How Stress Causes Neck Pain

/3,291 Comments/in /by
Stress Neck Pain

Stress Causing Neck Pain

How Stress Causes Neck Pain

If you suffer from chronic neck pain, particularly alongside headaches, and with no apparent physical cause it may be that your stress level is to blame. Stress in daily life, from pressure at work, school, or home, can cause tension in the neck muscles, which leads to fatigue, cramping, stiffness in the neck, and neck pain.

When we are under stress we unconsciously tense our muscles as if in preparation to run away from our stressor, but oftentimes the stressful stimuli we encounter are not able to be run away from and so the stress has no outlet and there is no corresponding relaxation once we feel the ‘threat’ is over. In modern society where we could, if we read every newspaper and watched every news report, consider our lives to be in imminent danger, it is hardly surprising that doctors are reporting more incidences of chronic stress-related neck pain than ever before. Even major health institutions are warning us not to take work home with us and to learn to ignore the smartphone that may be causing our neck pain and back problems.

The vast majority of neck pain is due to tension in the muscles supporting the head. This can lead to not only pain in the neck, but also jaw pain, shoulder and back pain, and headaches. Stress is also a factor in weight gain and obesity, which in itself can make pain worse by risking an increase in inflammation and by putting more pressure on the body’s musculoskeletal system. Stress may also be implicated in the development of conditions such as lupus, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, all of which can lead to neck pain; this may be due to the fact that long-term stress downgrades the immune system.

Unhealthy Quick Fixes

Those who are under stress also often resort to unhealthy ‘quick-fixes’ such as alcohol, drugs, or smoking. Using over-the-counter analgesics and anti-inflammatories can also lead to a rebound effect, creating withdrawal symptoms and leading people to take more and more of the medication. Caffeine, which may also be present in some headache pills, can have a similar effect on tension and stress, with withdrawal presenting a problem for many who try to go cold-turkey. Poor dietary choices may also be made due to time constraints and little inclination to cook healthy foods. These factors all contribute further to poor nutrition, which can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, such as magnesium, B vitamins, and other nutrients key in muscle activity, energy, and how your body deals with stress.

Long Term Stress

Prolonged tense muscles can also compromise circulation, and put pressure on the nerves in the neck or brachial plexus. If circulation is reduced to an area, through blood vessel constriction, then this can adversely affect nutrient and oxygen delivery to cells, making them more prone to damage and death. Stress in itself can cause a reduction in blood supply to peripheral limbs, which can create tension in the muscles. This is because the body is preparing itself for any injury and attempting to reduce potential blood losses from such injury. Emotional and psychological stress creates a very similar reaction to a physical stressor, such as a charging bull, or a pride of lions running towards you. Your boss shortening your deadline, or arguments over whose turn it is to drive the kids to soccer may be the cause of your neck pain, and are harder to avoid than, say, animals on the African plains.

Neck Pain from Computers

Neck Pain from Computers

Neck Pain Stress Triggers

Emotional stressors are not the only stressors, however. Chemical stress, through environmental pollutants, additives in food, allergens, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, can cause tension in the body, inflammatory reactions, and nutrient deficiencies leading to neck pain. Problems with posture, sleep, gait, and exercise or sports injuries where persistent strain or improper movements create imbalances in muscle tone, can all contribute to physical stress and neck pain.

Stress in the neck muscles can adversely affect the way we move the rest of our body and, in the long-term, lead to persistent muscle tone imbalance and altered posture which creates a higher risk for degenerative spinal problems. It takes only a slight adjustment in the neck musculature to create major problems. The average human head weighs 10-20lbs, and as it is supported by your neck muscles it can be compared to a bowling ball balanced on your fingertips (or a melon on some spaghetti if you’re feeling a little more culinary). If you have chronic neck pain you should always make sure you get it checked out as, even if you are stressed, there may be an underlying physical issue that can be corrected.

Treatment Options

If chronic emotional stress is a problem, and you think it is the cause of your neck pain then a therapy such as the Alexander Technique may be helpful where postural problems and emotional disturbances can be addressed. Controlling the emotions, regulating breathing, and re-educating the body to handle stressful situations a little better are all included in this type of therapy making it ideal for those with stress-related neck pain. Similarly, counselling, mindfulness training, cognitive behavioural therapy, or even granting yourself a relaxing massage or hot, soothing bath can all help you learn to relax and get rid of that pain in the neck.

