The Cycle of Injury and Stress | Ways to Manage Stress | Recognizing When to Seek Medical Help
There’s a common misperception that stress is all in your head—that it’s a mental condition you can manage if you simply have the willpower. However, research has consistently demonstrated that stress also has physical consequences. Often, injury and stress intertwine, creating a vicious cycle. An injury can bring about life changes, like time away from work or constant pain. These changes can prevent you from doing things you love, adding to your stress. This newfound stress, in turn, can challenge your physical health.
How Can Stress Affect You Physically?
Stress commonly can lead to a wide range of physical complications:
- A common stress response is to clench or tighten up physically, causing stiffness, pain, soreness, or tightness in muscles and joints. Stress also lowers your resistance to pain, so conditions that might not normally cause much discomfort become more pronounced.
- Your heart is like any other muscle—tensing or tightening the muscle makes it more susceptible to injury.
- Stress negatively affects your entire digestive system, leading to acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and other problems.
- As stress weakens your body’s defenses, it can negatively affect your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and other illnesses.
- Stress typically interferes with your sleep patterns, which can further deplete your immune system.
How Can You Effectively Manage Stress?
Though stress may be difficult to avoid entirely, there are tried and tested methods for reducing stress and its impact on your life:
- Exercise regularly: Physical exercise produces chemicals called endorphins, which serve as natural painkillers and typically improve your mood. Simply taking a walk can do wonders.
- Foster Positivity: It’s the old “half- full/-half- empty” approach. Instead of worrying about what you didn’t get done and still need to do, list all the things you accomplished at the end of each day.
- Pursue targets: Write down the things you want to get done and check them off as you complete the tasks.
- Prioritize self-care: Eat well, get plenty of sleep, and do something you enjoy every day.
When to Seek Medical Attention for Stress?
Sometimes, you do everything you know to help alleviate your stress, and you still can’t get a handle on it. That’s when you want to reach out to a medical professional. Make an appointment with your doctor under the following circumstances:
- You find that you’re regularly using alcohol or drugs to relax;
- You’ve had thoughts about physically hurting yourself; or
- You have more than a couple of moments where you feel paralyzed or overwhelmed by the level of stress in your life.
Contact InjuredCare.com to Learn More About Managing Your Stress
For additional information about recognizing and coping with stress, contact InjuredCare by email or call our offices today at 866-952-7045.
