Orthopedic  Massage  Associates
Specializing in Wellness and Relaxation
Judy Castrichini, LMT # 724  (256)518-0886      ~      Jeffrey Rich, LMT # 656   ( 256)337-1699
offering comprehensive, integrated massage therapy services to complement your regular medical care

What is stress?  Coined and studied extensively by researcher Hans Selye, stress is much more than just a word.   So impressive have his findings and theories been that some authorities refer to him as "the Einstein of medicine."  We hear about stress all the time, and so we tend to ignore its importance to us and to our physical bodies.  

What does it do to your body?  Stress suppresses the parasympathetic portion of our nervous systems which is responsible for

Stress stimulates the sympathetic portion of our nervous system, the part responsible for

Even low levels of stress and job anxiety have been shown to push the body into this fight/flight pattern.  

"The stress response of the body is somewhat like an airplane readying for take-off. Virtually all systems (eg, the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger."  

Long-term stress to the body from any source, or stressor, raises levels of the natural hormone cortisol in your bloodstream.  Cortisol is a steroid produced by the adrenals glands, and elevated levels of it in your body will eventually produce permanent changes in your tissues.  Click here to learn more about the short- and long-term effects of stress.

Common physical symptoms of too much job stress include headaches, stomach ailments, back pain, insomnia and fatigue. Stress also can aggravate high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes.  In addition, stress can cause feelings of exhaustion, anger and anxiety, and it can lead to increased use of alcohol, tobacco and over-the-counter drugs.

Overcoming job-related stress involves recognizing the sources of stress on your job and learning how to gain control over them. You can start with the following suggestions:

If those suggestions are not practical for you because of the job that you have, maybe these additional suggestions will be helpful:

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