Life changes, holidays, and times of uncertainty can be stressful. Still, they can also bring excitement. It’s also a chance to relax and rest. Do you find that besides your stress, your pain has also increased?

Stress and pain have a simple, yet complex relationship to one another. When we feel stress, our bodies often feel it too whether we notice it at the time or not. Stress causes muscles to tighten or spasm. This then increases pain. Over time, that can cause further inflammation, pain, and weakness in those areas.

I highly recommend reading this fantastic book called Healing Back Pain – The Mind-Body Connection by John E. Sarno, M.D. . I read the book years ago, and it really changed my life. Dr. Sarno explains beautifully how stress makes certain muscles contract, which causes pain. He categorizes the explanation by personality types—which really resonated with me.

The most important recommendation I have is Back RX®: A 15-Minute-a-Day Yoga- and Pilates-Based Program to End Low Back Pain by Vijay Vad, M.D. This book also describes the mind-body connection and how to heal back pain using noninvasive techniques. It builds upon clinical trials and has inspired the foundation of the Back Rx® app.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic…