How Back Pain Can Affect Your Overall Mood and What You Can Do
When you have back pain, you tend to experience emotional changes such as stress, anxiety, and depression. With this in mind, people suffering from back pain also suffer from mental battles and these can be overwhelming.
With the right support system from family members and loved ones as well as from medical professionals, people suffering from back pain are able to manage and cope.
How Can Back Pain Affect Your Mood
Generally, the back is the largest area of the body and the one that most people use for physical activity. When there is a pain in the back, the person finds it hard to move, work, or do any physical activities.
Also, back pain can affect your general mood as well as your mood in specific situations. For instance, it can make you feel anxious, depressed, or worried. You may feel angry, frustrated, or sad. The pain can also ruin your appetite or your sleep.
This is because our bodies are programmed to protect themselves from any danger by releasing endorphins.
Endorphins are chemicals in the brain that help to soothe our senses and nerves. When the brain releases this chemical, the body releases a sense of happiness and wellbeing. In the case of back pain, endorphins are released when you take a deep breath and exhale.
This is because your body reacts to the pain by trying to block it out. Although this may seem to be a positive effect, this can lead to feelings of frustration and sadness if more pain is experienced.
Anxiety and depression come along with back pain because of the mental battle you must endure. However, people suffering from back pain do not need to suffer from anxiety and depression. There are many ways to manage and cope with these emotions. Back pain and anxiety or depression may sound like two unrelated issues, but in reality, the two may often go hand in hand.
What Helps Back Pain
Treating back pain requires both treatments for physical and mental steps. First of all, to manage and overcome back pain and its symptoms, the person is required to undergo treatment from physical health professionals such as a physiotherapist or a chiropractor. Both these specialists help identify the underlying cause of back pain such as improper posture, lack of exercise and movement, or an injury that needs to be treated.
Here are some of the treatment options you can get:
Physical Therapy – If you are suffering from back pain, it is best to consult a physical therapist. Physical therapists are specialists in the mind-body connection and they work with you to improve flexibility, strength, and balance. A physical therapist will show you how to execute the proper movements that will reduce the risk of increased pain.
Chiropractic Treatment – Chiropractors work on the nervous system to help restore the balance and posture of the body. A chiropractor will examine the spine and joints to correct the alignment and balance. Chiropractors provide a lot of relief from back pain.
Massage Therapy – Having a massage can restore your muscles and provide much-needed relief from back pain. Massage therapy involves working the muscles to help ease tension, restore mobility, and increase the range of motion. A therapist will work the muscles to relieve you of the pain and stiffness.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches you how to change these negative thoughts, which in turn helps you manage and cope with your back pain. It provides a structure that helps you identify your triggers and then change your response. CBT uses cognitive techniques such as mindfulness and writing a diary to help the person focus on his or her thoughts and feelings.
Meeting with a therapist and taking up a form of exercises like yoga or Pilates can help you manage and overcome back pain. Sufferers of back pain are encouraged to get in touch with a therapist and a medical professional to help manage and overcome the back pain.
Conclusion
Back pain can negatively affect your life, but with the right treatment and exercise, you can manage and cope with this pain.
Rhythmic Health offers an online back pain program that helps you understand your pain and provides you with the right approach on how to get rid of the pain. Let us help you take control and overcome back pain. Contact us today to get started!
