allWhen you enter the rectum, you may immediately feel your muscles tense up. Or maybe you've been through all sorts of breakups and are constantly feeling physically and emotionally anxious. Or you realize that you haven't had a break in forever (checking your watch) and that you're spinning around like a big ball of stress. Stress can cause back pain.
Learn about the connection between stress and back pain, what you can do to treat it, and smart ways to protect your back from future pain.
expert in this article
- Kavita Trivedi, DO, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The connection between stress and back pain
One of the physical symptoms of stress? Yes, back pain.
“A lot of things happen when you’re stressed.” said Kavita Trivedi, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
First, your body experiences a chemical reaction in response to stress when your adrenal glands release the hormones epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol into your body. These chemicals are part of the body's fight-or-flight response and can upregulate pain receptors, says Dr. Trivedi.
One note: During times of extreme stress (let's say you're hit by a car while riding your bike), your body suppresses the pain response to give you the ability to escape a life-or-death situation, says Dr. Trivedi. She may not feel pain in the moment, she says, but she will experience it later. But this isn't the same as opening your inbox in the morning and seeing an email from your boss telling you to prioritize a project that's throwing your entire schedule into disarray. Although it is not a matter of life and death, the body still triggers a stress response in the face of danger.
Next is a change in body mechanics. Think about how your body reacts when it realizes it is under stress. The muscles in your shoulders and neck are likely to be tense. Maybe your jaw will tighten too. “When you’re stressed, the body’s natural tendency is to try to protect itself, and it does so by contracting and tightening,” explains Dr. Trivedi.
So not only are you prepared to feel more discomfort, but that pressure can directly lead to pain. And this is where back pain comes from. Stress-induced muscle tension affecting the upper body (neck and shoulders) is linked to the same muscle groups that surround the entire spine from top to bottom, says Dr. Trivedi says: “If your upper back is tight, it can eventually travel down the chain and tighten your lower back,” she explains.
Stress is one of the psychological factors behind back pain. A July 2021 study found that people who report significant stress are nearly three times more likely to experience back pain than those without stress. scientific report. One of the many reasons is: Researchers note that cortisol is inflammatory. Over time, this can cause cellular aging and tissue damage that promotes the development of chronic (or long-lasting) pain.
Other research Frontiers in Public Health An August 2020 study of healthcare workers with back pain found that those with high work-related stress were twice as likely to report back pain compared to those with low stress. One thing these authors added is something that really resonates with the palm-to-forehead moment: back pain becomes yet another stressor for the person experiencing it. There is no doubt that there is indeed a mind-body connection in back pain.
“The body’s natural tendency when under stress is to protect itself, and it does so by contracting and tightening.” —Kavita Trivedi, DO, spine and musculoskeletal specialist
How to Tell If You Are Suffering from Stress-Related Back Pain
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), there are many causes of back pain, including:
- Spinal arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis
- Vertebrae slip out of place
- Degenerative disc disease (caused by the aging process)
- endometriosis
- fibromyalgia
- kidney stones or infection
- Herniated disc
- osteoporosis
- pregnancy
- scoliosis
- spinal infection
- sprains and strains
- spinal tumor
It's certainly an extensive list. Therefore, it is important to take a step back and evaluate your situation. Ask yourself, “What has changed that is causing my back pain now?” Dr. Trivedi says: This doesn't mean you'll get out a doctor's pad and diagnose yourself, but it may help give you a clue as to where to start. Is your back pain new or has it been going on for a while? Have there been any changes to your lifestyle, such as a new job that requires you to sit at a desk all day? Holding your baby all day? Or have you ever moved into an apartment and had to bend down to lift the sofa? what?
Also, think about the stressors in your life, especially if you've recently gone through a big change. Has there been a breakup or divorce? Has someone you love passed away? Is work really bothering you? When it comes to emotional stress and back pain, “Stress is often unconscious, so I need to recognize in myself that this has made a difference in my life and is probably affecting me due to situational or emotional changes,” says Dr. Trivedi. .
Also keep the following in mind: both There may be physical and mental stressors that cause back pain.
How to Relieve Pain
The most important thing is to determine the root cause. This will help you and your doctor know what treatment is appropriate for you.
In the meantime, the reality is that people are still suffering from back pain symptoms. To ease discomfort in the short term, Dr. Trivedi says:
- Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reduce discomfort.
- Use a heating pad on the sore area to relax the muscle.
- Apply a pain-relieving topical or patch, such as BioFreeeze or Salonpas. These contain ingredients such as menthol, topical NSAIDs, or lidocaine to relieve discomfort.
