Emotional stress and neck pain are closely linked. Many people who undergo emotional stress feel neck pain, shoulder pain and head pain throughout the day. When the stress becomes worse, so does the pain. As your neck pain chiropractor in Sacramento, Anderson Chiropractic offers a variety of services that can help alleviate emotional stress and reduce the body's response to that stress. Understanding the link between stress and pain can help you get the treatment you need to feel better.
The Relationship Between Stress and Pain
Under emotional stress, the body undergoes a variety of physical changes. The activation of the fight or flight system in the body prepares the mind and the muscles for battle. This can produce measurable, detectable differences in the patient. Ways that the body responds to stress includes:
- Increased heartbeat. The heart beats faster when the body is under stress
- The release of stress hormones. Stress can cause the release of cortisol and adrenaline into the body
- Increased blood pressure. Blood pressure rises when the body undergoes stress
- Increased muscle tension
When the body is under stress, the muscles become tense. Shoulders become hunched, the head and neck go down, and the spine can get compressed.
This natural reaction is intended to help the body prepare for physical challenges. Of course, modern stressors and challenges are often not physical, and this muscle tension is often unnecessary.
Over time, this muscle tension can lead to significant discomfort. Emotional stress and neck pain are naturally linked. In fact, neck pain is only one of several different kinds of pain that people experience when they're under stress. Other types of pain that people experience because of stress include:
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Headaches
Chiropractic Care For Tense, Tight Muscles
At Anderson Chiropractic, we help patients manage their neck pain and back pain with the following techniques:
- Spinal adjustment - Realigning the spine can help reduce pressure on the spinal cord and can also reduce tension and pain in the muscles of the back and neck.
- Stretches and exercises - We teach patients to do stretches and exercises that can help them reduce muscle tension, improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles to prevent pain.
- Lifestyle advice - We teach patients how to live their lives in more healthy ways and to avoid stressors that can cause neck pain, back pain, and headaches.
- Nutraceuticals - We offer a variety of nutraceuticals to help our patients manage their health and thus reduce stress.
Using these all natural, gentle chiropractic techniques, we help patients reduce their pain.
Get Help From Your Neck Pain Chiropractor in Sacramento | Dr. Anderson
As your neck pain chiropractor in Sacramento, we can help you get the treatment you need for your neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and headaches. Patients who undergo emotional stress and neck pain on a regular basis can benefit from our all natural, non-invasive forms of treatment. To make an appointment, contact us today at (916) 485-5433.