There are some days when you may wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and then there are days when you wake up riddled with aches and pains without any reason. We may wonder if we are falling ill or if we have slept in an uncomfortable position, but we rarely ever wonder if the pain is anything beyond that. However, sometimes back pain can hold a physical manifestation of some emotional heaviness that we may be carrying.
Back pain, or more specifically chronic lower back pain, can be directly linked to the emotional distress that someone may be experiencing. When people suffer from pain that they have tried everything to ease the pain, it is often found that the cause stems from anxiety, fear, and depression.
With our bodies being remarkably linked to our emotional and psychological well-being, let us delve further into what back pain may signify emotionally. Let us look at how we are the Atlas carrying our own emotions.
The Physical Manifestation of the Emotional
The majority of the time, we underestimate just how in sync our bodies actually are. The physical, spiritual, and emotional elements of our body are closely intertwined, and while we may not wear our hearts on our sleeves and our emotions are not tangible, they can be felt physically in our bodies.
When you are sad, in addition to crying, you may experience headaches or chest pain. Laughter is a physical manifestation of joy and happiness, and when you are stressed, you may experience tightness and heaviness on your shoulders.
The Representation of the Back
The human back has long symbolized strength, both in character and in labor. We have all heard the saying of someone not having a backbone, meaning they do not have the courage or that they are cowardly.
The back has also been a symbol of work ethic and someone who works really hard may be referred to as putting their back into their job or into the task at hand. With the back being the structure that holds up and carries the entire structure of the body, it is also the target of emotional stress.
Various parts of the back hold different connections to spiritual elements as well. Pain in the lowest part of your back, which is known as the L5 vertebrae, often relates to where you are in your life, either physically, emotionally, or mentally.
The L4 vertebrae, which is directly above the L5 vertebrae, is where emotion is housed in your spine. It holds both positive and negative emotions. While it holds grief, it also holds the emotion of joy that you may find in your social interactions, whether it is with family or friends.
It has often been found that when people were taught from an early age to suppress their emotions, or they were encouraged not to freely show their feelings, they were more likely to suffer from lower back pain later in life.
For example, if little boys are consistently told that ‘boys don’t cry,’ they may grow up being emotionally shut off, but may also experience a physical buildup of emotions through chronic lower back pain.
On the other side of this same coin, is if someone’s achievements were never celebrated, or big moments in their lives were never acknowledged, they may not have had the outlet to express their joy outwardly and openly. This, too, can lead to chronic lower back pain because of a buildup of emotions.
If you have pain in your lower back, specifically found in the L3 vertebrae, it could be a manifestation of a spiritual feeling of not finding a place within your family, not being at home with where you currently are in life, or feeling like you aren’t understood by those closest to you.
Whether there is a blocked connection between you and your family stemming from your sexual orientation, differing spiritual beliefs, or other aspects of your life that may lead to no support from your family, you may experience lower back pain.
These intense feelings of loneliness, isolation, and disconnectedness from your family can quickly develop and turn into depression and sadness.
How to Treat Back Pain Caused by Emotion
Before you can even begin trying to treat your back pain, you need to find out the source of your pain. This would involve identifying if your back pain is acute or chronic. Acute back pain may not necessarily be attributed to emotional causes and can be remedied by muscle relaxants, stretching, and ointments. It can be caused by lifting heavy objects or experiencing an injury to your back.
If you suffer from chronic back pain that seems to persist despite trying medication and other remedies, it is more likely that this stems from a deeper and emotional cause. The first thing you would need to do is identify what may have triggered the emotional weight that led to your chronic back pain.
Once you realize what the cause of your emotional distress is, you can begin putting steps in place to work towards remedying the cause. You can establish meditation techniques, and breathing exercises, and even seek professional help from a therapist to mitigate the cause of the emotional distress.
Once you have addressed the emotional source of your pain, you can begin working through the physical aspect of the pain. Massage therapy can be a wonderful way of working out and removing tension caused by stress in your back.
By stretching and exercising, you activate a release of endorphins which aid in stress relief, pain relief, and an overall enhanced sense of self.
Once you have found and treated the emotional pain that leads to the physical back pain, you may find yourself making conscious efforts to improve your overall emotional state. You may begin making active efforts to improve your emotional well-being, leading to a healthier version of yourself.
Conclusion
If you feel like you have tried everything in the book to fix your physical pain, or you feel like you are tired of having your pain control you, perhaps it is time to let go of the pain medication and start searching for the deeper causes behind the pain. Addressing your pain at the emotional root is guaranteed to make you happier and healthier, making you feel like an emotionally and physically stronger person.
