As you now know, pain is our body's internal alarm system.
It only makes sense to assume that chronic stress - yet another trigger for that internal alarm system - will heighten our pain perception. You may - as most of us have, of course, - experienced that in real
life.
Let's take a look at the mechanism of chronic stress <=> more pain relationship.
Here are some key points:
All nerve cells, or neurons, have sensors, send electrical messages, and release chemical messages.
Neurons in the pain alarm system respond to three things: pressure on tissue, chemicals, and
extremes of cold and hot.
Neuron sensors are replaced every few days.
Let's take a closer look at what happens in times of chronic stress:
You are now know that neurons - the nerve cells of your body - respond to changes in their chemical environment.
Stress changes the inter-cellular chemical environment in a very
specific way (I imagine stress hormones being almost like an irritant to the neurons), so neurons begin to communicate way more danger messages up to the spinal cord and the brain.
Our nervous system continuously renovates itself according to its environment - this is why neuron sensors are replaced every few days.
The words "according to its environment" are of utmost importance here: if the environment is consistently threatening (which is how
stress is interpreted in our nervous system), then nervous system builds a more sensitive / vigilant version of itself in order to deal with continuous threat.
This, of course, leads to more pain sensors, pain sensing, and more pain.
And then there's a vicious cycle: fight / flight response is turned on whenever we feel pain; so pain is, in and of itself, a chronic stressor, that also leads to more
pain.
What exactly does that mean in terms of pain management?
For me, it means these things:
1. In order to feel good, I need to routinely and consistently take care of my nervous system.
2. Whenever a stress blooper happens, I need to apply the
tools that I have - of mindfulness, regulated breathing, ball rolling etc. - to rein my nervous system in before it swings completely out of whack.
3. I need to be watchful for things that amp my nervous system and make me feel wired and tired - this includes phone, social media, artificial light, artificial / loud sounds, etc.
4. Most important, I need to understand that pain is the production of the nervous system, and address it at the very
root - where it all begins!
