members.
These are a result of some structural diagnosis that may or may not have anything to do with back pain.
4.
Limitations in activity levels and movements that bring about muscle weakening, physical de-conditioning and lead to greater pain.
Of course, the cycle is all about more fear, more pain and more physical de-generation, along with several other stress related reactions such as depression, social isolation and anxiety.
Can Stress Cause Back Pain? Yes.
By nature, pain is very disruptive and can be caused by stress, with back pain being one of the commonest types to experience.
So, if you happen to be anxiety prone, then in all probability, you are suffering from lingering and consistent back pain; since years.
Here, we address the concerns linked with stress induced back pain and the reasons behind the same.
Signs and Causes of Back Pain due to Stress Massage therapists often find their highly stressed clients having knots in their muscles, especially in the upper back and shoulder-thus proving that stress-related back pains really exist.
However, as most muscles tend to get taut or tensed under duress and stress, the aches accompanying the condition make patients feel that their pains are related to their current psychological state or distress.
As per experts, the reason for pain caused by anxiety is often secondary.
This means that there may be other reasons that may be increasing the inflammatory conditions, muscle tension and symptoms that affect the lower and upper back.
These include: Alterations in Posture Stress can make people change their postures and behaviors, including the way in which they sit, slouch, sleep and so on.
In combination with the muscle tensions caused by anxiety, these changes in posture create further discomfort in the muscles-thus leading to severe pain in the spine and other portions of the back.
Inactivity Stress brings about changes in one's activity levels.
Playing a direct role in this kind of pain, healthy physical activity makes the back less receptive to pains and more mobile.
In some instances, long terms of inactivity leads to hypersensitivity and physical sensations that are harder to ignore and require immediate adjustments for alleviating further pain.
Way Forward In a nutshell, stress does lead to mild back pain which can be worsened by attempts to reduce the same.
While the positive steps taken for treating anxiety reduces the trauma in the long run, a lot depends on the patient's ability to fight the pain itself.
Take care.