The Connection Between Stress and Chronic Pain: How Chiropractic Helps
Stress is something almost everyone deals with now.
Work deadlines, finances, poor sleep, family responsibilities, long commutes, constant phone notifications — most people are carrying more tension than they realise.
We usually think stress affects our mood or energy, but one of the most overlooked effects of stress is how strongly it affects the body.
There’s an important difference between acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is short-term — for example before an exam, job interview or important event. Your body reacts, and then settles once it’s over. Chronic stress is different. It happens when the body never really gets a chance to switch off. The nervous system stays in a heightened alert state for weeks or months.
Over time, this can lead to something we see very commonly in clinic: chronic pain.
Many patients come in wondering what they did to injure their back or neck, but often there was no single injury. Instead, the pain gradually developed. One of the biggest contributing factors is long-term tension in the body caused by ongoing stress.
How Stress and Pain Are Linked
When you experience stress, your brain activates the body’s fight-or-flight response. This releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These are helpful short-term — they prepare you to react quickly — but they also cause muscles to tighten and the body to become more sensitive to pain.
The muscles that react the most are the ones we already overuse:
neck muscles
shoulders
jaw
lower back
If stress continues, these muscles never fully relax. Joints stop moving properly, posture changes, and the body begins compensating. Over time, irritation builds and pain develops.
So yes — stress absolutely can cause chronic back pain.
The problem is it then becomes a loop.
Pain makes everyday tasks harder.
You sleep worse.
You worry about why it isn’t improving.
That increases stress.
Stress increases muscle tension.
Pain worsens.
This is what we call the stress–pain cycle, and many chronic pain conditions are actually maintained by it.
Common Physical Signs of Stress We See in Clinic
A lot of patients don’t recognise their symptoms as stress-related because they feel purely physical. The most common ones we see include:
Tension headaches
Often a pressure-type headache starting at the base of the skull and moving forward.
Neck and shoulder tightness
Especially in people working at a computer or desk all day.
Jaw clenching or grinding
Very common during sleep. Many people wake with headaches or a tight jaw.
Lower back pain
One of the most common complaints. Usually not from a single injury but ongoing overload.
Digestive discomfort
The nervous system influences gut function, so prolonged stress can affect digestion.
Where Chiropractic Care Fits In
Chiropractic care focuses on the spine and nervous system. The spine protects the spinal cord, which controls muscle activity, movement and many automatic body functions.
When joints in the spine become restricted, they can irritate surrounding tissues and keep the nervous system in a heightened state. This makes the body more sensitive to tension and pain.
Chiropractic adjustments aim to restore movement to these joints and reduce the physical stress on the nervous system.
Chiropractic care for chronic pain may help by:
Improving Nervous System Regulation
Many patients notice they feel more relaxed after an adjustment. This isn’t just placebo — reducing joint irritation can help the body move away from a constant fight-or-flight response.
Reducing Muscle Tension
When joints move properly again, muscles no longer need to guard or tighten to protect them.
Improving Movement and Posture
Better joint movement improves how the body loads during daily activities like sitting, walking and lifting.
Benefits Patients Often Notice
Patients receiving chronic pain chiropractic care commonly report:
reduced neck and back pain
fewer headaches
easier movement
better sleep
less muscle tightness
improved posture
Importantly, this is achieved without relying on medication, instead supporting the body’s natural recovery processes.
Supporting Your Recovery at Home
Chiropractic treatment works best when combined with small daily habits that calm the nervous system:
gentle walking or stretching
breathing exercises
regular sleep routine
staying hydrated
reducing late-night screen use
Even simple breathing exercises can significantly reduce muscle tension and help the body reset.
Final Thoughts
Chronic pain is rarely just a structural problem. In many cases, it is the result of a prolonged interaction between the nervous system, muscles and stress levels.
Chronic stress and pain feed into each other. If one is not addressed, the other often persists.
By restoring movement, reducing tension and helping the nervous system regulate properly, chiropractic care can help break the cycle of stress and pain.
If you’ve been dealing with ongoing neck pain, headaches or lower back discomfort and it doesn’t seem linked to a specific injury, stress may be playing a role.
At North West Chiropractic, we focus on identifying contributing factors and helping patients move and feel better long-term. If you have any questions or would like to see if chiropractic may help, feel free to contact us or speak with a qualified healthcare professional.