Constant stress and pain can make life more difficult. Health services like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage are proven medical treatments that may help.

Stress is our body’s response to a hard situation. It can be physical, emotional, or mental. Occasional, short-term stress is normal. It can even be useful to help you finish a task, protect yourself, or make quick decisions.

When that stress becomes long-term or all-the-time (chronic), it can affect our health and how we feel in our body and mind.

When stress can affect your health

You might be experiencing stress that can impact your health if you:

• Have a health condition or ongoing health problems
• Are going through a big life change, like pregnancy or parenting
• Lost your job or have financial troubles
• Live somewhere you don’t feel safe or settled
• Have conflict daily with friends, loved ones, or a partner

Stress, pain, and your body

Medical studies show that using physical treatments like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage have positive health benefits that may help with stress and pain. These treatments may be called “alternative” or “complementary” treatments by health care providers or your health plan.

Stress and pain can be like a row of dominos. When you push the first domino, the rest fall after it. The first domino is tension. Ongoing stress may cause tension or tightness in your muscles and joints. That tension can increase aches and pains in your body, like headaches, muscle pain, and back pain.

Stress may also make it more challenging to cope with pain or emotions. Your pain may feel more intense, or your emotions may be more challenging to process. This can make day-to-day life extra difficult.

It’s common for stress and pain to impact how you feel mentally and emotionally. To see if working with a mental health professional might help, take a look at, Be Well: Should I go to therapy? Signs your mental health might need a checkup

Adding alternative treatments to your care plan may help keep that first domino standing by confronting stress where it shows up in your body. Let’s take a look at three different treatments and how they help.

1. Acupuncture

What is it: Acupuncture involves using very fine needles (thinner than a human hair). A licensed acupuncturist places the needles at specific points in the skin to stimulate the nerves, the thing in our body responsible for sending pain messages to our brain.

How it helps: It improves circulation and decreases the sensation of pain. Some people use acupuncture to relieve low back pain, to manage chronic pain from osteoarthritis, for headaches, or neck problems.

Acupuncture is so effective that in some cases it has even be used during surgery in place of surgical anesthesia!

– Dr. LuAnn C.

2. Chiropractic care

What is it: Chiropractors help to relieve pain through spinal manipulation. They work on the shoulders, neck, back, or hips to improve mobility and reduce pressure in the spine or other joints.

How it helps: Spinal adjustments can help reduce pain in the back and neck, and for some it helps with headaches and muscle spasms.

3. Massage therapy

What is it: Massage therapy involves massaging and stretching muscles to improve circulation or blood flow. It’s a hand-on-treatment, typically focused on the muscles in your neck, back arms, legs, and feet.

How it helps: It can help you relax and has a calming effect, which helps with stress. Massages also improve mobility and flexibility. It can reduce cramping, inflammation, and tension in the muscles to help with pain.

Massage visits may be covered by your health plan. There are also ways you can get some of the health advantages at home using a foam roller or a tennis ball. Find additional resources about this at the end.

Are alternative or complementary treatments right for you?

You might be interested in exploring these treatments if you:

• Feel stressed all the time
• Just had a baby or are pregnant
• Want to find other ways to treat pain or discomfort
• Are concerned about pain medication and addiction

Before starting a new treatment, talk to your doctor or primary care provider. Depending on your health history and current needs, they may recommend one treatment over another, or to get a combination of the treatments.

Tip: If you do decide to see an acupuncturist, chiropractor, or massage therapist, CHPW’s Dr. LuAnn C. recommends keeping a journal and communicating often with your providers to make the most out of the treatments.

“You may find it helpful to keep some type of journal to track how you are feeling. Talk with your acupuncturist, chiropractic, or massage therapist before and after appointments about how you are feeling. They can adjust their service for your next visit, help you decide if it’s something you should continue, or if you should try another treatment option for your symptoms,” says Dr. LuAnn C.

For many people, these treatments are a valued part of culture and have been for thousands of years. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage are non-invasive ways to reduce stress, relieve tension, manage pain, and improve your overall health.

If you’re experiencing stress or ongoing pain, alternative treatments could make a big difference in your life.

 Are you a CHPW member or thinking about enrolling?

View alternative treatment benefits you may qualify for by CHPW health plan:

Apple Health (Medicaid) | Individual & Family Cascade Select | Medicare Advantage 

Learn more about alternative treatments

• What to expect at a chiropractor appointment
• Watch a video about acupuncture and massage for back pain
• Watch how use a tennis ball for back pain