Stress Busters: How Chiropractic Can Help Men Manage Stress
Hey guys, did you know that stress can significantly impact your health? High levels of stress can lead to chronic pain, fatigue, and even mental health issues. But don’t worry, because chiropractic care can help! We’re going to explore how chiropractic care can help men’s stress relief and improve your overall well-being. Plus, we’ll share three other non-chiropractic ways to combat stress.
So, Let’s get to it!
External Stressors
External stressors are events or situations we find challenging or threatening outside of ourselves. These might include significant life events, such as moving to a new city, starting a new job, or dealing with a health problem. Everyday hassles like traffic, tight deadlines at work, or juggling multiple responsibilities can also lead to stress. Our social environment, including conflicts in relationships or feeling unsupported, can be another source of stress. Moreover, environmental factors such as noise, overcrowding, or extreme temperatures can also contribute to feelings of stress.
Internal Stressors
Internal stressors originate within ourselves, including our thoughts, attitudes, and perceptions. For example, worrying about future events, ruminating over past events, or having unrealistic expectations can all lead to stress. Personal characteristics, such as perfectionism or a type A personality, can also increase susceptibility to stress. Similarly, poor health behaviors like lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, inadequate sleep, or substance abuse can also exacerbate our body’s response to stress and make us more susceptible to its effects.
Everyday Stress Symptoms
Stress can manifest in various ways in our everyday lives, affecting our physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. Physically, stress may lead to symptoms like fatigue, upset stomach, rapid heartbeat, or sleep disturbances, making it difficult for individuals to function at their best. Emotionally, stress can cause feelings of irritability, anxiety, depression, and mood swings, impacting our relationships and overall happiness.
Cognitively, chronic stress also can interfere with our ability to concentrate, make decisions, and remember important information, ultimately affecting our productivity and performance in various aspects of life. It’s essential to recognize these symptoms and take appropriate steps to manage stress, ensuring a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
Common Stress Symptoms Seen by Chiropractors
Chiropractors often encounter patients who are experiencing stress-related symptoms that directly affect their musculoskeletal system. One of the most common symptoms is muscle tension, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back, which can lead to discomfort, pain, and headaches.
Stress can also lead to poor posture, as individuals may unconsciously hunch their shoulders or adopt other improper postures while under pressure. This can result in spinal misalignments, known as subluxations, which may cause nerve irritation, reduced range of motion, and additional pain. Moreover, stress can stir up pre-existing conditions, like chronic pain, making it even more difficult for individuals to cope with their daily lives.
Chiropractic Care: Your Stress-Busting Partner
Now, let’s take a look at what chiropractic care is. Chiropractors are health professionals who focus on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. They use hands-on techniques called adjustments to help align your spine, improving the way your nervous system functions.
Now, let’s see how chiropractic care can help relieve stress:
Enhancing Nervous System Function
When your spine is misaligned, it can put pressure on your nerves, causing your nervous system to function poorly. Since your nervous system is responsible for controlling your heart rate and body’s stress response, poor nervous system function can make it harder for you to handle stress. Chiropractic adjustments can help align your spine, removing pressure from your nerves and optimizing nervous system function, making stress management more accessible.
Promoting Relaxation
Stress can cause your muscles to become tense, leading to physical discomfort and pain. Chiropractic care can help relieve stress and tension, promoting relaxation and making you feel more at ease. This can help lower blood pressure and overall stress levels.
Improving Sleep Quality
Better sleep means a better ability to handle stress. Stress can disrupt your sleep, leaving you feeling tired and even more stressed. Chiropractic adjustments can help improve your sleep quality by addressing underlying causes of sleep disturbances, like pain and muscle tension.
Koren Specific Technique 
Dr. Dody practices a very gentle and specific chiropractic adjustment at our clinic called Koren Specific Technique. Dr. Ted Koren created The Koren Specific Technique in 2003. He determined that many symptoms could be relieved by locating and correcting misaligned vertebrae. His technique includes a three-step “C” approach, now widely used by chiropractors.
3-Step C Approach:
- Challenging – finding the misalignment
-
Checking – deciding if and where to make an adjustment
- Correcting – making the adjustment
Unlike other chiropractic methods, a unique FDA-approved handheld ArthroStim instrument is used to make adjustments on patients. Because of this special tool, chiropractors make adjustments without any twisting or turning of the patient’s joints.
The Koren Specific Technique can help with many typical chiropractic issues, such as back pain, neck pain, and even headaches. However, because of its gentle method, it can also be effective in treating a wide variety of other issues., such as dizziness and vertigo, and it can even improve your balance. The Koren Specific Technique can also aid with anxiety de stress, and other emotional stress issues.
Non-Chiropractic Stress-Busting Strategies
While chiropractic care may be our favorite way to reduce stress, it is far from the only stress relief option. Here are three other strategies to help reduce stress:
Exercise
Physical activity is a great way to reduce mental stress too. Exercise releases endorphins, which are chemicals in your brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise 3-5 times a week, like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling.
Research has shown that engaging in regular exercise can provide numerous benefits for stress management. One study found that individuals who participated in regular physical activity experienced lower levels of anxiety, depression, and negative mood, as well as improved self-esteem and cognitive functioning.
Exercise has also been shown to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, which play a crucial role in resilience to stress. Furthermore, exercise can help improve the quality of your sleep, allowing you to handle stressful situations more easily.
Mindfulness Meditation
Practicing mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, making it easier to manage stress. To get started, find a quiet place, sit comfortably, and focus on deep breathing for just a few minutes. When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breath and the present moment.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in reducing stress and improving mental well-being. A meta-analysis of 47 studies with over 3,500 participants found that mindfulness meditation programs had moderate evidence of improving anxiety, depression, and pain.
Another study found that after an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, participants reported significant reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improvements in overall mental health. Mindfulness meditation has also been shown to positively affect the brain’s neural pathways associated with emotional regulation and stress responses.
Social Support
Spending time with friends and family members can help you feel more connected and less stressed. Make it a priority to schedule regular catch-ups with your loved ones, either in person or through video or phone calls.
Strong social support networks can play a crucial role in helping individuals cope with stress and maintain good mental health. A study examining the relationship between social support and psychological well-being found that individuals with higher levels of perceived social support experienced lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of life satisfaction.
Social support has also been shown to enhance the body’s stress-buffering effects, helping to protect against the harmful consequences of stress on physical and mental health. Furthermore, social support can foster a sense of belonging and increase self-esteem, which can help individuals better cope with stress.
Conclusion
Stress is a normal part of life, but too much stress can have a negative impact on your health. Knowing the signs and symptoms of stress is essential to know when to take a step back and relax in a healthy way. Chiropractic care can help you reduce stress by enhancing your nervous system function, managing stress, promoting relaxation, and improving your sleep quality. In addition to chiropractic care, incorporating exercise, mindfulness meditation, and social support into your daily routine can help you keep stress at bay. So, don’t let stress control you; take charge of your well-being today!
