The Link Between Chronic Stress and Minor Injuries

It’s safe to say that no one is immune to stress. No matter who we are, we must contend with the typical tensions of daily life, like relationship strains with family and friends, work drama, and paying the bills. There are also major life challenges that can leave us reeling, such as divorce, moving, or enduring the loss of a loved one.

The effects of stress, however, aren’t only emotional. Your physical health is impacted by these challenges, too, but how?

Because Neha Maheshwari, Dr. Pankaj Chopra, and the exceptional Primary Care Walk-In Clinic team believe in treating the whole patient, they truly see you when you come for treatment, and not just your condition. 

Your emotional health undoubtedly has an impact on your physical health, so it makes sense that stressors can also make us more prone to injury.  We take this into account whenever we see and treat a patient. 

How stress affects our physical health — and makes us more prone to injury

The stressors we all live with affect all our body systems — from the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular to the respiratory, nervous, and gastrointestinal. 

This might show up as a headache like a migraine, constipation or diarrhea, shortness of breath, elevated blood pressure, or hormonal dysregulation. A nervous system overwhelmed with constant stress also suffers wear and tear, which can strain your body’s other systems.

Additional ways that chronic stress is associated with minor — and potentially major — injuries include:

1. Poorly managed stress

When we don’t respond in healthy ways to manage our stress, it can prompt us to pick up unhealthy habits that harm our bodies as well, such as using drugs, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking. The effects of these habits can obviously be catastrophic to our physical health over the long term.

2. Slower reflexes

Feeling mentally exhausted and stressed makes our cognitive responses less sharp, so if we can’t react as quickly to a risky situation as we would normally, we’re more at risk of experiencing an accident. This might take the form of a fall, a cut while absentmindedly chopping vegetables, or smashing your thumb with a hammer when making a small repair.

3. Brain fog

Problems with focus are a hallmark of stress, and this lack of concentration can also make you more likely to get injured — think not seeing that curb while you’re walking or forgetting you didn’t close the kitchen cabinet door and hitting your head.

4. Hampered healing

We also know that living with prolonged stress suppresses our immune systems, so healing from an illness or injury becomes harder and takes longer. 

When should I seek treatment for a minor injury?

If you’ve suffered a minor injury that may be traced to stress you’re experiencing, we can help. But how do you discern whether seeking care is appropriate, or if you should just take care of your injury yourself, or wait it out?

These are the types of injuries you’ll want to have checked out by one of our providers:

• Any injury or cut that won’t stop bleeding
• Head injuries (we want to rule out concussion, especially)
• Minor burns
• A sprain or joint injury where you have pain, swelling, or bruising
• A foot or leg injury that doesn’t allow you to ambulate and put your weight on the leg or foot
• Broken fingers or toes
• A black eye
• Any type of wound that has something in it, like metal or glass
• Mild or moderate back pain

We understand that stress can distract you, play at a level less than your “A level” when engaging in sports, and put you at risk for injury in various ways. 

The important thing is, we can help by giving you the treatment you need — whether that’s cleaning and stitching a wound, fitting you with a brace or splint, treating a wound with ice or heat, or making recommendations about using over-the-counter pain medications or modifying your activities until you’re fully healed.

We’re also able to refer you to other providers for needed treatment, like physical therapy, depending on your injury or problem. 

Successful stress reduction techniques include eating well, exercising, adopting a mindfulness practice like meditation, getting a steady dose of time in nature, and connecting with friends and loved ones on a regular basis. Don’t forget to get enough rest and create a healthier work/life balance — this means getting better at saying “No.”

If you suspect you’ve suffered a stress-related injury — or any injury that requires treatment, don’t delay contacting our Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Mesa, or Scottsdale office to set up an appointment, or use our convenient online booking tool.