Everyone has had one of those pain in the neck days, weeks, months or even years where the stress level is extremely high. Life is hectic: family issues pop up, you or your community may be experiencing hardships or you keep getting that pesky cold! Whatever the stressor, life can be a strenuous exercise in faith and perseverance.

In Chinese Medicine, there are pathologies that are directly related to stress. Symptoms range from the likes of sleeping issues, digestive disorders, depression, headaches, all the way to muscle aches and pains. How can some little needles help you may ask?

When working with patients I often give the imagery of a hose as a way to explain stress and how it can create problem for our systems. A hose works best when there is no obstruction. Water flows without a problem. Your flowers and growing garden get nourished without issue. BUT when there is a little kink in your hose, everything stops or, more annoyingly, you may get a tiny trickle of sad, sad water that can’t possibly do anything productive.

Our bodies work in the same kind of way. An example would be your commute to work. You are on the train and there is a serious delay. Everyone is crammed on a sweaty little car and no one is happy. You start to feel warm, perspire a little. Suddenly you notice your shoulders are so tense that they are almost touching your ears. Now you are angry. The person’s music next to you is too loud, someone’s coffee smells extremely strong and you feel your day is off to a horrible start. Plus, you have a real pain in the neck from all that muscle tension! You have reached your “kink in the hose” moment. When you get off the train, you feel grumpy and may have a hard time shaking it off throughout your day.

In Chinese Medicine, stress can interrupt how your body is supposed to operate which can lead to symptoms. Since the body and mind are interconnected within acupuncture theory, treatments involve both the physical (i.e. tight muscles, upset stomach, headache, etc.) as well as the emotional (stress, anxiety, frustration, etc.).  Small needles are used to stimulate specific points to release “the kink” and give a sense of relief.

Stress is real. It affects us all. It can show up as a physical pain or an emotional response. Acupuncture cannot remove the reality and presence of stress. It can decrease its effects on our bodies while building up our systems.  In fact, acupuncture increases our ability to bounce back faster when we encounter stress.

When I first started receiving acupuncture, my practitioner discussed how my symptoms were related to stress. I thought it sounded possible but I was not completely sold. Then I started to feel my muscle tension decrease after treatments. Even my digestion improved! I found myself regularly napping throughout my acupuncture sessions, leaving much more refreshed than when I arrived. Next time you are surrounded by the stress of life, see how your body is holding up. Feel where things are feeling off. Is there an area that is more susceptible to feeling tension or pain? Gentle awareness can go far in retraining ourselves in where we hold tension.  Stress will always exist so finding a sustainable process of managing it will help your body and mind. Got a pain in your neck? See how acupuncture can help today!