20/10/2025
Namaste,
As I rise from my bed after carrying out my yoga and breathing exercises, I remember moments when the chronic stress of micro-aggressions and systemic biases overwhelmed my physical and emotional health.
This is a powerful and necessary time to acknowledge this topic for Black History Month. It’s essential to move the conversation about racism from isolated events of prejudice to the profound, measurable impact it has on the health and lifespan of entire communities.
The most critical concept to understand is that racism is not just psychological; it is a physical stressor that damages the body over time.
The link between the lifelong experience of racism and the development of chronic health conditions and chronic pain is not merely theoretical—it is medically and sociologically proven through decades of research on stress, health equity, and biology.
The mechanism is driven by the body's response to chronic, unrelenting stress, a concept known as racial trauma or minority stress.
Racism operates as a chronic stressor—not just in acute, highly visible events (like an act of overt discrimination), but in the constant, daily vigilance required to navigate micro-aggressions, systemic biases, and economic inequality.
Connection to Chronic Pain: The constant stress and inflammation associated with racism are linked to the development and severity of chronic pain conditions.
Nervous System Sensitisation: Chronic stress leads to central sensitisation, making the nervous system overly sensitive to pain signals.
Exacerbation of Chronic Pain Conditions: Sensitisation worsens conditions like fibromyalgia, migraines, IBS, and chronic musculoskeletal pain
In essence, the body is so continuously stressed that the pain alarm system remains permanently turned up, making the person physically vulnerable to chronic suffering.
Beyond the direct biological effects of stress, racism impacts health outcomes through systemic barriers:
Racism leads to healthcare discrimination, environmental racism, and economic strain, further impacting health outcomes.
Photo: Grana.Grafica on Instagram
