Stress Relief to Reduce Back Pain

Back pain is a complicated issue, with many causes, which include deconditioning, structural problems, medical conditions and psychological stress. Whatever the cause, back pain is a debilitating condition, which loses productive hours, out of life and lowers the overall quality of life.

Emotional stress in a psychological condition that can cause, or aggravate back pain. Even if the cause of the pain is attributed to a structural or medical condition, the stress of the pain can increase the discomfort in the back. Stress also heightens the emotional component of pain and diminishes overall coping ability. Emotional tension can cause changes in the body's nervous system.

Everyday tension and stress can cause the muscles to tighten. The tightening of the muscles can feel like a clamp and cause back pain, as well as headaches and other unpleasant physical conditions.

There are many approaches that will help to get the stress off of the back. Following are effective methods to eliminate tension, and pain, from the back, from the book, "Strong, Women, Strong Backs" by Miriam E. Nelson Ph.D., Friedman School of Nutrition, Science and Policy, Tufts University; is a common sense book about causes, treatments and prevention of back pain, particularly for women.

The methods to eliminate back pain caused by tension are both physical and non-physical.

Meditation
There are different methods of meditation. Sitting for twenty minutes with the eye closed while making a soothing sound can settle down and release stress. There is a book written by Dr. Herbert Benson, called "The Relaxation Response" which is highly recommended. Dr. Benson is a mind-body specialist with Harvard Medical School. Dr. Benson has pulled together different aspects of meditation that appear to lower blood pressure and relieve other body responses to stress.