How Stress can be a Leading Cause of Episodic Back Pain

As we all now, stress is something that all of us have to deal with in our life. Unfortunately, there are some people who may be more prone to experiencing stress than others, and this stress can cause induce chronic pain episodes. During these stressful periods, the body will undergo a number of physiological responses which can pave the path to injury. Our body responds this way, because it is genetically programmed to do exactly this during stressful situations.

Have you ever heard of the “fight or flight response” before? The limbic system, also known as the survival portion of the brain, is responsible for initiating this emotional response to negative stimuli. Researchers have found that our brain’s response is the same in any stressful situation, be it impending bear attack or just pissing of your boss at work. Our limbic system simply can’t tell the difference between the various levels of stress that we may encounter in our lives.

When we are experiencing a stressful situation, there is a release of certain hormones in our bodies which serve as chemical messengers. The release of these hormones causes a physical response in our bodies. We have all had those situations where we suddenly feel our heart rate increase, our muscles tense up, we begin to sweat, and all of a sudden there just isn’t enough air in the room. Well this is the body’s natural response as it prepares itself for a “survival situation”.

Regardless of the stressful situation, there will be a negative physical impact on the body. Since there really isn’t any way to completely avoid stress in our lives, it is important to learn how to control our different levels of stress. Basically, you can break down stress into three main categories; physical stress (including illness, sleep patterns, exercise, etc.), mental stress (includes the emotional tolls of your life), and chemical stress (which can be environmental and nutritional).

As mentioned earlier, these stress hormones cause our muscles to tighten up. In preparation of the fight or flight response, our adrenal glands secret adrenaline which prepares our muscles to rapidly spring into action. Now imagine if people are constantly in a state of stress for weeks on end. This constant muscle tension can get to the point where it actually induces excruciating muscle spasms. This tension also decreases the amount of blood flow which is able to get to the body’s tissues.

Research has shown that the neck and back are particularly sensitive to injury during these extended periods of stress. People who already have a bad back, due to some prior injury, could notice some immediately painful effects from the stress. In particular, if any of the spinal nerves are already limited by calcium deposits or scar tissue, than even the most minimal muscle tension could compress the nerves and cause pain. If you have suffered from similar issues, then you might want to think about participating in a back pain clinical trial.

Stress can also cause us to alter our normal breathing patterns. Instead of breathing more through the diaphragm, stressed out people may breathe from the chest/lungs. This slight change in breathing pattern actually puts even more tension on the neck and the upper back, which can eventually lead to migraine headaches. Research has shown that the most optimal breathing pattern starts from the diaphragm, and then is followed by the lungs. It has become common for people to develop a dysfunctional pattern where this order is reversed. Luckily this is not too difficult to correct, and as any yoga instructor could tell you, effective breathing is the foundation of relaxation. If you can truly learn to control your breathing, then you can become a master of relaxation and stress reduction.

There are a number of relaxation techniques which one can learn in order to help relieve stress and reduce back pain. Performing these techniques effectively will induce the body’s “relaxation response”, where the muscles finally relax and the heartbeat, blood pressure, and respiratory rate decreases. Basically, this is the exact opposite of the body’s “stress response”.

For starters, try an exercise which teaches you to breathe from your diaphragm. First, lie down on your back while having a pillow or cushion under your knees to help relax your lower back. Take one hand and place it on your abdomen; the other hand is placed on your chest. Inhale slowly through your nose and be sure that the only hand that moves is the one on your abdomen. Purse your lips and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this exercise daily for a few minutes, and don’t be worried if you get a little lightheaded during the first few. This is a normal response to the increased amount of oxygen in the body. Research has shown that this exercise can lead to a more restful/regenerative sleep if performed before bedtime.