Stress is a natural response to challenging situations, but when it becomes chronic, it can have pretty serious effects on the body. One of the most significant ways stress manifests physically is through pain – tension headaches, back pain, or muscle stiffness, stress and pain often form a cycle that feeds into itself, making it hard to find pain relief and break free in the long-term. 

I believe the connection to exist for women who suffer PMS, as well.

Understanding (and accepting) this connection between stress and pain is the first step toward finding pain relief and improving health in all ways.

How Stress Leads to Physical Pain

When faced with stress, the body triggers a “fight or flight” response, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones prepare the body to deal with a threat, but chronic activation of this stress response can lead to inflammation, muscle tension, and increased pain sensitivity. Over time, stress can intensify existing pain or even cause new pain to develop.

Common types of pain linked to stress include:

• Tension Headaches: Stress causes muscles in the head, neck, and shoulders to tighten, leading to tension headaches.
• Back and Neck Pain: Mental stress often leads to physical tension, especially in the back and neck, where muscles tighten in response to emotional strain.
• Stomach Pain: Chronic stress can disrupt the digestive system, causing stomach cramps, bloating, and even irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or colitis.
• Joint Pain: Stress can worsen conditions like arthritis by increasing inflammation in the body.
• Fibromyalgia: For people with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition characterised by widespread pain, stress is often a trigger that worsens symptoms. Pain is felt all over the body (and chronic fatigue is often closely linked – I can tell you this from personal experience). 

The Pain-Stress Cycle

Physical pain and stress can create a vicious cycle, as when you experience pain, it triggers stress hormones, and the more stressed you feel, the more sensitive your body becomes to pain. This cycle can be difficult to break because pain increases anxiety and tension, while stress lowers your ability to tolerate pain.

For example, a person suffering from chronic back pain may become stressed about their discomfort, leading to poor sleep, irritability, and increased muscle tension—all of which can worsen the pain. This ongoing cycle makes it difficult for the body to heal and can have long-term consequences on mental and physical well-being.

An additional comment here too, is if you feel no pain, or you have a very high tolerance to pain, this can indicate you had so much that your body has numbed to it. I used to feel no pain at all, but after a long stint with a therapist releasing childhood trauma, I started to experience copious amounts of pain in my hips and stomach – a pain that was always there, but which I was numb to. So feeling pain is actually a sign you are connected to your body, and you can do something about it (other than popping pain killers). 

How to Break the Cycle of Stress and Pain

To break the cycle of stress and pain, it’s important to address both the mental and physical aspects of the problem. Here are strategies to help manage stress and reduce pain:

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Mindfulness meditation and relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery, can help calm the nervous system and reduce stress. These practices not only decrease stress hormone levels but also lower the body’s sensitivity to pain. Over time, developing a mindfulness routine can help retrain your brain to respond to stress and pain more calmly.

Exercise and Physical Activity: Regular physical activity can lead to significant long-term pain relief. Exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, which help improve mood and reduce discomfort. Activities like yoga, swimming, walking, or stretching are particularly effective for releasing tension and promoting relaxation without putting too much strain on the body.

Sleep Hygiene: Poor sleep can exacerbate both stress and pain, creating a negative feedback loop. Prioritising good sleep hygiene—such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule, creating a calming bedtime routine, and reducing screen time before bed—can improve sleep quality. When well-rested, the body is better equipped to handle both physical pain and emotional stress.

Therapeutic Interventions: Physical therapy, massage therapy, and chiropractic care can relieve muscle tension and reduce pain caused by stress. These interventions help relax tight muscles and improve circulation, which can relieve the physical symptoms of stress. Acupuncture is another option, known for its effectiveness in relieving pain and calming the nervous system.

Healthy Nutrition: What you eat can influence both stress and pain. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, and berries can help reduce inflammation in the body, easing chronic pain. Additionally, certain foods, such as those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, can improve brain function and emotional resilience, helping you cope with stress better. Drinking alcohol and eating ultra-processed foods, well they aren’t good for pain relief or for breaking the stress and pain cycle at all.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): CBT is a form of talk therapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviours. By learning to manage stress and reframe your responses to pain, CBT can help break the cycle of stress-pain amplification. This therapy is particularly effective for individuals with chronic pain conditions.

Journaling and Emotional Expression: Suppressed emotions can contribute to stress, which in turn worsens physical pain. Journaling or engaging in creative outlets, such as drawing or painting, can help express emotions and reduce mental tension. By releasing pent-up feelings, you can lower stress levels and lessen the intensity of pain.

Somatic therapy: This is the path I took, alongside dietary, mindfulness and exercise practices to reduce my chronic pain. Somatic therapy is about processing trapped material, or emotional material in the body, and helping you connect back in with yourself again. 

Social Support: Maintaining a strong support network can alleviate stress and provide emotional relief. Connecting with friends, family, or support groups gives you an outlet for sharing your experiences and can help reduce the burden of both pain and stress. Bonding with others in a loving way also increases oxytocin! Emotional support is crucial for mental wellness, which in turn reduces the physical toll of stress.

De-Stress – A Course in Stress Transformation

If you resonate with this article at all, I have a super powerful online program – Nervous System Reset – to support women just like you through process of reducing stress (and therefore, pain). I created it for a group of Government Lawyers and now it’s available for anyone to take.

I want to leave you with this message – you can break the cycle. I have done it and I know other women who have done the same, by addressing the underlying emotional trigger. It might seem scary, but it’s not as hard as you think if you have the right support.

A combination of stress management techniques, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes can help relieve pain and promote mental wellness. Taking proactive steps to care for both your body and mind can lead to lasting relief and a healthier, happier life.

Note that if you rely on painkillers, these have a negative impact on your gut (reducing the potency of your stomach acid as an example). Once your digestion is not functioning optimally, you will have a lot of other problems so, painkillers should be a backup, not a coping strategy!

Jen x