Consider this story of a patient who came to my Chelan, Washington chiropractic clinic for back pain. He was going through a messy divorce, and anyone who has experienced something similar knows the emotional toll it takes on the body. While he believed his back pain was due to a physical issue, the real cause ran deeper: unresolved emotions were weakening key systems in his body, leading to injury and persistent pain.

Whether it’s grief over a lost loved one, fear about finances, or frustration with a nagging injury, emotions have a profound impact on your physical health. Maybe you’re angry with a friend or anxious about re-injuring yourself in the sport you love. 

Whatever the emotion, if you don’t process it, your body stores it in specific organs. When triggered, these emotions cause those organs—and their corresponding muscle systems—to weaken, which can lead to injury or pain. At best, these unresolved emotions lead to chronic pain that won’t go away. At worst, they may contribute to disease.