Common Stress
| How Does Stress Affect My Body? | Irritated Nerves: | |
| Tight Muscles: | What Can I Do to Manage Stress? | |
| Misaligned Joints: | Chiropractic Checkups: |
Healthy muscles contract and relax as you move. But when muscles tense in response to stress, they can't relax fully. When stress persists, the muscles become tight-like knots in a rope. Tight muscles can pull joints out of alignment, irritating nerves and causing pain. If your spine is misaligned, the rest of your body becomes even more prone to stress and disease.
Muscles are bands of strong, elastic fibers that shorten (contract) and lengthen (relax) as you move. Stress causes muscles to tighten and lose their ability to relax fully. The fibers become twisted, forming hard, bumpy areas. These are called trigger points because they trigger pain at that point or elsewhere in your body.
Bones meet to form joints. Ligaments hold the bones in place at the joint. Tight muscles can pull on bones, stretching the ligaments. This causes the joint to misalign and become stiff and painful.
Nerves carry messages from the brain to all the parts of the body. They exit through the openings in the spine and travel throughout the body. Nerves in muscle tissue cause the muscle to contract and relax. When muscles become knotted or joints are misaligned, they can press on nerves, causing pain.
You can't get rid of stress in your life, but you can learn to manage it. Your chiropractor can suggest a stress reduction program for you. It may include muscle relaxation, deep breathing, exercise, visualization to clear your mind, proper diet, and enough rest.
Just as you need regular dental exams, you also need regular chiropractic exams. Chiropractic care is one of the best ways to manage or prevent stress and maintain a healthier life.
To relax tight shoulder and neck muscles, lift your shoulders to your ears. Then slowly roll them backward as you bring them down. Repeat 5 times. Do this exercise several times a day.