Yes, it's true. Emotional stress can cause physical neck pain. But that doesn't make the discomfort less real or professional medical treatment less necessary. Let us help you determine the cause of your neck pain and help you create a treatment plan to move forward.
Studies have shown that people with chronic neck pain suffer from depression and anxiety. Generally speaking, anger and pride can create tension that results in shoulder neck pain. Additionally, an increased mental workload can cause extra shoulder tension.
Stress affects the body in a variety of ways, from mood swings and headaches to weight fluctuations. However, an often overlooked side effect of stress is neck and back pain. Over time, repetitive bouts of stress can cause musculoskeletal issues in these regions of the body.
When we experience long term stress, our bodies can hold tension in our neck and shoulder muscles, which can lead to pain. Neck pain is a common symptom caused by persistent stress.
Stress-related neck and shoulder pain are typically the result of emotional or mental anxiety. This can directly affect the muscles and nerves that run through your shoulders, neck, and cervical spine.
The neck, back, shoulders, or back or top of the head may feel tense, tight, stiff, or sore. It might also feel as though you have a tight band around your head. Others describe it as a head, neck, back, shoulders, or back or top of the head pressure, tension, stiffness, or soreness.
When tension and stress build in the neck, muscles may feel tight or achy. Neck pain may also spread to the shoulder or be accompanied by a headache.
Techniques that can reduce stress include deep breathing, yoga , meditation, and art or music therapy. Choose one you can do during the day to slow down and relax. Get a massage. A gentle massage is a great way to relieve stress and neck pain, too, because it gets blood flowing into your sore muscles.
Neck tension symptom description:
Some people experience this symptom with a head pressure, headaches, and a 'tight band around the head' feeling. Many people who experience this symptom try to "crack" their necks or roll their necks in hopes that it will release the tension, stiffness, and soreness.
Anxiety muscle tension, aches, and pains can come and go rarely, occur frequently, or persist indefinitely.
This syndrome is pretty common, affecting both men and women of every age. Tension neck syndrome is characterized by neck pain, shoulder pain, accompanied by muscle stiffness, muscle tenderness, and muscle spasms.
The most common areas we tend to hold stress are in the neck, shoulders, hips, hands and feet. Planning one of your stretch sessions around these areas can help calm your mind and calm your body.
Grief can be stored in various parts of the body, such as the heart, lungs, throat, and stomach. People may also experience physical sensations like heaviness in the chest or tightness in the throat when experiencing grief.
Neck pain caused by muscle tension or strain usually goes away on its own within a few days. Neck pain that continues longer than several weeks often responds to exercise, stretching, physical therapy and massage. Sometimes, you may need steroid injections or even surgery to relieve neck pain.
Further research suggests that if you're feeling stressed or apprehensive, your body tightens its muscles to become more resilient - and those muscles include your neck and shoulder.
A sense of dread. Worried or tense. Neglected or lonely. Existing mental health problems getting worse.
Feeling overwhelmed or on edge. Trouble keeping track of things or remembering. Trouble making decisions, solving problems, concentrating, getting your work done. Using alcohol or drugs to relieve your emotional stress.
Yes, anxiety can cause muscle tension and neck pain. But, neck and muscle pain in the upper back and shoulder area can also be caused by a problem in the cervical spine.
It is widely known that patients seeking treatment for depression often experience real pain. According to Lepine and Briley, “over 75% of depressed patients in primary care complain of painful physical symptoms such as headache, stomach pain, neck and back pain as well as non-specific generalized pain.”