Stress & Pain

Stress Does More Than You Think

You might not connect the tension in your shoulders, the headaches that won’t shift, or the back pain that keeps returning with the stress you’re under. But your body keeps the score. When stress becomes chronic, it doesn’t just affect how you feel mentally — it changes how your body works, how you hold yourself, and how you experience pain.

If you’ve noticed your pain getting worse during stressful periods, or you’re carrying tension that no amount of stretching seems to release, there’s a reason for that — and we can help.

How Stress Causes Physical Pain

Hussein Abujarad is a published author on stress and its effects on the body. His book, Easy Exercise to Relieve Stress, draws on decades of clinical experience to explain the link between stress and musculoskeletal pain.

When you’re under stress, your body activates the HPA axis — a hormonal cascade that floods your system with cortisol and adrenaline, triggering the fight-or-flight response. In short bursts, this is perfectly normal. But when stress becomes chronic, the effects on your body accumulate:

• Muscle tension and pain — headaches, neck pain, and shoulder stiffness are among the most common physical consequences of ongoing stress
• Posture changes — stress causes unconscious slouching and guarding, putting extra strain on your spine
• Altered movement patterns — your body moves differently when it’s in a heightened state of tension
• Joint health impact — TMJ (jaw) problems and RSIs are frequently linked to chronic stress
• Chronic pain conditions — prolonged stress can contribute to fibromyalgia, tension myalgia, and chronic back pain

Proactive stress management isn’t a luxury — it’s essential for your physical health. When you address the stress, you often find that the pain starts to improve too.