Stress as a cause of back pain and physical problems from the perspective of psychosomatics

Back pain affects approximately 80 % of people during their lifetime. However, its causes can be diverse. They range from physically demanding work, poor posture, inappropriate sitting at the computer, lack of exercise, injury and stress. It may seem surprising, but poor mental health often leads to back pain.

The link between stress and physical problems is very close. If we don't feel mentally well, are suffering from anxiety, depression or feel emotionally stressed, we often breathe faster, and our muscles are tense and stiff. If this tension doesn't go away, the muscles can subsequently shorten, blood flow is impaired, and intervertebral joints and ribs can become blocked. We may also feel tightness in the cervical spine and neck muscles from stress.

When you have back pain, you need to see a doctor. If they do not find any physical cause, you must look for the reason elsewhere, for example, in psychosomatics. Psychosomatic back pain indicates something is wrong in our lives, and we should pay attention to it. Often people solve their pain with some pain killer or ointment or indulge in a massage. But if the pain stems from a stressful cause and this is not detected, and if we continue to ignore it, it can gradually worsen and result in chronic problems.

The reasons for the stress are sought when back pain is approached from a psychosomatic perspective. Often people with back pain feel that they are putting too much on themselves, that all the problems are on their shoulders, etc. An appropriate approach is then taken to avoid this pain in the future. This may include a visit to a psychologist, relaxation techniques, physiotherapy, breathing or other exercises to help the patient.

Stress may be to blame if you also suffer from chronic back pain, migraines, or stiffness in your cervical spine. Our therapists are here to help you uncover the cause of your difficulties and then eliminate them. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information.