Stress Related Pain
When stressed or overwhelmed a certain chain of events occur. Your breathing pattern instantly changes (you may not even notice), this alters your body chemistry in several significant ways, such as your body’s pH, a drop in tolerance to pain, an increase in muscle tension and stiffness and an increase in hormones that make you less able to cope or adapt.
Stress is known to cause migraine and tension headaches, and stress related poor breathing patterns are a significant factor in the pain of Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Period related pain can also be caused by stress or made worse by it.
Your treatment plan
After a thorough medical history and examination procedure treatment needs to address the underlying causes and any exacerbating factors.
Acupuncture
Certain acupuncture points have been shown to affect areas of the brain that are known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety (5).
Acupuncture may help relieve chronic pain by:
- Stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, which leads to release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors (e.g. neuropeptide Y, serotonin), and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord.
- Increasing the release of adenosine, which has antinociceptive properties.
- Modulating the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network.
- Reducing inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors.
- Improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility by increasing local microcirculation which aids dispersal of swelling (6).
Massage
A combination of bodywork such as tui na, acupressure, massage, reflexology, relaxation, breathing and mindful awareness exercises are also a core strategy that has proven helpful for many people.
Other Lifestyle factors - Creating restful sleep patterns, making sure you have the right diet, nutrients and nourishing eating habits are also key, as well as addressing any emotional issues that may be involved.
British Acupuncture Research Fact Sheets - For further information please take a look at the related issues section on the right hand-side of the screen.
- Med Hypotheses. 63:118–123) 2004S. Gummels, E Adams
- Headache: The Journal of Head and Face PainJ. Holm et al. Volume 37, Issue 9, pages 553–558, October, 1997
- Patterns of hypocapnia in patients with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome. J. Naschitz et al American Journal of Medical Science 331 (6), 295-303) 2006
- Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome may be caused by hyperventilation H. Ott H et al Fertility and Sterility 86(4):1001e17-19) 2006
- Wu MT et al. Central nervous pathway for acupuncture stimulation: localization of processing with functional MR imaging of the brain-- preliminary experience.
- References - please see Chronic Pain