Can Emotions Cause You To Feel Physical Pain?

sad woman hands in face
April 6, 2022

If you have ever felt pain while you are dealing with a psychological issue, rest assured that it is not unnatural. According to Oklahoma pain physicians, you may feel chronic pain when you are dealing with anger management, feeling afraid, or going through other intense emotional turmoil. Emotional ups and downs can either make your physical pain feel worse, or it can lessen your pain. Studies show that there is a connection between physical pain and mental pain.

Connection Between Emotional Pain and Physical Pain:

We, humans, are physical beings with mental and psychological characteristics along with physical ones. When you are experiencing pain, you should keep all these three factors in mind. Mostly, you will feel physical pain when you have been injured. But sometimes, you may feel pain when you are undergoing a stressful situation.

Oklahoma pain physicians say that you feel pain when your nervous system sends signals to your brain. Your nervous system may send these signals when you have been injured, have a disease, or there has been inflammation. But as per recent research, your mental state can also make your nervous system send pain signals.

Whatever you feel, whether mental or physical, it begins in your brain. Even when you are feeling mental pain, your brain processes it as physical pain. Here is an easy way to understand the connection.

Suppose you have hurt your toe on an object that somebody has left. Since the person who left the object on the floor is not in front of you, you have no way to let out your anger on the person. As you cannot vent out, you may feel the mental rage causing headaches or neck pain. So, your mental state can cause physical pain.

Connection Between Emotional Pain and Physical Pain

Sorrow and Anger:

Believe it or not, studies conducted by Oklahoma pain physicians show that you may feel physical pain even when you relive a moment that causes sorrow or anger. You will be amazed to know that your pain tolerance can actually decrease when you think about sad or angry moments. If you are a woman, you may even experience more pain than men.

What Should You Do?

When you are dealing with mental pain that is causing physical pain, you need to address the root cause.

Whom to Trust?

Get in touch with professional Oklahoma pain physicians at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management so that you can have a treatment plan to help you deal with the problem. We are just a call away.

**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.

Darryl D. Robinson, MD

Medical Director

About Author

Dr. Darryl Robinson, a Richmond, Virginia native, earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to receive his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1995. Commissioned into the U.S. Army the same year, Dr. Robinson completed his internship at Walter Reed and served as a General Medical Officer at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He left active duty in 1998 and remained in the reserves through 2004. After completing his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a fellowship in Pain Medicine, Dr. Robinson joined Oklahoma Sports Science and Orthopedics in 2002. He has since been recognized for delivering comprehensive, cutting-edge care for pain conditions. In 2012, he was named one of the region's top physicians by Castle Connolly. Frustrated by the limitations of conventional pain treatments, he expanded his approach to include wellness-based therapies focused on nutrition, hormone optimization, and regenerative medicine. He later became a Certified Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Also in 2012, Dr. Robinson was honored as one of the first "Pink Tie Guys" by the Susan G. Komen foundation in Oklahoma, recognizing his advocacy for women's health.
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