Although stress doesn't necessarily cause back pain, there is no doubt that severe back pain causes stress. And stress, in turn, can readily magnify the pain you feel.
Certain kinds of back pain seem more susceptible to aggravation by stress than others. Neck pain, for example, tends to worsen noticeably in times of increased stress. More than 80 pet cent of participants in a recent back pain survey who suffered from neck pain said their pain grew worse whenever they were under a lot of stress. A possible explanation is that stress and tension make you hunch or stiffen your shoulders, and this strain makes itself felt in the muscles of the neck.
If you have been doing the rounds, seeing different practitioners over a long period of time, you may have heard the term 'stress' used as though it were a diagnosis. When no obvious cause can be found for your pain, someone is bound to suggest that you are suffering from stress. Implicit in this suggestion are several negative messages, including the following:
- "There's nothing really wrong with you."
- "You've let stress get the upper hand in your life, and now you're paying the price."
- "I can't do anything to help you."
If stress is an element in your back pain cycle, you deserve some sympathy, not blame. Doctors who understand the connection between back pain and stress can help their patients greatly by explaining it - and by encouraging them to learn a few simple stress-reduction techniques that can serve as pain-blockers.
By "stress reduction" I mean reducing the negative effects of stress - the sensation that your heart is racing away, the knots in your stomach, me rapid breathing, the rising panic, the feeling of spasm in your back or neck. Whether or not you can actually reduce the stress in your life is another matter entirely. The most stressful events or situations may simply be beyond your power to control. Nevertheless, if you can control your reactions to them, you will have accomplished a great deal.
Stress-reduction techniques - including deep breathing, visualization and meditation - can be of great use in helping you feel calmer, is an effective treatment for back pains, and is a great help in preparing you for exercise.
The truth is, any technique that provides a break from stressful activities may turn out to help your back. Even something as simple as taking a "stretch break" every hour on the hour can be of tremendous benefit. Although I urge you to experiment with the strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, visualization (or imagery) and progressive relaxation, I know of many people who can get their stress and pain levels down by simply taking a walk for 20 minutes.
Many suppliers of relaxation tapes and stress-reduction gadgets may try to convince you that their approach is the best, but you are the best judge of what technique appeals to you most, and therefore what is most likely to work for you.
Practitioners of yoga know that deep breathing has tremendous powers of relaxation. Just as smiling can sometimes lift your spirits, breathing slowly and deeply can make your whole body feel calmer. Deep breathing figures in virtually every stress-reduction technique, and is no less important when it comes to self help treatments for back pains.
Back pain can be one of the most painful and debilitating conditions we can sufferer from. Of the many different treatments for chronic back pains, some specific back pain exercises are probably the most effective - both for short and long term prevention. Learn how to cure and prevent your back pain and backpainstreated.org
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