Why is Stress Such a Big Deal?
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Everyone suffers from stress, to some degree, in one form or another. Many people have a misconception of just how damaging stress can be.
If I were to ask you, "What is stress"? you'd probably tell me it's the feeling you get when something bad happens. And, you'd be right - and wrong. The official definition of stress is: any physiological or psychological situation or condition that causes tension or strain. Nowhere in the definition does is say that stress is caused by only negative tension or strain; it states that ANY situation or condition that causes tension or strain is a stressor.
For example: How do you feel when family comes to visit; or when you have a big celebration, holidays, anniversaries, birthdays; or go on vacation? Generally, these are happy occasions. But, they don't come without tension or strain - your nerves, your wallet, your patience, and your weight. So, you see, even good things carry with them the ability to increase the amount of stress you encounter.
Here's the really hard part to wrap your brain around.
STRESS is STRESS - good or bad. Physically, it affects your body in the same way - no matter what the source.
What happens to us, physiologically, when we're affected by stress?
We get muscle tension and reduced circulation. Stress can cause your muscles to contract. If stress is resolved quickly, your muscles will relax. If left unchecked, these muscle contractions can become habitual. Your muscle remembers and stays in this position. Now you have short, "knotted", painful muscles that restrict your movement. The nerves that run through these muscles can become entrapped causing pain, tingling and numbness.
Massage can help reduce or eliminate these symptoms. Massage helps the nervous system relax by stimulating tight muscles. This alleviates muscle tension. When muscle tension is eliminated or alleviated, so is pain, tingling and numbness.
Reduced circulation in a muscle is a symptom of muscle tension. Muscles require adequate blood flow (circulation) to remove waste products from inflammation, hard work and normal use. Circulation is diminished when muscles are tight. To get a better understanding of this, let me make this analogy: Like a car, you burn energy to make your muscles move or "do work". And like a car, your muscles produce "waste" when performing this work. If the exhaust flow from your car is obstructed, it doesn't run well. It's the same with your body's muscles. If your muscles are contracted or tight, circulation is reduced, "waste" cannot be expelled and your muscles don't function properly. Your body's "motor" can get bogged down leaving you feeling tired, irritable and sore. Again, when left unchecked, the situation escalates and only gets worse. Ignoring muscle stiffness or soreness can lead to pain and dysfunction in surrounding areas. This is call a Stress Cycle.
Massage relaxes tight and contracted muscles, increasing circulation. It also stimulates the nervous system, blood vessels dilate and blood flow increases. "Waste" is flushed away and replaced with healing oxygen and nutrients. The stress cycle is a devastating downward spiral. It's like a giant tornado with mini tornadoes inside it. To learn more about breaking the stress cycle contact the Better Health & Wellness Center.
While massage is an effective tool for managing pain, it is important to learn to recognize what creates stress for you. That isn't always an easy thing to do. You may find that one kind of stress was caused by some other form of stress and that one bay yet another. Don't give up. If you dig deep enough, you'll find the root causes of what is making you hurt. That's where the real work begins. More on that topic in a later article.
You may find that your physical pain did not start out as a physical problem. Finances, emotional and spiritual issues can turn into very physical problems. If you would like some suggestions on where to turn for help in any of those areas, Please contact the Better Health & Wellness Center for a list of referrals.
Everyone at the Better Health & Wellness Center is eager to help the community find answers to your needs. Open Monday through Saturday, the center welcomes you! Call to set an appointment or stop in to see their product lines, you won't regret it!
Contact Theresa for "Better Health" TODAY at (989) 892-8180
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Theresa Dahlby - Health & Well-being |
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