Can Anxiety Cause Back Pain?

Anxiety, a word we are all too familiar with. We could go into all of the different causes, talk about the culture we live in where B U S Y is the buzzword or discuss the unrealistic expectations we place upon ourselves and each other, but for now let's talk about the physical effects an anxious state of mind can have on the body.

Aches and pains seem to be a symptom of everyday life for many people. Sure, there are times when we physically exert ourselves, overdo it and strain muscles, but what about all of that stress and anxiety? We know that worry and head-fuzz make us feel rotten mentally, but what about that achey back you've had recently? The neck pain and tight shoulders?

Mindfulness can be a great tool to use here. Imagine yourself in a stressful situation. Now bring your attention to your body, to your muscles. How do they feel? Are your fists clenched, your shoulders raised? Maybe you can feel tightness in your neck or certain areas of your back? Perhaps you can even feel tension in your jaw? And now let it go, relax your muscles. Let your arms hang limply by your sides. Holding your muscles tensely in this way is over-exertion. Muscles are made to contract and relax but not to be held tightly like this for a period of time. Sometimes we don't always realize we are abusing our muscles in this way until we develop an ache or pain or have a treatment and feel the therapist run her thumbs over all of the knots which have accumulated.

Furthermore, when we are in a state of anxiety, we are inducing the body's fight or flight response. Cortisol is released into the blood flow and consequently carried to all of the body systems, including the muscles. The release of cortisol causes the muscles to contract in anticipation of fighting or running. This again means our muscles are being over-used and can result in painful muscles in many different areas of the body.

The breath is something else which can be affected by anxiety and cause a negative impact on the body. When we are feeling tense, our breathing tends to become more shallow and sometimes we hold our breath. This can mean our muscles don't receive an adequate amount of oxygen. With a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the muscles, there's a build up of waste products which can lead to aches and pains. These "trigger points" subsequently need to be worked out.

So, yes, anxiety can be the cause of back pain. How to combat this? Mindfulness, self-awareness and self-care can all help to combat anxiety and the symptoms it causes. Looking after your body with a regular massage can help you to relax and relieve tension as well as releasing those problem areas already present within your muscles. Meditation is an ancient practice which so easily gets poo-pooed but is so important in order for us to learn about ourselves and our reactions to the world around us. Bringing attention to the way our body feels can help reduce the amount of tension we hold on a physical level.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my first blog post and look forward to writing more!