We have entered into the 2nd month of the new year and I hope everyone is staying warm and doing well. Speaking of doing well, I like to chat with you about the connection between chronic/persistent pain and stress.
Experiencing and dealing with stress can worsen existing chronic pain or conditions in the body and mind, but also living with chronic pain itself can be a major source of stress, creating a vicious cycle, making it difficult to improve your overall health and wellness. I call it the "pain rabbit hole".
In my experience and watching hundreds of clients, education is key!
Having awareness and understanding on how to break this cycle is the first step. Gentle ways through meditation, mindfulness and low impact exercise are imperative, at first. Keeping your body feeling calm, doing less, and letting go are more important than all the 'doing' that life throws at us.
Often we think we need to 'do more' or 'push through' and this tricks your body into thinking it can't trust you. Pain is a messenger, and to 'be-friend' your body, you must allow it space, gentle compassion, and forgiveness so it feels SAFE. Once safety becomes the more chronic feeling in your tissue, your body will begin to respond with strength, flexibility, resilience, and coherency.
Stress is the body’s natural response to perceived threats or challenges, triggering a cascade of physiological responses designed to help us cope with the situation. While short-term stress can be beneficial, chronic or prolonged stress can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health. In regards to chronic conditions - 'dis-ease' and/or pain - stress can exacerbate symptoms and contribute to the overall burden of the condition.
Stress can worsen your chronic pain with headaches, muscle tension and/or, pain flare ups, plus sooo much more. With regards to muscle tension and pain flare ups, stress can cause pain in areas such as your neck, shoulders and back. Practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga and progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce stress levels and alleviate pain.
Please take a look at my video Stress & Chronic Pain for a further in depth conversation on this topic. I also offer a wonderful yoga class that focuses on Pain Care, please click on the link for more information.
Just remember - LESS IS MORE!! Ease off - this is where the magic happens.
Stay well, stay healthy and hope to see you in an upcoming yoga class.
Angela
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