The Uncomfortable Relationship Between Anxiety and Back Pain

At some point, you are bound to experience some form of anxiety. Unfortunately, stress is programmed into the human brain to guard against danger, but especially if it occurs consistently, anxiety can impact and influence other unpleasant issues like back pain. Likewise, in turn, back pain can affect anxiety. In this post, you’ll learn about this relationship and what you can do to ease both problems and enjoy a fuller, more functional life.

How Are Anxiety and Back Pain Connected?

Anxiety and back pain create a vicious cycle, and sometimes it is difficult to know which came first or which one caused the other. When you experience anxiety, your muscles tend to remain tense and you can have poor posture for prolonged periods of time, which can lead to back and other kinds of pain. While anxious, your nervous system also becomes more acutely aware of discord in your body, exacerbating your perception of discomfort. In other words, a minor injury can feel much more serious and painful.

On the other hand, you can suffer a back injury, have to deal with the logistics of the aftermath of the incident, and still need to handle your normal responsibilities in life. This situation can feel stressful and overwhelming. As a result, this anxiety can delay your healing or even make the pain worse from additional muscle tension.   

How Can You Manage Anxiety-Related Back Pain?

Anxiety and back pain can influence each other, which means you need to address both issues to more effectively resolve your problems. Otherwise, you may fix one aspect, but the cycle can start over again if you don’t focus on the other as well.

To help ease your anxiety, consider talking with a mental health expert. In addition to offering an understanding, listening ear, they can provide advice and techniques to calm your nervous system and reset. They can also help you learn to practice mindfulness and to overcome anxiety attacks.

When it comes to addressing your back pain, your chiropractor is one of the best resources you can turn to. They can not only help release muscle tension in your back and elsewhere in your body during your regular sessions, but they can also show you stretches and exercises you can do to prevent extreme pain in the future.

In the end, you probably won’t be able to avoid feeling stress or go injury free forever, but if you learn to manage both anxiety and any back pain or injury you experience, you can overcome them and not suffer longer from this vicious cycle.

About the Author

With more than 20 years of rehabilitation experience, Dr. Zinovy Chukhman, or Dr. Z, as his patients affectionately call him, understands how to guide those who suffer through treatment. He is certified in all four levels with the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and utilizes many techniques in the practice to relieve pain. If you are interested in making an appointment with Dr. Z, contact AlignRight Injury and Rehab online or call us at 972-907-2800.