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Do you have pain in your body? It's likely that the sources of your pain are happening even when you aren't being aware of them. Pain is really something that could be a very uncomfortable feeling for anyone. It's not only physical, but it also is mental. When you experience pain, you can no longer think straight.
Nerves are some of the most complex parts of our body - there are over two hundred thousand miles of nerve fibers in our body. Our body is designed to work together with our nerves. We use them to move, feel and experience the world around us. But sometimes, your nerves can get damaged or irritated, causing pain and other symptoms.
If you're wondering why you keep suffering from these pains and discomforts, then you're in the right place. Our Manhattan pain management center can help you with your nerve pain. In this blog, we're going to talk about the possible reasons for pain. It might surprise you to learn that many of these every day habits can actually cause more pain. Here are some things you might be doing to your nerves that are causing pain:
1. Sitting all-day
If you work at a desk, you may spend the majority of your day sitting down. The problem with this is that it can put a lot of pressure on your spine and joints. Over time, this can lead to back pain and other health issues.
Your spinal cord is an essential part of your nervous system. It runs through the center of your spine and carries messages from your brain to the rest of your body.
When you sit for long periods of time or sleep on your back, pressure can build up around the spinal cord and cause pain or numbness in the arms and legs. Sitting for long periods of time also puts more stress on your nervous system because it limits blood flow to your body tissues, which affects how well they're nourished. This often leads to muscle pain and stiffness as well as feeling fatigued and sluggish.
2. Ignoring your posture
Your posture can make or break how comfortable you are throughout the day. Bad posture can cause a lot of pain in your body, including your neck and back. If you're slouching at your desk or leaning too far back in your office chair, it could be causing more pain than necessary. When you slouch or lean forward, your spine is in a flexed position that puts pressure on the nerves.
3. Staying in one position for too long
Our bodies are designed to move. The muscles, joints, and ligaments all need to be worked on a regular basis in order to stay healthy and pain-free. If you sit in the same position for hours on end, it can cause your joints and muscles to become stiff and sore. This also applies when sleeping.
4. Sleeping on the wrong side of your body
When we sleep, our heads are supposed to rest on pillows and not the mattress itself because when we lie flat on our backs all night long, it can put pressure on the discs between vertebrae and compress nerves traveling through them. The result? Painful spasms along those nerve channels.
Sleeping on the wrong side of your body is one of the most common and overlooked causes of back pain. Sleeping on one side of your body can put pressure on your spine. If you always sleep on one side, it could cause a muscle imbalance and lead to pain in other parts of your body. Sleeping on your stomach can cause a lot of back pain and other problems with your neck, shoulder, and spine.
5. Not strengthening your muscles
The nerves in our body are the messengers that carry electrical impulses from the brain to muscles and from muscles to the brain. When those nerves aren't working properly, pain can occur. In addition, nerves can become irritated because of many things, including muscle tension and poor posture. When your muscles are tight, or you have poor posture, it causes tension in your nervous system. This increased tension can cause pain and other problems.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle and don't exercise regularly, then chances are your muscles will be weak and tight. The more inactive you become, the weaker these muscles get — even if they were strong before. But if you start exercising regularly again, there's a good chance your strength will come back quickly with just a few workouts per week.
6. Not getting enough sleep
Sleep deprivation can cause pain by weakening your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness and disease, which in turn makes you feel even more tired than before. In addition, even just one night of poor sleep can lead to increased sensitivity to pain for several days afterward.
7. Holding onto unnecessary stress
Stress can cause your body to release high levels of cortisol (the "fight or flight" hormone). In the short term, this can be helpful as it prepares your body to defend itself physically against danger. However, if your body is constantly releasing high levels of cortisol on a regular basis (as it does in response to long-term stress), it can lead to chronic pain and other health problems.
In addition, stress has been shown to increase sensitivity in the nervous system. This means that even normal levels of stimulation may feel painful or uncomfortable when you're stressed out.
Stress can also make you more sensitive to pain because it increases activity in certain areas of your brain that regulate emotions and behaviors — like fear and anxiety — which tend to make us perceive pain more intensely than we would under normal circumstances.
What can you do?
So the next time you're wondering if something is causing you pain, think back to this list of actions that may be damaging your nervous system. If you can avoid them, it will allow you to enjoy pain-free days.
While there are many factors that can lead to new or increased nerve pain, there are also many things you can do to reduce or eliminate your symptoms. You should see our Manhattan pain management specialist immediately if you have any signs of nerve damage, such as tingling or numbness. They may recommend a few lifestyle changes and possible treatment options to minimize your symptoms and help improve the quality of your life.