Stress management is about learning to relax. Relaxation is a skill that can transform your life. With simple relaxation skills, you can turn a negative spiral of pain and depression into a positive spiral of increasing well-being. Stress management is a key element at both our Chester and North Wales practices.
The emotional centre of your brain is right next the pain centre. There are a lot of neurones connecting these centres and consequently any negative emotion or stress will ramp up your pain levels. Increasing pain leads to more stress and many pain sufferers find themselves in a downward spiral of pain and depression. Stress management or learning to relax is an essential part of reversing this cycle.
Breath Training
When you breath fully and easily your cells get more oxygen and you feel energised. Restricted breathing can lead to joint dysfunction in the ribs and thoracic spine and muscle tension in the abdomen. To compensate for shallow breathing people often use muscles in their neck to lift their chest and this can be the cause of neck pain. As part of your stress management programme our chiropractor may assess your breathing patterns and give you a home exercise prescription. You should not attempt to change breathing patterns without professional support, especially if you have a lung/breathing condition.