Emotional stress can produce physical injury…. Through postural stress and physical deterioration.
Chiropractic avenue – when a person is not withstanding emotional stress well… it can affect the health in two ways…
Physical posture…. The head comes forward…the shoulders droop…abdomen sags … mechanical stress on muscles in the neck and the joints and ligaments up and down the spine…this can lead to pain and arthritis …to resist the wearing of the tissues the muscles tighten leading to chronic strain….the muscles begin to change toward being tight and stringing instead of soft and fleshy… if you put your hands up to your shoulders and massage…and you feel those muscle knots.... those painful knots are part of the degenerative process.
…Because of the stooped posture the breathing becomes shallow impairing lung function
The second impact is muscle tension in the jaws and shoulders which compounds the physical strain…
Cortisol levels rise in response to both emotional and physical stress… the body prepares to meet a threat that doesn’t come… the physical equivalent of walking uphill all day without the exercise.
Yes… you can take some medication to relieve the pain… but what about the mechanism of injury? Unless you correct it…what is likely to continue happening?
The process works in reverse too… postural deterioration can lead to emotional stress and deterioration.
Alexander’s technique as an example.
Alexander was a Shakespearean actor who suffered from nervous stage fright ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_technique). He found that when he consciously maintained impeccable poise and posture, his nerves settled, and curiously, his intonation and ability to project improved... as did several other health issues. He observed and postulated that many people develop inappropriate patterns of posture and movement and by correcting them, the person could often relieve the stress on their bodies as well as emotions.
Own example…Give me a good slouch….feel your lungs…the energy in your neck and shoulders… the energy within your psyche… feeling happy?
Over time the joints get pulled out of alignment….the muscles knotted up and the nervous system distressed.
Good idea to see your friendly neighbourhood chiropractor! Yes!
Social stress… The world reflects what we show it.
Now a sit up tall… feel the difference… Lungs… shoulder…. Confidence.