How Your Emotions Can Manifest as Physical Pain

It’s common knowledge that emotional stress can cause muscle tension resulting in headaches, neck pain, and other issues. But stress isn’t the only emotion that can manifest as physical pain. Learn what other emotions are known to cause pain in different parts of your body.

How Do Thoughts and Emotions Impact Physical Health?

Stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions produce high amounts of the hormone cortisol. This chemical alters your immune system, suppresses digestion, affects your reproductive system, and impairs the growth process. These bodily functions are less important when the body enters survival mode, which is what happens with an overproduction of cortisol.

Adrenaline is another fight-or-flight hormone that your body generates when put in stressful or high-pressure situations. Normally, adrenaline levels drop when the perceived threat passes, returning your heart rate and blood pressure to baseline levels. However, if you have constant negative thoughts and emotions, adrenaline levels may remain high and adversely affect your health.

The Relationship Between Emotions and Pain Throughout Your Body

The effects of stress and anxiety on your overall health are well known, but here are some other relationships between emotions and pain that might surprise you.

• Stress can cause headaches: If you’re prone to pounding headaches or migraines, stress could be the primary contributing factor. Employ relaxation techniques and strive to go to bed at a consistent time each night to help reduce your stress level.
• Guilt can cause neck pain: The neck is where you hold feelings of guilt and self-recrimination. Chronic neck pain could mean you have trouble forgiving yourself. Apologize for whatever is making you feel guilty to clear the air and reduce your pain.
• Feeling overburdened can cause shoulder pain: The phrase “shoulder the blame” stems from the fact that you carry emotional burdens on your shoulders. Open up to a loved one about your problems to lighten your load and hopefully end your shoulder pain.
• Feeling unloved can cause upper back pain: The upper back is linked with feelings of emotional support. If you think you’re unloved or hold back your feelings for someone else, you could experience upper back pain. Tell your loved ones just how much they mean to you, and you might ease your back pain.
• Financial stress can cause lower back pain: Money issues are a unique type of stress that can manifest in your lower back. If money is tight and you have lower back pain, now could be the time to ask for that overdue raise at work and reassess your spending habits to decrease your financial stress.
• Stubbornness can cause elbow pain: A sore elbow could mean you’re being too stubborn or “set in your ways.” Look for compromises to help loosen up stiff joints.
• Feeling unable to connect with others can cause hand pain: Mysterious pain in the palms of your hands could stem from stifling your need to connect with others. If you’re lonely, fight your instinct to stay in your shell, and instead reach out to friends and neighbors.
• Fear of change can cause hip pain: If you’re dreading a big life change coming up, you might experience stiff hips. Learn to embrace change, or at least face it head-on, to loosen up your hips.
• Pride can cause knee pain: While it’s good to be self-confident, too much pride may cause knee pain, indicating that you’re stuck in the Ego. Stop thinking about yourself and put others first to ease knee pain.
• Jealousy and resentment can cause calf pain: Trigger points in your calves are often activated by the emotional tension of jealousy and resentment. Let go of old grudges, and you might end those painful cramps.
• Resistance to pleasure can cause ankle pain: The ankles are the gateway to accepting pleasure. If you’ve been denying yourself lately and your ankles hurt, now’s the time to splurge a little!
• Negative self-talk can cause foot pain: Too many negative thoughts may cause chronic foot pain. Focus on the positive things in life – and kick up your feet from time to time for a well-deserved break.

Visit Back 2 Health for Natural Pain Management

No matter the source or location of mysterious pain in your body, Back 2 Health has proven pain management techniques you can access at our Goose Creek office. Some of our methods include chiropractic care, massage, trigger point therapy, and K-laser therapy.

To schedule your free consultation and begin down the path to a pain-free life, please call us at (843) 405-0025 or fill out the contact form to the right. We accept most forms of insurance for an affordable treatment plan.