Is It True That Stress Can Cause Back Pain?

The impact of stress on muscles and how to deal with it

There's no one who hasn't experienced stress all his life. Stress usually occurs when the body feels overwhelmed and has to bear a heavier physical and mental burden than normal circumstances over a certain period of time, such as having to finish studies, do a workload in a short time, get stuck, have financial problems, to conflict with someone close to you. Because of that, stress can attack anyone from children to the elderly. However, if stress is not properly managed, it can be detrimental to health, here are some of the effects of stress on the body:

1. Cardiovascular disease, occurs because stress increases the heart rate to give energy to every cell of the body so that the blood vessels that go to the big muscle and the heart will expand. As a result, there is an increase in blood pressure and the volume of blood pumped throughout the body. The body is at risk for hypertension, heart attack, stroke.
2. Respiratory disorders, can occur because the body tries to send more oxygen to the entire body faster than usual. Therefore, for some people who have a history of asthma, stress can cause shortness of breath.
3. Musculoskeletal disorders, where muscle contractions in the head occur continuously for a long time, which is characterized by the appearance of headaches and migraines. Worsening musculoskeletal disorders can disrupt the function of ligaments, nerves, tendons, muscles, joints and the spine. However, is it true that further stress can cause back pain?

A. Relationship Between Stress and Back Pain

When the body is under stress, the brain sends signals to release the stress hormone (cortisol) into the bloodstream. The whole body receives warnings of danger so that there are physiological, psychological, and emotional changes in one's self. Physiologically, the body is in alert mode so that the muscles in the body contract to protect the body from threats.

In a recent study, it was found that chronic stress can increase the body's risk of severe waist pain. An analysis conducted by Choi Sungwoo and friends in 2021 of 8,473 people found that severe stress can increase the risk of chronic waist pain by up to 2.8 times than a general condition. In fact, according to a study published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, 60 percent of patients suffering from muscle pain also have psychological disorders, such as stress, anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. This is because severe stress causes dysfunction of cortisol (the hormone that regulates the body's stress response) as well as problems in the inflammatory response of the body leading to oxidative stress, free radical damage, injury or aging of cells, and tissue degeneration that all allow for acute pain.

Stress makes the body more sensitive to pain because of changes in limbic and neurotransmitter systems that can alter pain suppression mechanisms. Stress also makes blood vessels narrow so that it can reduce blood flow to the back muscles and cause pain. Besides, stress can change the pattern of breathing that causes the shoulder to bend. As a result, this bad posture can create tension in the upper and middle back.

So, how do you differentiate back pain due to stress from low back pain due to muscle injury?

B. How to Differentiate Back Pain Due to Stress

In fact, low back pain due to stress is difficult to differentiate from low back pain in general. However, here are some signs that can indicate back pain is caused by stress:

1. Physical and emotional stress, such as due to a backlog of work or problems in social relationships;
2. If low back pain appears gradually over time and does not occur suddenly;
3. Back pain does not get worse and is not accompanied by other symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, or weakness;
4. Back pain comes and goes depending on stress levels, it is not consistently painful all the time; And
5. If low back pain improves in line with activities that can reduce stress levels.

C. Tips for Overcoming Back Pain Due to Stress

1. Do stretching that focuses on the waist, such as knee stretching to the chest that can help relieve the tension of the midsection muscles. Stretching can be done between working hours or hours of rest.
2. Exercise regularly can prevent degeneration of joints and muscles as well as good for mental health.
3. As previously stated, stress can alter breathing patterns that can lead to deterioration of posture. Therefore, practicing breathing or relaxation by doing meditation can help reduce stress and its impact.
4. Eating balanced nutritious foods like vegetables and fruits can reduce inflammation and lower stress levels.
5. A warm bath can soothe the stressed muscles and make the body feel more relaxed.
6. Sleeping enough in the right position can reduce stress, relax muscles, and reduce the risk of back pain.
7. Massage can help relieve muscle tension and reduce pain caused by stress. Regularly take the Express Relaxing Massage treatment at PHRM Indonesia as a form of self-care! Don't wait until stress causes muscle pain and interferes with your daily activities. PHRM will help improve your blood circulation, reduce stress, reduce fatigue after activities/exercise, reduce the risk of muscle injury, and as an initial check on the condition of muscles throughout the body. Schedule your arrival immediately and choose the therapist you want! PHRM Indonesia will provide a specialist full body muscle massage, without oil, fast, precise and hassle-free!

By : Rastianta Rinandani dan Glen Tanihatoe

Source:

• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94001-1?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100090071&CJEVENT=4a090adbf87f11ee80d7fde30a18ba74
• https://www.healthline.com/health/stres/can-stres-cause-back-pain
• https://hellosehat.com/mental/stres/dampak-stres-pada-tubuh-anda/
• https://www.halodoc.com/artikel/mitos-atau-fakta-stres-bisa-sebabkan-nyeri-otot
• https://www.klikdokter.com/info-sehat/otot-sendi/banyak-pikiran-dapat-menyebabkan-nyeri-pada-otot-benarkah
• https://www.freepik.com