One of our colleagues, Ronnie Gonzalez, a bereavement counselor, sent us a comment about her clients, who often felt physical pain while struggling with the loss of a loved one.
Very often, emotional stress and negative thoughts can manifest physically as tension in the muscles, which is one of the most common causes of pain. Constant exposure to stressors can cause the development of musculoskeletal pain in even healthy individuals (http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/ocp/15/4/399/, http://iospress.metapress.com/content/w8147125250687x5/) and is therefore considered a risk factor associated with the onset of pain.
fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) studies of pain patients demonstrate that negative thoughts can excite areas of the brain associated with pain perceptions and intensify the sensation of pain. Studies have shown that painful muscles which are tense, especially during times of stress, can stay contracted and tight even after the stress or negative feelings are long gone. This causes the body to be more susceptible to pain.
Breathing and stress are also linked. When we suppress our feelings, we generally hold our breath. Depriving our muscles of oxygen will cause it to hurt. The advice of taking deep breaths when we’re stressed or anxious is not unfounded.
Filed under: back pain posts • muscle pain posts
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