Chronic stress is one of the most pervasive and overlooked contributors to pain in modern life. As Justin White explains in How Your Body Works, stress profoundly affects the body, often without our awareness. When stress triggers the fight-or-flight response, muscles tense, the nervous system becomes overactive, and our bodies enter a state of heightened alert.
While this response is helpful in short bursts, prolonged exposure leads to chronic tension, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Over time, this cumulative effect can result in persistent pain and dysfunction, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.
For those seeking effective, long-term solutions for pain, addressing stress is non-negotiable. Holistic pain treatment strategies, such as Neuromuscular Repatterning (NMRP), gentle movement, and cellular trauma release, offer a way to reset the nervous system and alleviate the physical toll of stress.
Anyone living with chronic pain is already living in a heightened state of stress. Even after years have passed and the pain has become a part of life, you give up activities you love and make decisions based on what your body’s limitations are, and living like this for years takes its toll.
Pain means stress and stress means high cortisol levels. Over prolonged periods of time this leads to adrenal fatigue and a breakdown of our hormonal balance.
By managing stress effectively, you can calm your body, reduce muscle tension, and create the conditions necessary for healing. While we can address stress at a mental level, chronic stress lives in your body. In between your muscles and fascia chronic stress is stored as neurochemical residue. The more you have built up — the higher your stress level and the more physical symptoms you experience. 1 mosquito bite is tolerable — but 1000 mosquito bites is unliveable. If stress does not leave the body and is stored life can begin to feel like 1000 little itchy red bumps.
The Stress-Pain Connection
How Stress Manifests in the Body
Stress is more than just a mental state—it has profound physical effects. The fight-or-flight (freeze-or-fawn) response, designed to protect us in life-threatening situations, triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
These hormones increase heart rate, tighten muscles, and focus the nervous system on immediate survival. While this response is invaluable for acute danger, modern life often keeps us in a prolonged state of stress. Work pressures, financial concerns, and even exposure to constant digital notifications can maintain the fight-or-flight (freeze-or-fawn) state, leading to chronic tension in the body.
Pain as a Byproduct of Chronic Stress
Pain caused by stress is multifaceted. In How Your Body Works, White describes pain as both a symptom and a map—highlighting areas of dysfunction in the body. When stress creates muscle imbalances or disrupts movement patterns, pain becomes a signal that something is wrong. Understanding the timing and quality of pain can help identify stress-induced dysfunctions, such as stiffness during movement or soreness after prolonged periods of activity. These dysfunctions often persist long after the stress event has passed, underscoring the importance of addressing stress as a root cause of chronic pain.
Managing Stress to Relieve Pain
Holistic Pain Treatment Approaches
Our approach to managing stress-induced pain emphasizes a combination of natural techniques that calm the body and mind. Neuromuscular Repatterning (NMRP) plays a central role in this process, helping to reset the nervous system and restore healthy movement patterns. NMRP works by addressing muscular imbalances, joint restrictions, and neurological dysfunctions caused by chronic stress, allowing the body to function harmoniously once again.
Complementary practices like cellular trauma release and gentle movement are also vital. Deep, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, counteracting the fight-or-flight (freeze-or-fawn) response and promoting relaxation. Together, these techniques provide a powerful antidote to the physical effects of stress, creating an environment where healing can occur.
Creating the Conditions for Healing
Healing from stress-induced pain requires more than symptom management—it involves resetting the body’s systems to operate optimally. White explains that stress management is a foundation for holistic pain relief. By calming the nervous system, reducing tension in the myological and myofascial systems, and encouraging natural movement, individuals can break the cycle of stress and pain. This approach not only alleviates existing discomfort but also prevents future issues by fostering resilience in the body.
Take Action Against Stress-Induced Pain
Modern life makes stress nearly unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to dominate your body or well-being. By recognizing the impact of stress on pain and addressing its root causes, you can regain control of your health. Justin White’s teachings in How Your Body Works provide a roadmap for integrating stress management and holistic pain treatment into your life. Whether through Neuromuscular Repatterning, breathwork, or movement diversity, these strategies empower you to calm your nervous system and create the optimal conditions for healing.
Pain doesn’t have to be a permanent fixture in your life. The first step is understanding the connection between stress and pain—and taking intentional action to break the cycle.
Life is different when it doesn’t hurt.
