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Stress and how it affects our necks and backs

There’s no question that tension and stress can manifest itself in the body, especially our backs and necks. Whether it’s a headache or tight muscles, psychological factors can take a toll on our physical body.

Common sites in the body where the effects of stress can be felt are the neck and back.  Your neck and back can become a center of pain and tension as stress and worries build.

Stress-induced neck and back pain is defined as pain that is either triggered or worsened by psychological or emotional factors. For example, the initial neck or back pain may be caused by an injury that strains the muscles, but the pain continues for days or weeks afterward as stress caused by the injury or other factors builds—maybe even long after the muscle tissue has healed from the initial accident.

Osteopathy and Chiropractic treatment:

Regular adjustments for the underlying injury and cause of pain in the neck and back is your starting point. It is essential to make sure the mechanics of our spine and muscle structure is working correctly. Stress will not be able to exacerbate the underlying cause if we have a healthy functioning muscular skeletal system.

Stretches:

If done regularly, stretching exercises for the neck and back can loosen muscle tightness and maintain or expand range of motion for the neck and back.

Check out some of our stretching videos on our YouTube Channel

Therapy or support group:

Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven benefits for helping to develop healthy thought patterns, but even a local support group where you can share your concerns and receive support can help you manage day-to-day stressors.

Exercise:

Exercise is good for your body and mind. It releases endorphins, a hormone that dulls pain and generates feelings of well-being. Yoga is very good for relieving stress whilst strengthening your core muscles. Other exercise like swimming  and speed walking are great and don’t put too much load through your joints, so ideal for all ages.

Let inconsequential things go if they’re taking a toll on your health and making you feel stressed. Focus on what’s most important in the present and don’t worry about things further down the line.

Prioritising:

Let inconsequential things go if they’re taking a toll on your health and making you feel stressed. Focus on what’s most important in the present and don’t worry about things further down the line.

Tips to Remember:

  1. Stress can manifest itself in the body. Whether it’s a headache or tight muscles, psychological factors can take a toll on our physical body.
  2. Chiropractic treatment for the underlying injury and cause of pain in the neck and back is your starting point to help reduce the affects stress can have in exacerbating that pain.
  3. Stretching exercises for the neck and back can loosen muscle tightness that is compounded and aggravated by stress.
  4. Therapy or support such as cognitive behavioral therapy has proven benefits for helping to develop healthy thought patterns and manage stress.
  5. Exercise is good for your body and mind. It releases endorphins, a hormone that dulls pain and generates feelings of well-being, helping to combat stress.
  6. Prioritising helps you to better cope with the stress of your worries, making them manageable day to day.

Walking Photo by Daniel Reche from Pexels

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What are the benefits of massage?

Before looking at the benefits of massage we need to first of all define what type of massage are we talking about?

Here at the clinic we offer deep tissue, also known as sports massage. This means that a firmer pressure is applied during the massage so that we can target the deeper layers of muscles as well as the superficial muscles just beneath the skin. While this can be uncomfortable it should not be painful and we will regularly check with you throughout the massage that the pressure is ok for you.

So let’s talk benefits. Short term benefits of massage, which can be felt immediately after, include –

  • A feeling of relaxation
  • Muscles feeling ‘looser’
  • An increased range of movement in the joints (being more flexible)

Many people also report having ‘the best nights sleep’ after a massage. While these are fantastic benefits they can sadly be short lived, with muscles ‘tightening back up’ sometimes within a couple of days. This is often due to a process called Muscle Memory.

How do we combat this? With regular massage.

Regular massage brings many more benefits on top of those listed above. For a start the ‘tightening back up’ of muscles can be combatted with a few short spaced sessions which aims to work into any chronic tightness.

Long term benefits of regular massage also include –

  • Reduced muscle pain
  • Improved posture
  • Reduced stress levels
  • Better sleep quality
  • Overall sense of improved wellbeing
  • Reduction of headaches and migraines

To put it simply massage is amazing! It’s not only an opportunity for some time for yourself but the physical and mental wellbeing that you can get from regular massage is priceless. It’s something that I can’t imagine living without!

To book and appointment with one of our amazing Massage Therapist following this link https://www.alignedhealthclinics.co.uk/contact-us/