Chronic pain can limit your everyday activities and make it hard to work. It can also affect how involved you are with friends and family members. Co-workers, family, and friends may have to do more than their usual share when you cannot do the things you normally do. Unwanted feelings, such as frustration, resentment, and stress, are often a result.
Mind-body Relationship
The mind and body work together, they cannot be separated. The way your mind controls thoughts and attitudes affects the way your body feels.
Chronic pain itself, and the fear of pain, can cause you to avoid both physical and social activities. Over times this leads to less physical strength and weaker social relationships. It can also cause further lack of functioning and make you feel bad.
Stress
Stress has both physical and emotional effects on our bodies. It can raise our blood pressure, increase our breathing rate and heart rate, and cause muscle tension that relate to chronic pain. These things are hard on the body. They can lead to fatigue, sleeping problems, and changes in appetite.
If you feel tired but have a hard time falling asleep, you may have stress-related fatigue. Or you may notice that you can fall asleep, but you have a hard time staying asleep. These are all reasons to talk with your doctor about the physical effects stress is having on your body.
Stress can also lead to anxiety, depression, a dependence on others, or an unhealthy dependence on medicines.
11 Types Of Pain Linked To Emotional Stress
1. Pain In Your Head
Pain in your head, like headaches, can be caused by stresses of the day. Take some time to relax and ease the stress every day.
2. Pain In Your Neck
If you feel pain in your neck, you may have trouble forgiving others or yourself, consider the things you love about people.
3. Pain In Your Shoulders
Shoulder pain may indicate that you?re carrying a heavy emotional burden. That?s where the saying ?shouldering a problem? comes from. Focus in on some proactive problem solving and distributing some of that burden to other people in your life.
4. Pain In Your Upper Back
Upper back pain means you don?t have enough emotional support. You may feel unloved and unwanted. If you?re single, this may mean it?s time to go out on a date or two.
5. Pain In Your Lower Back
Lower back pain might mean you?re too worried about money. It may be a good time to ask for that overdue raise or consider a financial planner.
6. Pain In Your Elbows
Elbow pain speaks to your resistance to change in your life. If you have stiff arms, you may have a stiff life as well. Make compromises and shake things up a little bit.
7. Pain In Your Hands
Hand pain means you may not be reaching out to others in the way you should be. Consider making new friends, having lunch with a co-worker, and making a new connection.
8. Pain In Your Hips
Sore hips could indicate that you’re resistant to moving on and changing. You might be too cautious when making decisions.
9. Pain In The Knees
This can be a sign that your ego is a little too big and that you?re thinking of yourself a little too highly. Humble yourself. Spend some time volunteering. Remember, you?re mortal.
10. Ankles
Ankle pain may mean one needs more pleasure in his or her life. Take some time to pamper yourself or spice up your love life. Indulge a little bit!
11. Feet
Depression can lead to foot pain. Depression is hard to beat, but there are some things one can do to fight back. Try a new hobby or adopt a pet. Find something that gives joy!