If your back pain is stress-related, there are several steps you can take. One is a self-examination to determine which stressors are the biggest culprits. Is there anything you can do to change the situation? Additionally, incorporating stress management for back pain means relying on some stress-relief techniques that can help relieve stress, such as deep breathing, stretching, yoga, spending time with loved ones, and doing things you enjoy. Counters the effects of daily stress.
Although this may feel like a physical problem that requires medical attention, a psychologist or therapist may be able to help. In a 2022 meta-analysis of nearly 100 randomized controlled trials involving more than 13,000 people with back pain. BMJ, combining psychological treatments such as behavioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or pain education with structured exercise can help improve pain intensity and physical function. (One example of how CBT is used might be using relaxation or imagery.)
Speaking of exercise, exercise not only helps reduce back pain compared to no treatment or placebo conditions. Cochrane database of systematic reviews It is scheduled to be released in September 2021, but is also known for its mood-boosting effects. “Exercise is not only physically beneficial, but it is also mentally beneficial. If you are stressed, it may be helpful to stay active,” says Dr. Trivedi.
How to prevent back pain caused by stress
Lay the foundation for a more pain-resistant back. “One of the important things for back pain is core strength. The core includes the abdominal and back muscles that stabilize the spine,” says Dr. Trivedi.
Also, maintain an active habit. This is important for improving resilience to stress and is a physically good habit for your back. This includes structured exercise, but it also includes finding short bursts of movement throughout the day. “Our backs don’t like being in one position for long periods of time,” says Dr. Trevedi. These short breaks can also help relieve stress by giving you time to step away and regroup. She recommends setting an alarm on your phone every 60 to 90 minutes to remind you to get up, go to the bathroom, fill your water bottle, or change your body position. If you sit all day, it may be a good idea to practice sitting exercises to relieve 'stress' muscles.
Finally, think about your relationship with your device. When we want to stay sane, we often turn to social media. Sometimes it helps. But maybe not best Coping tools. Additionally, one study found that it causes stress. Current Views in Psychology But there are also things to remember when you look at your phone. Cell phones bend your neck and shoulders into terrible positions, says Dr. Trivedi. If possible, hold your phone at eye level. “Even the little things we do can help prevent and manage back pain,” she says. Oh, and see for yourself whether TikTok is helping or hurting your stress levels right now.
When to See a Doctor or Therapist
Back pain can happen to all of us. If you've had back pain for 4 to 6 weeks (no red flags below) and using over-the-counter medications, heating pads, or topical pain patches doesn't help, Dr. Trivedi recommends seeing a doctor. “Most injuries caused by muscle strain will go away after a few days, but they should definitely resolve after a few weeks,” she says.
That means if your back pain is accompanied by numbness, leg weakness, discomfort severe enough to wake you at night, or affects your urinary or bowel function, call your doctor as soon as possible to make an appointment. These are all related symptoms that indicate that something more than stress or an ordinary muscle strain or sprain is behind the pain.
Stress-induced back pain requires a lot of self-awareness, says Dr. Trivedi. “Stress can come with a lot of negativity that makes you feel like it’s okay or something you can overcome. For many people, it can be difficult to understand and talk about the fact that it is really bothering them and is now affecting them physically,” she explains.
If you get to a point where stress is difficult to manage, if your stress management skills are not good enough and you are experiencing stress physically, you can always contact a therapist. Please wait a certain period of time. The sooner you address these underlying feelings or come up with a plan to change the situation (all things a licensed therapist can help you do), the sooner your body and mind will feel better.
Well+Good articles reference scientific, credible, recent and robust research to support the information we share. You can trust us on your wellness journey.
- Choi S, Na S, Jang HD, Moon JE, Han S. Association between chronic low back pain and stress level: a nationwide cross-sectional study. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 15;11(1):14549. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-94001-1. PMID: 34267269; PMCID:PMC8282867.
- Vinstrup J, Jakobsen MD, Andersen LL. Perceived stress and back pain in healthcare workers: a multicenter prospective cohort study. All-round public health. August 11, 2020;8:297. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00297. PMID: 32850571; PMCID: PMC7431956.
- Ho EK, Chen L, Simic M, Ashton-James CE, Comachio J, Wang DXM, Hayden JA, Ferreira ML, Ferreira PH. Psychological interventions for chronic, non-specific low back pain: A systematic review using network meta-analysis. BMJ. Mar 30, 2022;376:e067718. doi:10.1136/bmj-2021-067718. PMID: 35354560; PMCID:PMC8965745.
- Hayden JA, Ellis J, Ogilvie R, Malmivaara A, van Tulder MW. Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database System revised edition. 2021 Sep 28;9(9):CD009790. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009790.pub2. PMID: 34580864; PMCID:PMC8477273.
- Wolfers LN, Utz S. Social media use, stress, and coping. Curr Opin Psychol. Jun 2022;45:101305. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101305. Epub January 31, 2022. PMID: 35184027.