Stress Management and Healthy Lifestyle

What is “stress”?

Almost everyone deals with stress at certain times in their lives. Physical adaptations for patient’s who experience stress are; muscle tightness and aching, neck and back pain. Research shows that stress hormones also increase pain levels in the body by producing more inflammation. Sometimes if not resolved, stress can become chronic which can lead to other problems in the body and in an individual’s life.

There are different types of stress, beginning with the familiar ‘fight-or-flight’ response. This is an immediate and strong hormonal and autonomic nervous system response to an external stimulus. It’s normally short-lived and the body starts to regulate itself once the period of stress is over.

However, in a day and age of deadlines, kids and their after-school activities, family responsibilities, work life, travel and generally living in the hustle and bustle that life has become, if the stress continues, the hormonal system and adrenal glands become over stimulated, effecting the homeostasis and balance in one’s body, and may lead to other complications in the body.

How can Osteopathy help?

Osteopathy can help patients to cope, adapt and recover better, making a good recovery and learning how to help themselves during times of stress or anxiety, especially if ir begins to impact their physical wellbeing (i.e muscle ache and tension, sleep disturbances, tiredness and lethargy, postural tension).

Alleviating muscle tension with soft-tissue work/massage and stretching techniques restores normal tone to the muscle. This allows more blood flow and less restriction through the muscle and helps with reducing pain. Educating patients about mindfulness may also help with the management of the stress-induced physical pain.

In addition, there is the therapeutic effect of touch itself, which tends to calm and relax us – patients often report feeling very relaxed after treatment – and the sense of regaining some control having taken action to improve one’s sense of wellbeing by having a treatment.

Website disclaimer:

The information contained on this website, www.mkdosteopathy.com is intended for general informational purposes only and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability for your required purpose or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Nothing on it is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice. Manjot Dehala of MKD Osteopathic Wellness recommends that you consult your primary health care provider (usually your GP or physician) before making changes to any existing programme of treatment that you may be on.