You might also like
TMJ, Ear and Neck Pain
Is Your Smartphone Causing Your Neck Pain?
Needle-Knife Therapy Better than Acupuncture-Cupping for Treating Cervical Spondylosis
Bouncy-House Injuries Rapidly Increasing
Spondylolisthesis in the Neck and Cervical Nerve Compression
Can Statins Cause Neck Pain?
Peppermint Oil for Tension Headaches and Neck Pain
US-Wide Aspirin Recall - Rugby-Label May Contain Acetaminophen
3291 replies
  1. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    Good post. I learn something new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day.
    It’s always useful to read through content from other authors and practice a little something from other web sites.

    Reply
  16. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    Hello, i believe that i noticed you visited my web site thus i came to return the choose?.I am
    attempting to to find things to improve my website!I guess its ok to
    make use of some of your ideas!!

    Reply
  68. pgvip
    pgvip says:

    Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful information particularly the last part I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.pgvip

    Reply
  69. gta
    gta says:

    Having read this I thought it was very informative. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this article together. I once again find myself spending way to much time both reading and commenting.gta

    Reply
  81. 4kingbet
    4kingbet says:

    “4kingbet Roulette is available on and fully optimised for all devices to guarantee the most immersive playing experience. There are several options for choosing a table, including several languages, styles, and stake limit.
    During play, the results column will also show a history of the most recent winning numbers, while ‘Hot’ and ‘Cold’ numbers (those drawn frequently and infrequently, respectively) will be noted, as well as a red/black and odd/even result ratio.
    The above results cannot be used to predict future results, but provide information of past games.”

    Reply
  89. 4kingbet
    4kingbet says:

    “4kingbetRoulette is available on and fully optimised for all devices to guarantee the most immersive playing experience. There are several options for choosing a table, including several languages, styles, and stake limit.
    During play, the results column will also show a history of the most recent winning numbers, while ‘Hot’ and ‘Cold’ numbers (those drawn frequently and infrequently, respectively) will be noted, as well as a red/black and odd/even result ratio.
    The above results cannot be used to predict future results, but provide information of past games.”

    Reply
  134. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was curious what all is needed to get setup?

    I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
    I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100% certain. Any tips
    or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

    Reply
  158. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    I don’t know whether it’s just me or if everybody else encountering
    problems with your website. It appears as if some of
    the text in your posts are running off the screen. Can someone else
    please provide feedback and let me know if
    this is happening to them too? This could be a problem with my web browser because I’ve had this happen previously.
    Many thanks

    Reply
  174. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    Hello! I realize this is sort of off-topic however I needed to
    ask. Does operating a well-established blog such as yours require a large amount of work?
    I am brand new to writing a blog but I do write in my diary everyday.
    I’d like to start a blog so I can share my personal experience and feelings online.

    Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips
    for brand new aspiring bloggers. Thankyou!

    Reply
  206. vissza nem térítendő állami támogatás
    vissza nem térítendő állami támogatás says:

    Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your web site is so cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this blog. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the info I already searched everywhere and simply could not come across. What a perfect web-site.

    Reply
  213. http://tinyurl.com/29z8rpep
    http://tinyurl.com/29z8rpep says:

    Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading this post reminds me
    of my previous room mate! He always kept chatting about this.
    I will forward this page to him. Pretty sure he will have
    a good read. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  246. http://tinyurl.com
    http://tinyurl.com says:

    Hello! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you
    knew where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?
    I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one?
    Thanks a lot!

    Reply
  267. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the web the easiest thing
    to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get irked while people consider worries that they just don’t
    know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as
    well as defined out the whole thing without having side-effects ,
    people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more.

    Thanks

    Reply
  308. intern.ilr.rwth-aachen.de
    intern.ilr.rwth-aachen.de says:

    Hey there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us
    so I came to check it out. I’m definitely loving the
    information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to
    my followers! Superb blog and fantastic design and style.

    Reply
  338. 2022
    2022 says:

    I pay a quick visit every day a few sites and websites to read articles or reviews, but this web site offers
    feature based articles.

    Take a look at my site: 2022

    Reply
  394. tinyurl.com
    tinyurl.com says:

    Hi there! This article could not be written much better!
    Looking at this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
    He continually kept talking about this. I most certainly will forward this article to
    him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  500. LowellWog