Unwinding the Knots: How Stress Weaves into Musculoskeletal Pain
Sep 15, 2023 -- Posted by :In a study that looked at stress and how people who seek chiropractic care perceive it, researchers wrote that psychosocial stress, “…pervades modern life and is known to have an impact on health. Pain, especially chronic back pain, is influenced by stress.” Here, ten different chiropractic clinics reported results tallied from 138 patients who were given questionnaires about stress and its association with their current condition.
Interestingly, over 30% of respondents self-identified as experiencing "moderate to severe" levels of stress, and a majority, surpassing 50%, believed that stress had at least a moderate impact on the issue they presented. Additionally, approximately 71% of the patients expressed their belief in the effectiveness of a stress management approach to aid in their coping, with 44% showing interest in participating in a "self-development program aimed at enhancing their stress management abilities.
The study concluded that: 1) patient perceptions are known to be important in management approaches and treatment outcomes; 2) in this study, about 1/3 of patients presenting perceived themselves as being moderately or severely stressed; and 3) interventions that reduce stress or the patient’s perception of being stressed may be an important and valid “intervention” in patient management.
So, how do chiropractors achieve this? The initial step involves addressing pain management, as heightened stress levels are frequently closely connected to pain that can exacerbate the overall stress. However, solely focusing on pain management may not yield comprehensive results. Chiropractors often go further by providing nutritional guidance, which may involve educating patients about adopting an "anti-inflammatory diet" and incorporating vitamin and/or herbal remedies tailored to stress management. These nutritional strategies may also target the balancing of neurotransmitter levels. Additionally, chiropractors may introduce various relaxation techniques that patients can employ during moments of stress throughout the day, thereby helping them cope with these challenging periods.
There are even “calming apps” to help de-stress and clear the mind available for your smartphone! Just as there are apps to measure your steps, calories, or METS burned during the day, these apps are specific for calming and reducing stress! Here are the names of a few that are FREE for you to investigate and consider (Web, Android, or iOS): MindMeister, Breath2Relax, White Noise Lite, Calm, Diaro, Headspace, Relax, Guided Meditations, and more. Give one of these a try as it is clear we all focus far too little on stress management!
So, if you are interested in no longer chasing your tail on the pain gerbil wheel and type in pain management near me or chiropractor near me, you may find Coast Chiropractic Centers with Dr. Timothy Harcourt, me, comes up.
You may wonder, “Is There a Better Way to Address Actually Fixing the Cause of the Pain?”
Once you have experienced the frustration of simply covering over the pain temporarily, you may be more enlightened to the idea of fixing the problem and then keep it that way. Some around you say one description of such an approach is called wellness care.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22742964/
Call me, Dr. Tim Harcourt, at Coast Chiropractic Centers at (239) 278-3344 or stop by on your day off if we’re near you for a walk in visit and mention this article for an awesome discounted first visit to include history, exam, and adjustment or Class IV high-intensity laser treatment. So if you find yourself experiencing lower back pain while running or doing physical activities.
If you feel like a gerbil on a perpetual pain wheel and you know it is negatively affecting your quality of life and keeping you from enjoying walks at Fort Myers Beach, playing golf, tennis, pickle ball or others, come see us at Coast Chiropractic Centers located on 7270 College Parkway.
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If you would like to avoid getting back pain in the first place or to take a proactive approach to your health and wellness nearby, our membership program called Club C may be just the thing for you with great cost savings, convenience, and even more importantly, a plan to get your health back and keep it.
Don't let back pain stop you from enjoying the beautiful SWFL! Dr. Tim Harcourt is here to give you the relief you need.