Everybody is built to withstand tension, but only in smaller doses than what people now experience. When it becomes chronic in nature, this stress can have devastating effects on the human body. Muscles tense up because of all the tension that the body is experiencing. Why does this happen? Everything that happens generates a reaction from the human body, and muscle tension is a body’s way of reacting to stress, pain, or injury. So before one decides to go to a physician for head pain in Southlake, let’s take a closer look at what might be the cause for it all.
Sudden Onset Stress
If someone gets stressed out immediately, also known as sudden onset stress, the body’s muscles tense up and only release themselves when the stressor has evaporated. This can happen very easily in people who always have their guard up. The tension tends to build up and result in taut and tensed muscles for long periods of time. It’s more of a snowball effect from this point on, as it leads to even more stress-related disorders in the body.
Tension Headaches, Migraines, And Back Pain
Most tension headaches and migraines are associated with stress in the body. Stress in the body doesn’t directly cause these conditions, but rather, it causes muscle tension, which causes these conditions. Musculoskeletal pain in the lower and upper back also has a lot to do with stress. For most people, it is job stress, if you can believe it!
The gist of it all is that stress has a physical impact on one’s body that sometimes may not always be evident, but it’s there for those looking out for it. People can suffer several chronic pain conditions caused by muscle stress primarily, but most of them never know why. Stress itself is the body’s reaction to something external, whether a traumatic experience, injury, or otherwise.
Signs One Is Stressed
While various relaxation techniques are available to help balance stress levels out somewhat, it helps first to know which part of the body one should focus on. As such, let’s take a look at some of the signs that might indicate one is carrying muscle tension in their body that might require some help.
Respiratory System
If one is feeling stressed out or has other strong emotions, there are respiratory signs they can look out for, such as rapid breathing, shortness of breath, or the restriction of the airway between the lungs and the nose. For people that already have respiratory diseases, their bodies learn to adapt to the changes as they are not caused by external elements. However, respiratory issues caused by stress demand attention and can’t just be ignored. Individuals begin having difficulty breathing and feel like they might have medical illnesses like asthma when it is in fact their body reacting to the stress they are holding on to.
If an individual is witnessing these signs, they can work with a psychologist to develop techniques to calm themselves down, such as breathing, relaxation, and other such cognitive-behavioral strategies.
Cardiovascular System
The human cardiovascular system has two elements: the heart and the blood vessels. They need to work together for nutrition and oxygen to flow freely to every organ of the body. Stress disrupts this delicate balance. It can be anything like getting late for work, wanting but failing to meet deadlines, or almost getting into an accident on the road. Things that elevate the heart rate, and not in a fun way, can cause stronger contractions of the cardiovascular muscle and release stress chemicals such as adrenaline, cortisol, noradrenaline, and more.
Chronic stress makes this even worse. People who are stressed out for a prolonged period of time can experience high blood pressure that isn’t normal for their age. When it continues, it can lead to inflammation in the coronary arteries and can eventually lead to a stroke. If that wasn’t enough, this kind of chronic stress can also elevate one’s cholesterol levels.
Endocrine System
People that find themselves in extremely challenging situations that are out of their control can trigger an endocrine stress response. This is when the production of a steroid hormone called glucocorticoid, which includes cortisol, is increased. Cortisol, as most people know, is a stress hormone. So, of course, it makes sense that the body reacts to excess amounts. However, how does this happen?
Th hypothalamus is a collection of nuclei that bridge the human brain and the endocrine system. This nuclei collection is what indicates the pituitary gland to create this hormone. These stress hormones come extremely handy when it is a fight-or-flight situation. However, when they are in excess quantity in the body when there is no danger, it can lead to chronic fatigue, obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.
Stress is how brains perceive threatening events around it. These events can be referred to as stressors. Everyone has a different and unique reaction to stress, and so, their bodies react differently, too. What might be considered stressful for Person A might be thrilling for Person B.
For people experiencing stress that is now manifesting physically in their bodies, perhaps it is time that they reassess the world around them and figure out what might be causing them so much grief. The solution isn’t simple. And while most people would like to go to an upper cervical chiropractor in Southlake, it is much more beneficial in the long run to eliminate the stressor. Yes, it is time-consuming, but the results are worth it, and don’t involve a long drive to see a physician for neck pain in Southlake.
