Chronic stress shows up first in your body. If stress makes you fatigued, sick, dizzy, or tense, the situation may escalate to headaches, jaw pain, neck and shoulder discomfort, back pain, and more.

Fortunately, there is something you can do. Regular chiropractic visits can help reverse the pain and stiffness caused by stress. At Excellence in Health in Anchorage AK, we can restore your body and help you get back on the right track to a more active and less stressful life. Here’s a look at stress, its effects, and how we relieve it all through adjustments, massage therapy, and other helpful measures.

Is stress causing you pain and tension? Get help by scheduling a visit at Excellence in Health, your Anchorage chiropractor!

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What is Stress?

If you’re wondering how a chiropractor can help with stress, we can first teach you what it is and how to recognize it. Stress refers to anything that causes strain in your body, emotions, or mind. Stress happens most when your life changes in some way. Whether you have new financial problems, family disruptions, or career challenges, these things all create a situation in which you need to pay attention and take action.

Unfortunately, there are many things in life that are out of our control. Maybe you can’t resolve the situation because others won’t cooperate or you don’t have the necessary resources. Either way, you still have stress and must find a way to deal with it if you want to stay healthy and calm. Stress damages your health in so many ways, and your chiropractor can explain the importance of health in your life.

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How to Recognize When You're Stressed

Sometimes, life happens so fast and unexpectedly that we don’t even realize we’re stressed. Yet, if you know the signs to watch for, you can recognize stress when it happens. Look for the following symptoms.

• Feeling agitated, moody, or frustrated
• Feeling overwhelmed and out of control
• Inability to relax
• Low self-esteem
• Self-isolation
• Worrying more than usual
• Racing thoughts
• Making bad decisions
• Inability to focus
• Pessimism
• Appetite changes
• Avoiding responsibilities
• Using drugs or alcohol more than usual
• Biting your nails, pacing, or fidgeting

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How Stress Affects Your Body

Stress can affect all parts of your body and brain. When you’re stressed, your fight, flight or freeze response kicks in, and tension comes up throughout your body. Your body releases cortisol often called the stress hormone. Excessive stress increases your risk of the following conditions:

• Headaches
• Muscle tension and pain
• Rapid heartbeat and chest pain
• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Sleep disturbances
• Weight gain
• Menstrual issues
• Skin and hair problems
• Problems with memory and concentration
• Frequent infections due to a weakened immune response
• Loss of sexual desire
• Anxiety
• Depression

While a little bit of stress can help you perform at your best or protect yourself in a crisis, too much stress can harm your physical, mental, and emotional health. Here’s a look at three problems that are caused or exacerbated by stress.

Tension

Whenever you have an acute stress response, your body naturally tenses up. This prepares you for physical action. That’s great if you have a physical challenge to meet. However, in many stressful situations, a tense body will not help you at all!

The tension makes you feel like your muscles are tied in knots. You can’t relax, and that affects your sleep. You may feel grumpy or cranky because your tense muscles prevent you from remaining calm and centered. Concentrating on your work or your loved ones’ needs is also hard when you’re tense.

Pain

The tension caused by stress can also lead to pain. Your muscles, in a constant state of tension, can become painful and sore. This includes muscles throughout your body, such as your neck and back. As your heart reacts to the stress, your blood flow changes, leading to headaches, chest pains, and other pain issues.  If you gain weight due to the stress and release of extra cortisol, the excess pounds can cause you more pain.  You can read our blog, How Chiropractic Massage Can Help with Pain Relief, to learn more.

Sedentary Lifestyle

It’s common for people who are under stress to slow down or stop their physical fitness routines. If you are under a lot of stress, the tension and pain may prevent you from exercising enough. This can lead to weight gain, increased vulnerability to injury, and other physical and emotional problems. For many people, exercising seems impossible until the tension and pain are under control.

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How a Chiropractor Can Help Relieve Stress