Can Stress and Anxiety Cause Back Pain? Here’s What You Should Know
That annoying pain between your shoulders or the tightness in your lower back didn't come from lifting something heavy or sleeping wrong, but it won't go away. You aren't imagining things if you've ever thought, "Why does my back hurt when I didn't do anything?" Stress and anxiety can cause back pain even if you haven't hurt yourself. When doctors can't find a "cause," it's easy to feel angry or even ashamed, like your body is letting you down. But the truth is that your pain is real and not just "in your head."
When you're stressed or anxious, your body goes into its primal "fight or flight" mode, which makes your muscles tighten, especially in your back, shoulders, and neck. Over time, long-term stress can make you stiff, limit your movement, and even irritate your nerves. Your back is a battleground for unresolved stress when you have bad posture (like hunching over screens or clenching your jaw) and shallow breathing.
How Stress Can Cause or Worsen Back Pain
Your body doesn't know the difference between emotional stress and physical danger; it reacts the same way. When you're stressed, your fight-or-flight system sends cortisol and adrenaline through your body, which makes your muscles tighten up (especially in your back and shoulders), your chest breathe shallowly, and your joints even tighten up. Over time, this tension causes pain, stiffness, and less movement, like a rubber band that has been stretched too long.
But it's not just about muscles that are tight. Stress hormones make inflammation worse, which makes your nerves more sensitive to pain. Anxiety also subconsciously teaches your body to "guard" weak spots, like your lower back or neck. This makes a cycle of stiffness, pain, more stress, and worse pain. What happened? Even small movements can feel painful or tight, even if they don't hurt.
This pain isn't all in your head; it's your nervous system working too hard. When you are under a lot of stress for a long time, your brain changes how it processes pain, which makes you feel more pain. The good news is? Stress and pain are connected, so calming your nervous system can help with physical symptoms right away.
It’s not “just in your head” — it’s in your nervous system, muscles, and brain signals.
Where Stress Lives in Your Body
The "Invisible Weight" on Your Shoulders. That tightness between your shoulder blades that won't go away or the stiffness in your neck that won't go away? It might not be from your workout; it's probably from all the stress you've been under. We automatically hunch our shoulders and clench our jaws when we're stressed, as if we're getting ready for something bad to happen. Spending hours at a desk or reading stressful news only makes the problem worse, and no amount of stretching seems to fully relieve your sore muscles.
The Lower Back's Emotional Burden. Your posture might be to blame if your lower back hurts even though you haven't hurt it. When you're anxious, you might make small but important changes, like sitting in a protective "curl," holding your breath, or tightening your core muscles. These little changes change the way your spine is aligned and put more stress on your lower back. Over time, what started as a reaction to stress turns into long-term pain, making you wonder why things like standing or bending suddenly seem so hard.
The Pain-Stress Cycle That Feeds Itself. The more your back hurts, the more stressed you get about it, which only makes your muscles tighter. It's a cycle that keeps going: pain causes more tension, and tension causes more pain. The first step to breaking free is to see this pattern. Relief isn't just about treating the physical symptoms; it's also about dealing with the stress that's keeping your body on high alert. The good news is? Even small steps toward relaxation can help you let go of this grip.
How to Ease Stress-Related Back Pain
Calm the Body
Moving slowly can help tight muscles let go of tension that has built up. To get your blood flowing and make it easier to move, try simple stretches like yoga's "cat-cow" pose, pelvic tilts while lying down, or slow shoulder rolls. When you do this, take deep belly breaths by putting your hand on your stomach to make sure you're breathing from your diaphragm. This will help relax the back muscles that tense up when you're stressed. To release more deeply, try progressive muscle relaxation, which means tensing and relaxing muscle groups from your toes to your head in a set order to reset your nervous system.
Calm the Mind
Writing in a journal can help you see how emotional stress can lead to physical flare-ups. You could ask yourself things like, "What felt heavy today?" or "Where do I feel tense, and what could it mean?" Instead of saying, "This isn't my body failing; it's asking for attention," try saying, "This is my body asking for attention." Mindfulness activities, such as guided body scans, teach you to notice and let go of tension without judging it.
Support Daily Habits
Add small movements: set a timer for two-minute breaks every hour to walk or stretch. To ease stiff muscles, use heat, like heating pads or Epsom salt baths. Change the way your workspace is set up to make it more comfortable. For example, raise screens to eye level and use lumbar support. Even cutting back on screen time a little can help with the "stress hunch."
Seek Support if Needed
If pain persists, consider therapy (like CBT) to address anxiety’s physical impacts. A physical therapist can tailor exercises to break the tension-pain cycle. Pain-informed yoga or massage therapy may also help re-educate your body to relax. Remember: Seeking help isn’t defeat—it’s honoring your body’s need for care.
Your Body Is Talking.
It Deserves a Gentle Response.
Your body isn't betraying you if your back pain gets worse when you're stressed out. It's protecting you. Your stiff spine and tight shoulders are not signs of failure; they are physical signs that your nervous system is too stressed. You are not broken; you are a person. And just like your hand hurts after you hold it tight, your muscles remember the weight you've been carrying, even when your mind tries to push through.
You don't have to be afraid of or ignore this pain. Instead, ask yourself, "What does my body want right now?" It could be a heating pad, a few deep breaths, or the chance to let go of something you've been carrying too long. You can start to heal when you listen, but not with fear. Your body has been holding on for you. Now is the time to gently hold space for it.
cope with any stress
Don't postpone self-care!
Download the app now!
and inner peace in all areas of your life,
regardless of your age