Stress Hurts

2020 has been a year that will go down in history books forever, but it shouldn’t be the year where you let stress overtake your life. One thing that patients always ask is, “Can my pain be exacerbated by all of the stress I’m under?” The answer to this question is absolutely!

Stress and anxiety can manifest themselves in many ways, and how it presents in the body really depends on the signals that your brain is being sent. Whenever we are anxious or stressed about a certain situation or events that haven’t even happened yet, our body prepares for them and subconsciously our muscles begin to turn on and build tension.

Sometimes it can present as a headache or pain in your jaw, and other times it can show itself in the form of tight muscles surrounding the shoulders, neck, stomach, back or even your pelvic floor. If the muscles continue to fire and become tighter, then it can result in pain.

“So now I that I have all of this pain, what can I do about it?”

One of the first things that we teach our patients here at Breakaway is proper breathing. YES, the way you breathe under stress really does matter! Diaphragmatic breathing has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, provide oxygen to your muscles, and promote relaxation.

Let’s take a few moments to practice this together.

First, quiet your mind and tune out the world around you. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly. When you inhale, try to think about filling your belly with air and then slowly exhale. You should feel the hand on your belly rise and fall with your breath and the hand on your chest should not move.

Okay now you’re ready… close your eyes and begin.

Feeling better? Taking a few moments out of each day to practice breathing can begin to help you cope with your stress and any pain that you could be feeling as a result.

If you have tried all the relaxation techniques in the book and are still having tension or pain in any of your muscles, then physical therapy might be a great option for you. At Breakaway all of our therapist specialize in a hands on approach to help decrease all of that tension and get you on the way to living the life that you want without anything holding you back.

Do not hesitate to call us today at (410-721-6333) to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced therapists to see how physical therapy can help YOU!

If you feel like you need to talk to a medical provider because the stress that you are experiencing is getting the best of you, call our office and we will help you find the best health care provider to help! We believe in a holistic approach and will make sure that you get the right support that you need!