The effects of stress on the body
If you are one of life’s worriers, then the wave of fear and uncertainty that the recent pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war have brought have likely not quelled these tendencies. The areas of life that they have affected are myriad; from the health of yourself and loved ones, finances, job security, kids’ education… It is little wonder there are concerns about a mental health crisis.
Whilst we know a little bit of worry can be good for us, persistently high levels of stress can trigger a chronic stress response within the body, affecting us both mentally and physically. The effects of stress on the body are not desirable ones as prolonged episodes of stress can cause the sympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for the fight or flight response) to become overactive and release the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream. It is these constant levels of stress hormones circulating within the body that cause us to respond with symptoms of the ‘fight or flight’ response.
Psychological effects of anxiety are relatively well-known, and it is particularly important to talk to a professional therapist who can help you address anxiety triggers and develop coping strategies to prevent long-term anxiety negatively affecting your health (there are studies linking anxiety disorders with increased heart disease and stroke).
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However, the effects of stress on the body also manifest themselves clearly. Here we will touch on the 3 main physical symptoms of stress and the ways in which a visit to your osteopath can alleviate them.
- Headaches. High levels of stress hormones cause the muscles to become overly tense – most commonly affected are the trapezius (upper shoulders), scalene and suboccipital (neck and back of skull) muscles. This increased tension limits blood flow to the muscles causing them to become fibrous and ‘knotted’, making you feel stiff and limiting mobility of the upper back and neck joints. Two types of headaches often result from this; tension headaches which cause pain at the back of the head and a tight ‘band-like’ feeling at the temples, and cervicogenic headaches which tend to travel from one side of the neck to the back of the eye of the same side. Osteopathy focuses on improving blood flow to the muscles using deep tissue techniques to reduce knots and manipulation to re-align the spine and improve mobility.
- Chest tightness. The stress response increases heart and breathing rates. In this state the body does less deep abdominal breathing and instead recruits the ‘accessory respiratory’ muscles, located at the neck, upper chest and back. This contributes to a panicky feeling of breathlessness and can cause chest pain and tightness. An osteopath can work through deep breathing exercises with the patient, encouraging use of the diaphragm, and help to stretch and relax the tense muscles around the neck and chest.
- Insomnia. Overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system can make it difficult to switch off, exacerbating any feelings of anxiety. The sympathetic nervous system is located either side of the thoracic spine (middle back), so an osteopath will look for any dysfunctional areas here, which may present as a block of restricted joints or an area of spasmed muscle, and will work to rebalance the problem. Additionally, techniques to encourage activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (located in the brain and lower back) are used to promote a slower heart and breathing rate, lowering blood pressure and encouraging feelings of relaxation.
Recent times have brought many new things for us to feel anxious about and it is ok to feel this way. However, if you are noticing that you these worries are taking a toll either mentally or physically it is important to recognise this and seek help. Treatment from a professional will likely help ease the burden immediately and provide you with tools to manage physical and emotional stress on a day to day basis. This in turn will help the effects of stress on the body disappear.
Find out more
For physical treatment feel free to contact our London based osteopath Sian Smith at 07970 133 658 or sian@bridgetohealth.co.uk, or for help with psychological symptoms then contact our London based councillors Ania Jorgenson at 07311 088 988 or ania@bridgetohealth.co.uk or Melissa Heming at 07957 405 937 or melissa@bridgetohealth.co.uk. Or simply book an appointment directly.
