How emotions can cause physical pain

You may have noticed that your body reacts when life becomes difficult.

Your shoulders tighten during a stressful meeting. Your stomach churns when you’re worried. A headache appears after an emotionally exhausting day, or an old back or neck problem becomes more painful during a period of conflict or uncertainty.

These experiences have a physiological basis. Your brain, nervous system, immune system and muscles respond to emotional experiences, and those responses can influence how you feel physically. Stress, fear, grief and anxiety can contribute to pain, increase sensitivity to existing symptoms and make recovery harder.