Real Estate Stress on the Spine

As a practicing Chiropractor in Livermore, it’s no surprise with all the downturn in the real estate and mortgage industries that a lot of new patients have come to my office complaining of symptoms such as neck pain, headaches, jaw pain and back pain.  

As stress increases, so does muscle tension.  Even though most people begin to feel the tightness in their muscles, what many people don’t realize is that these tight muscles are the precursors to pinched nerves.  Muscles are connected to the bones including vertebrae of the spine.  If one muscle pulls on one side of the body more than the other side, it can pull bones out of the proper position enough to put pressure on the nerves.  The nerves not only have the pain receptors to tell you it hurts, but they are also the message link from the brain to the organs of the body.  When pressure is placed on a nerve by the spine or muscles, it will decrease the nerve flow (messages) from the brain which can alter the way the body functions. This is why many patients who start treatment for headaches for example, will also tell me how the dizzy spells or balance issues also disappear. 

So to counteract the stress and its damaging effects on the spine and nerves keep the following tips in mind:

• When feeling tense and tight, take a moment and stretch the tight muscle.
• Find an outlet for stress such as exercise or meditation so that it doesn’t get stored into the body.
• Don’t ignore aches and pains as it may be a warning signal of decreased nerve signals to organs and muscles.
• If you feel pain in areas of the body, get your spine checked by a Chiropractor who can help to restore the body’s proper alignments and minimize pressure off the nerves.

More information can be found on Dr. Anita Haque's blog. You can email her