Relieve Chronic Stress With Chiropractic Care

Man stressed out at work

How Chronic Stress Can Cause Body Pain

Stress and anxiety aren't just mental health issues. If you feel stressed or anxious much of the time, you may be more likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes, acid reflux, or other conditions. Chronic stress can also affect your muscles and joints, causing pain and inflammation.

4 Painful Symptoms or Conditions Caused or Worsened by Stress

Fifty-five percent of Americans report feeling stressed during the day, according to the American Stress Institute. That's no surprise considering how busy our lives are in the 21st century. Although stress is a part of life, it's much more than just a nuisance. In fact, chronic stress can cause these symptoms and conditions:

  • Headaches and Migraines. Have you noticed that the muscles in your neck, face, shoulders, and upper back tighten when you're worried or stressed? If the muscles remain tight for a prolonged period of time, you may be more likely to develop tension headaches or migraines.
  • Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ). Tight jaw muscles can cause or worsen TMJ, a condition that affects the hinge joints on either side of your jaw. In addition to pain, TMJ can cause jaw stiffness, clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing your mouth, difficulty chewing, temporary jaw locking, and ear pain.
  • Back and Neck Pain. Tight muscles can eventually pull on the vertebrae in your back, causing a subluxation, or spinal misalignment. Misalignments may also occur due to falls, lifting heavy items, or poor posture. Subluxations may weaken nearby muscles, making it easier to strain them. If bones or muscles press on nerves, you may experience pain that radiates to your arms or legs.
  • Stomach Pain. Heartburn and stomach pain are common stress complaints. Thirty-five to 70 percent of people experience functional gastrointestinal disorders at some point in their lives, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Functional gastrointestinal disorders cause pain, bloating, and other symptoms yet aren't related to any physical causes. If you already have gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or another ailment, stress can worsen your condition.

Chronic stress can cause inflammation throughout your body, irritate your nerves, and even affect blood circulation. When you're stressed, your body increases its production of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol, known as the "fight or flight" hormone, helps you prepare to face a challenge or run away from danger. Over time, your cortisol level can drop too low if you're constantly stressed. A low cortisone level can decrease your pain threshold and make it more difficult to manage pain.

Your Chiropractor Can Ease Your Painful Symptoms and Help You Lower Your Stress Level

Prescription medications are certainly effective in reducing stress but may cause unpleasant side effects. If you're looking for a drug-free way to control your stress, chiropractic offers the perfect solution.

Spinal manipulations, or adjustments, realign your spine, correcting subluxations. Realigning your spine also helps ease muscle tension and reduces pressure on nerves, ligaments, and tendons.

Improving blood flow, one of the benefits of chiropractic treatment, promotes healing of painful areas and may also help your brain reset itself after a stressful day.

Stomach pain, indigestion, and heartburn may occur if your nerve function is affected due to subluxations. Realigning your spine improves nerve function, which may help you reduce stress-related stomach pain.

Soft tissue mobilization and massage, two chiropractic therapies, loosen tight muscles and get rid of painful knots in your muscles. These therapies also trigger the production of serotonin and endorphin, two hormones that reduce stress and help you feel calm and relaxed.

If stress-related headaches and migraines are a common problem, regular chiropractic sessions can help you keep pain under control and reduce the number of headaches you experience every month.

Treatments are just as effective for back and neck pain caused by stress. In addition to performing spinal manipulations and other treatments, your chiropractor can also teach you exercises that will help you improve your posture and reduce the effects of stress on your body. He or she may also recommend stress relief techniques and dietary changes that will enhance your physical and mental health.

Sources:

American Stress Institute: 42 Worrying Workplace Stress Statistics, 3/25/19

Physical Therapy: Chronic Stress, Cortisol Dysfunction, and Pain: A Psychoneuroendocrine Rationale for Stress Management in Pain Rehabilitation, 12/14

The American Institute of Stress: 50 Common Signs and Symptoms of Stress

U.S. News & World Report: Surprise: Chiropractors Can Treat These 5 Conditions, 11/30/15

Exclusive Offer

New Patients Receive a Free Consultation

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:45 am - 12:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Tuesday:

Closed

Closed

Wednesday:

8:45 am - 12:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Thursday:

Closed

Closed

Friday:

8:45 am- 12:00 pm

2:00 pm- 5:30 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "So Glad I found Synaptic! This is the fastest I've ever bounced back from severe back pain."
    Dani St. Jean Baldwinville, MA
  • "Best chiropractor ever!! These guys are amazing. They have done wonders for me. I recommend them to everyone I know"
    -Robin Potter Hicks
  • "I came to Dr Mexico with severe neuropathy of my feet caused by cancer treatment drugs. I was told I had permanent nerve damage and there was nothing they could do except give me Gabapentin oxycodone and morphine sulfate. I've been in this program for about a month-and-a-half now and I just stopped taking the morphine sulfate. My pain level has gone from a 3 while on drugs to a 2 while now only taking oxycodone and Gabapentin and now totally off the morphine sulfate. And I still have a month and a half to go on his treatment looking forward to coming off more drugs."
    -Richard Joseph Donati
  • "Five Stars on Google"
    Matt Durfee
  • "Great friendly people."
    -Michelle Sirois
  • "Can't recommend this practice highly enough. I wasted years on failed PT treatments, xrays, ultrasound and cortisone shots, relying on unhelpful advice from various doctors. I couldn't even get a consistent diagnosis. I finally have a drug-free, healthy approach for living with chronic SI joint problems. I wish I had met Dr. Mexico earlier. It would have saved me years of pain and frustration. And they always work to get you in immediately if you are having problems. I woke up this morning unable to breathe without discomfort, and they got me in today. And I will sleep tonight comfortably because of Dr. Mexico. Don't wait another day if you are experiencing back or joint pain. You deserve to live pain free. I have found tremendous, life-changing relief with this chiropractor. Thank you Dr. Mexico for your consistent focus and effort in healing others."
    -Cathy Hand Cunningham
  • "I have been dealing with LBP for 3+ years now. I have seen many Dr's and specialist for my issue. No one has listened until I saw Dr. Mexico! He was the first to actually look at my MRI results and listen to me, he explained everything in detail and made sure i understood. Its going to take awhile before I'm "fixed" but I have to say I haven't felt this good in years. Thank you Dr. Mexico"
    -Sarah Frediani
  • "I would recommend Todd Mexico, he is very considerate, respectful as well as informative. Willing to research your individual issues and provide relief if possible. He helped me!"
    -Liz Taylor
  • "I called Monday morning in a lot of pain after being up the last four nights in pain. They got me right in and I am feeling so much better! Dr. Mexico is a Miracle worker!"
    -Jody Winters
  • "There is no better. An amazing team. If it were not for Dr. Mexico and his treatment, I would still have chronic pain in my neck and back. Thank you!"
    -Cheryl Jordan-Bobick

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for more articles