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High stress levels can be extremely destructive. Stress can impact your mood, making you feel irritable and unhappy. It can also affect your physical health. High stress levels reduce your immune system’s ability to fight off colds and infections, making you feel sick and miserable. There are even certain serious conditions that could become worse with stress levels that are too high. Let’s explore how stress affects your health and what you can do to turn it around.
Stress and Overall Health
When your stress levels are low, you feel happier, healthier, and more relaxed. When those levels rise, you start to feel bad, mentally and physically. Your immune system is unable to deal with the effects of the stress in addition to any infections that might come your way. Some common symptoms of high stress levels include:
- Headaches
- Muscle aches and pains
- Chest pain
- Fatigue or problems sleeping
- Upset stomach
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Depression
- Increase or decrease in appetite
Some serious conditions can be affected by stress, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and certain thyroid conditions.
How Does Stress Affect the Nervous System?
High stress can also impact the various divisions of your nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is where your “fight or flight” impulse comes from. When this part of your nervous system experiences stress, it initiates this impulse, which brings on rapid heartbeat and breathing, dilated blood vessels, and increased glucose levels, all of which provide an intense energy burst. If this happens too often, it can physically drain you and wear you down. This repeated stimulation to the nervous system can wear on your other internal systems and cause problems over time.
Combat Stress with Your Chiropractor
So, how do you reduce stress and reverse these potential health problems? One way is to visit a chiropractor. Dr. Rick Still at Family Chiropractic Care in Longview, Washington, can help you with any painful effects of stress. Treatments for stress could include chiropractic services and massage therapy. Nutritional assessments can also help you stay healthy and stress-free. We also offer relief from various types of pain, including:
- Back, foot, and knee pain
- Carpal tunnel
- Herniated disks
- Neck injuries
- Whiplash
We can help you recover from work and sports injuries as well. These types of injuries can benefit from corrective exercises. Contact Family Chiropractic Care today to schedule a consultation for your stress relief needs.