Psychological Consequences of Back Pain

Back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the United States, and still many people overlook how profoundly their mindset is influencing the pain. Your attitude can contribute to your back pain or make it worse, based on how you view the pain and if you let it control you, but you can also take mastery over it. Chiropractors can help improve back pain with spinal adjustments and other treatments, but the wellness-centered, holistic approach of chiropractic will always consider your mindset toward your body and if that can also be improved.

Your Brain and Emotional Stress

People that have anxiety and emotional distress often times can’t control their thoughts and emotions and focus solely on the pain. Emotional distress can cause you to expect the worst, and if you are always anticipating more pain it’s easy for back pain to consume you. When your brain is in panic mode the already painful experience becomes intolerable, so it is important to focus your attention on something that gives you joy and not think about the pain. People who have suffered from injuries may be worried about beginning to exercise, but exercise under professional guidance is one of the best ways of clearing your body of stressors.

Controlling the Pain

Chiropractic care encourages regular adjustments to keep back pain under control, and between your adjustments, you can always work on improving your mindset. Many people find that experience of getting an adjustment to be pleasant in itself, and they similarly enjoy other common physical therapies such as electric muscle stimulation. Talk therapy is helpful for many people dealing with the stress of chronic pain and can help you recognize patterns in your behavior that affect your overall wellness. Deep-breathing exercises and meditation are very helpful in managing stress, and these are often incorporated into workouts like yoga to improve the mind-body connection. Hypnosis is a less common treatment method for back pain, but it addresses both the physical and mental properties of pain in order to re-train the mind’s response to pain messages.

Too many people suffering from back pain become reliant on painkillers without ever treating the cause or dealing with the emotional stress involved. Chiropractors will not recommend prescription medication, so if you are on painkillers after an accident or injury it is important to consider both your physical and mental wellness in your long-term plan for managing pain. Remember that your attitude is just as important as what you are feeling physically. Learning to regulate your emotional reactions to pain and improving your mindset will go a long way towards feeling healthier. If you are still struggling with back pain, it may be time to tackle your mindset in order to improve your back pain and overall health.