The Connection between Back Pain and Emotions
Most people struggle with pain. Back pain seems to be the most common.
There are three main types of back pain; lower, middle or thoracic and upper which usually involves the neck.
While back pain can be from a structural issue, for example stenosis which is a narrowing of the vertebrae, muscle and fascia tightening or tight and twisted tendons which can cause pain. All of these can also cause radiculopathy or sciatica, which is a nerve type of pain that goes down the arm or leg. it can travel down the side, the back or even the front and can result in numbness or tingling, most commonly in the hand or foot.
When the issue is a physical one, a patient will respond to modalities such as massage, chiropractic and physical therapy. When someone is not responding to these modalities, the issue may be in the patient’s emotional state. This is very common. We especially see this in situations where pain suddenly “flares up”. When things “flare up”, it’s your body’s way of saying that it needs attention, rest, or a sign that you’re not managing emotions successfully. Think of back pain as a way of diagnosing. It lets you know what might need adjusting in your life.
As mentioned, there are three main sections of the back; lower, middle or thoracic and upper.
Upper Back (upper shoulder blades and lower neck) –This is the area of the Lung meridian which is associated with emotion grief. Sadness, grieving a loss or the feeling of not being able to move, feeling stagnated, the age old “wallowing in grief”.
Middle Back (lower shoulder blades, thoracic): This is the area of the Spleen. In Chinese medicine the Spleen emotions are worry or pensiveness. When these emotions get triggered, it can cause stuck energy in the middle back and shoulder blades.
Lower Back (lumbar spine, hips): The lower back is connected with the Kidney meridian, which has so much to do with a sense of security and stability. This makes total sense as the hips and low back are the foundation for the spine and in some ways the entire body. Unexpressed frustration or feelings of being unsupported can create blockages in the Kidney which can manifest as stiffness and pain in the lower back and hips. There might also be fear or an inability to ‘walk’ through life because everything feels so unstable.
Acupuncture can heal this by enhancing circulation to the area, hereby bringing down inflammation, but also moving stagnate energy. Every acupuncture session treats the physical, emotional and spiritual plane, there is no separation. The musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, bone), all the internal organs (impacting sleep, digestion, immunity, etc) and the mind (impacting the hormones, neurotransmitters and emotions), everything gets addressed.
If this resonates with you at all and you are curious, please reach out, we’d love to hear from you.
