Stress is something we see a lot of in patients seeking chiropractic care.
But what is stress?
Stress is physical, chemical or emotional tension on our bodies. We tend to feel stress in situations where the fight or flight response is activated, however internal and external factors in our everyday lives can cause stress too. It’s important to remember that feeling stressed is normal, however we should not be in a constant state of fight or flight as this can cause a negative impact on our bodies.
How does stress affect my body?
Stress can affect almost every part of your function, but as Chiropractors the most common issues we see are:
· Tension in shoulders
· Headaches
· Tight and/or immobile joints
· Poor concentration
· Poor sleep
· Heightened /and or overactive nervous system
It’s very common for stress to cause tension in our shoulders, this will tighten the upper trapezius muscles of the neck and suboccipital muscles of the skull and put pressure on our head causing headaches and discomfort.
But it’s not only our muscles that are affected by stress. It’s also very common for people to shallow breathe or chest breathe. This sharp shallow breath means that rather than using our diaphragm to breathe (which is perfectly designed for the job), we end up using breathing accessory muscles. These muscles are around our neck, chest and shoulders and are not meant to do the entire job of helping us breathe. Therefore, they get fatigued and lead to pain and tension. Check yourself now, bring your shoulders towards the floor and relax. Were you wearing your shoulders as earrings? ?
What we do:
There are many different adjustments we offer to help alleviate tension and stress in your body.
Most of our patients come for a regular check up every few months, just like you would with the dentist or at the opticians. Often Chiropractors can detect issues before they become a problem. Regular chiropractic care can also prevent further postural decline.
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