The connection of stress to low back pain is one of the most common scenarios seen in patients suffering from this sometimes debilitating condition. Back pain is a 60 BILLION dollar problem in the US and stress is one of the biggest factors involved. Stress is defined here as anything that has a negative effect on our nervous system and consequently influences our musculoskeletal system. Stress can be dietary, physical, emotional, work, etc. Everything counts and is cumulative with respect to the potential to impact our physiology in a way that is far from positive.
The United States is one of the most stressful countries to live. Americans work longer hours and take less time off than the rest of the industrialized world. Cope with increasing government demands required, taxes, etc. keeping the treadmill running is a fact of life here. Combine that with the Standard American Diet (SAD) and it’s a recipe guaranteed for physical ailments like lower back pain and chronic degenerative disease. Americans eat more junk food (756 donuts per person per year), more refined sugar, and use more prescription drugs than anyone else in the world. The different sources of stress also feed each other. For example, many who are emotionally stressed may find comfort in high-sugar snacks or alcohol. Due to their stress, they cannot sleep or have panic attacks and end up taking prescription drugs for these problems. Their short-term solutions can exacerbate the stress response in the body.
What happens physically when we are under stress? The body secretes the stress hormone (cortisol) which has a fight or flight function. This is very good if you are running from a tiger, but very bad if this response continues all the time. Excess cortisol depletes your immune system, which is why people get sick when they’re continuously stressed. Cortisol also leach calcium from the bones causing osteoporosis, puts a toxic load on the liver and kidneys, contributes to diabetes and makes you fat. It also affects the brain, lowering intelligence and causing memory loss. There is more, but you get the idea. This is not good.
What does this have to do with your back? Under stress, it is the adrenal glands that must respond. If they are over stimulated, they burn out. When the adrenals become fatigued, there are direct consequences on the musculoskeletal system. For starters, the nerves that supply the adrenal glands are affected. Nerves are two-way streets. They can not only be affected at the medullary level of origin, but also peripherally, at their destination, back to the spine. One of the common lumbar areas affected is in the third lumbar vertebra. The muscles are also affected. All muscles innervated by the irritated nerve can contract. Trigger points may develop. There are muscle-organ correlations. Dr. Goodheart’s work in the 1960s has stood the test of time. There are predictable muscle imbalances with organ stress. In the case of the adrenal glands, one of the main muscles involved is the sartorius. It is an important pelvic and medial knee stabilizer. This is why so many people, including athletes, injure their knees when under stress. There was a pre-existing imbalance in the adrenal glands causing an incorrect or inappropriate response from the sartorius muscle. The demand on the muscle exceeded his threshold to handle it, resulting in injury. Another effect of exhausted adrenal glands is weakness of the ligaments. Ligaments hold joints together. Put a demand on a joint and the body will respond by getting stronger to resist that demand. When one has an adrenal syndrome problem, there is an opposite effect. There will be weakening of the joint when challenged. This is another one of the main reasons why people insult themselves when they are stressed.
The direct connection to low back stress is that imbalance of the sartorius in the front of the thigh impacts the integrity of the sacroiliac (SI) joint on the posterior side of the pelvis. When the SI is affected by sartorius or weak ligaments, there may be pain directly in the joint, or the lower lumbar vertebrae may be the source of discomfort as their position may be altered. Also, the gluteus maximus muscle on the affected SI side will become weak. Muscles that join or cross an affected joint will also be affected. The gluteus maximus muscle is a strong, high-lift, anti-gravity muscle. People with weakness will experience difficulty getting up from a sitting position. Usually they will put their hands on their knees and push themselves up. In grocery stores, these people often lean over their shopping carts to support themselves.
Treatment should be multifaceted. Balancing the adrenal glands is imperative. This must be done specifically based on individual needs, but some common natural supports are choline, licorice, ashwaganda, rhodiola, and Siberian and American ginseng. Structural work, focusing on the nerve roots involved, and muscle balancing techniques work well to eliminate or reduce pain. I also use a cold laser to “reset” the adrenal glands (techniques from Dr. George Gonzalez, quantum neurologist). Of course, emotional stress must be treated to change one’s response to triggers. A counselor, aromatherapy, diary, etc. It can be useful. Exercises should focus on the extensor muscle groups, and forward flexion movements should be limited. Overexertion should be avoided. Tai-Chi and Chi-Gong are excellent. A diet low in sugar and carbohydrates is essential. A higher consumption of proteins and vegetables is recommended. Organic sodium should be increased, since sodium is released into the urine when one is stressed. Zucchini, squash, green beans, and celery fit this need. Proteolytic enzymes help with pain as do anti-inflammatories like turmeric, ginger, and cassava.
http://www.CrawfordNaturalHealthCenter.com
Dr. Dennis K. Crawford
916-962-3101
“Dedicated to a vibrant life”
