Stress represents one of the most common health conditions that causes the most sick days, gets the least amount of attention, and triggers some of the most serious chronic health issues in adults. A certain amount of periodic stress is good for the body, building up our ability to manage challenges and form resilience for harder issues later in life. However, too much stress all the time can trigger serious breakdowns in our critical body systems, including mental stability, increased susceptibility to stroke, and heart problems. The older we get, the more serious a toll stress can take on the body.
Stress Impacts People in Different Ways
Common physical signs of stress are often felt in the form of stiff backs and necks, back pain, sharp neck pain, shoulder cramping, wrist pain, and even abdominal pain. Most of these are symptoms versus causes of their own. Stress causes our body to contort, usually from being in unnatural positions for long periods of time due to work, anxiety, or pressure.
Our bodies can also react to our unhappiness and mental frustrations as well, triggering neck muscle cramping and headaches from being on edge, overthinking and worrying about the future. In addition to the muscular symptoms, people with serious stress reactions can also suffer from higher than normal blood pressure, indigestion and digestion problems, heartburn, and an assortment of body malfunctioning issues. All of these conditions are classic reactions to a system that is out of balance.
Different Ways to Combat Stress
Chiropractic Adjustments
Most people only associate a chiropractor with pain relief and back issues. However, chiropractors have been addressing chronic stress treatment for decades. In fact, it is one of the top five issues many offices across the country see on a regular basis because so much in modern life contributes to every day stressors.
The chiropractic adjustment is the passive mobilization of a joint that produces minimal to maximal physiological benefits to muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments. Subluxations put pressure on various nerves throughout the body, which create interferences to the nervous system. A chiropractor corrects these interferences and allows for the nervous system to return to optimal function, reducing stress and allowing the body to heal.
Avoid Pharmaceuticals
Chiropractic adjustments treat the root cause of a problem, whereas pharmaceuticals often mask symptoms and have a lot of risks and negative side effects associated with them. Whereas a prescription drug can fall short with a temporary affect, a chiropractor can help your body achieve a long-lasting resolution of your stress symptoms by restoring your body’s system balance and improving your overall health.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet that is another great way to keep stress at bay. Although many people turn to sugar and carbs in stressful times to seek comfort, sugary foods can actually weaken the body’s ability to respond to stress. Stick to a diet that is low in sugar and unhealthy fats and loaded with protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit the comfort foods as much as possible. It’s also extremely beneficial to replace sugary juices, sodas and alcohol with plenty of water and hydrating beverages.
Take Time to Rest and Reset
A common side-effect of stress is exhaustion and fatigue, but instead of giving our bodies the rest they deserve, we often push through and continue working. Listen to your body! If you’re feeling exhausted, that means you’re in some serious need of sleep and rest. Take it a step further by taking time for yourself! Enjoy self-care activities such as taking a walk in nature, reading a book, relaxing in a warm bath with Epsom salts, cooking a healthy meal, or spending time with friends and family.
Contact us today!
Chiropractic care utilizes a whole-body approach to healing that employs non-invasive techniques to restore your quality of life. These techniques, including chiropractic adjustments, therapeutic exercises, spinal decompression, and cold laser therapy, can often eliminate the need for invasive surgery and addictive pain medication. Our goal at Stow Family Chiropractic is to relieve pain naturally and restore your body’s ability to heal. To schedule an appointment, call us at 978-897-1770.