A study view stress and how people who seek chiropractic care perceive it. Researchers wrote that psychosocial stress, “…pervades modern life and is known to have an impact on health. Pain, especially chronic back pain, is influenced by stress.” Here, ten different chiropractic clinics report results from 138 patients. They respond to questionnaires about stress and its association with their current condition.
More than 30% categorized themselves as being “moderately to severely stressed.” Over 50% felt that stress had a moderate or greater effect on their presenting complaint. Further, about 71% of the patients felt that a stress management approach would be useful to help them cope. 44% show interest in taking a “self-development program to enhance their stress management skills.”
The study concludes that patient perceptions are important in management approaches and treatment outcomes. In this study, about 1/3 of patients presenting see themselves as being moderately or severely stressed. Interventions that reduce stress or the patient’s perception of stress may be an important and valid “intervention” in patient management.
Pain Management
So, how do chiropractors do this? First is pain management. This is often at the core of a current high-stress level. It can push the stress level “over the edge.” Managing pain doesn’t always work by itself. Chiropractors will often intervene with nutritional recommendations. This includes educating the patient about an “anti-inflammatory diet.” The use of vitamin and/or herbal approaches specific to stress management includes specific nutritional approaches to balancing neurotransmitter levels. Other approaches may include the use of various calming techniques. You can do these techniques at times when patients have an increase in stress levels and during the day during these “stressful moments.”
There are even “calming apps” to help de-stress and clear the mind available for your smartphone! Just as there are apps to measure your steps, calories, or METS burned during the day, these apps are specific for calming and reducing stress! Here are the names of a few that are FREE for you to investigate and consider (Web, Android, or iOS): MindMeister, Breath2Relax, White Noise Lite, Calm, Diaro, Headspace, Relax, Guided Meditations, and more. Give one of these a try as it is clear we all focus far too little on stress management!
