
09/26/2025
Stress doesn't just live in your mind, it lives in your muscles too.
When you're under pressure, your nervous system triggers a "fight or flight" response. This makes sense for survival as your body prepares for action by:
Tightening muscles (to protect against injury)
Increasing blood pressure and heart rate
Redirecting blood away from "non-essential" functions like digestion and tissue repair
The problem? In today's world, we're often stressed for long periods of time - not seconds or minutes, but days, weeks, or months. That ongoing tension can cause neck & shoulder stiffness, TMJ/jaw clenching, back spasms, even headaches and migraines.
Over time, chronic stress may even slow healing by keeping your muscles in a constant guarded state. But techniques like chiropractic care, massage, deep breathing, and mindfulness help calm the nervous system, reduce muscle tension, and allow your body to repair properly.
Where do you notice stress show up in your body first - your jaw, neck, or back?