Stress and osteopathy
What exactly is stress?
Stress is certainly the malady of the century in our Western societies. It is the direct consequence on the organism of one or more external aggressions: overwork, pressure, conflict, physical or psychological trauma… It is divided into three different phases.
First comes the alarm reaction, immediately after the disruptive event. A wave of the hormone adrenalin pours into the vascular system. It accelerates most vital functions to enable escape: heart rate increases, breathing quickens, blood pressure rises and muscle tone increases…
Once the moment of shock has passed, the so-called resistance phase begins. The body will fight against its own defense mechanisms: it will try to fight and inhibit the stress generated by secreting a second hormone with an anti-inflammatory role, cortisone. This stage is crucial, as it determines whether or not the stress is resolved. Either the processes put in place prove effective and everything returns to normal, or they prove ineffective and/or the aggressions are repeated, resulting in lasting stress. We then enter a chronic phase: the exhaustion stage.
The entire nervous system is focused on a single goal: “surviving stress”. This is usually when patients come to osteopathic care. Unaware that stress is the cause, they want to relieve digestive problems, back pain (lumbago, dorsalgia, cervicalgia) or sleep and mood disorders. In fact, at this stage, the body expends a phenomenal amount of energy every day fighting stress, which gradually leads to an exhausting vicious circle.
What are the consequences of stress?
- The cardiovascular system becomes abnormally active to increase blood flow to the muscles. In the long term, symptoms of palpitation or cardiovascular disorders may appear.
- The digestive system will have difficulty functioning. In times of stress, the body prioritizes the cardiac and musculoskeletal systems, resulting in poorer digestion. As a result, functional digestive disorders begin to appear: intestinal cramps, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gastritis…
- The musculoskeletal system will also undergo changes: muscular tension is maintained by the nervous system, which floods the muscle with information, leading to hyperactivity and thus to spasms, contractures and other muscular pains which would explain back or thoracic pain.
- The immune system is also modified by the anti-inflammatory action of cortisol. As a result, defenses become less effective and the terrain becomes more favorable to infections, particularly ENT.
- The uro-gynaecological system can also be affected, with changes in the tone of the bladder and perineum muscles. The individual may then experience disturbances such as delayed menstruation, dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation), fertility problems, urinary urgency…
What can osteopathy do for you?
The osteopath can therefore intervene during the first two phases of stress, as well as when stress has become more chronic. Obviously, it’s better to prevent the consequences and symptoms of stress from appearing in the first place, in keeping with the old adage that “prevention is better than cure”. It is therefore advantageous for the patient to consult an osteopath beforehand, at the time of events that are known to be stressful, such as exam sessions, conflict situations or even festive periods such as we are experiencing these days… This is with a view to regulating the neuro-endocrine system, through osteopathy, so that the first two stages of stress run smoothly and the hormonal mechanisms of stress do not enter a vicious circle leading to the stage of exhaustion.
But don’t worry, it’s never too late! If, like many patients, you’re already at the chronic stage, with some of the symptoms listed above, all is not lost. The osteopath will be able to act on your symptoms, regulating muscular hyperactivity and organ hypersensitivity, by working on the affected structures and their environment. Similarly, balancing the neuro-endocrine system, and in particular the neuro-vegetative system, which controls the states of “stress” and “calm”, will be an important aim of osteopathic treatment, enabling you to emerge from this state of chronicity.
Coupled with sports, breathing or relaxation exercises and a healthier lifestyle, osteopathy can help prevent the undesirable effects of stress or, at the very least, manage its consequences to restore a state of well-being. Don’t wait for pain.
Text: Camille Bondil Osteopath
