HealthMental Health

Wait, Stress Can Cause Back Pain?

Discover whether stress contributes to back pain and learn expert-backed strategies for managing stress-induced discomfort.

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Photo: Anna Artemenko/Stocksy
Published Apr 17, 2024

Written by 

Jessica Migala

As you walk into work, you immediately feel your muscles seize up. Or maybe you just went through the breakup of all breakups and are constantly feeling physically and emotionally on edge. Or you haven’t caught a break in (checks watch) forever, and you realize you walk around like a big ball of stress. You may have back pain caused by stress.

Experts in This Article

Kavita Trivedi

associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas

Learn about the connection between stress and backache, what you can do to treat it, and smart ways to safeguard your back from future pain.

The connection between stress and back pain

One of the physical symptoms of stress? Yep, it’s back pain.

“When we get stressed, a lot of things happen,” says Kavita Trivedi, DO, associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

First up, your body experiences a chemical reaction in response to stress when the adrenal glands dump hormones epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, and cortisol into your body. These chemicals are part of your body’s fight-or-flight response and can upregulate pain receptors, Dr. Trivedi says.

One note: During extreme stress—say you’ve been hit by a car while biking—your body inhibits your pain response in order to give you the ability to get out of a life-or-death situation, Dr. Trivedi says. You may not feel the pain in the moment, but you’ll experience it later, she says. But this differs from opening up your inbox in the morning and seeing an email from your boss instructing you to prioritize a project that throws your entire schedule into chaos. It’s not life-or-death, but your body still triggers that danger-ahead stress response.

Next, a change in body mechanics. When you notice you’re stressed, think about how your body is responding. The muscles in your shoulders and neck likely tense up. Maybe your jaw tightens, too. “When stressed, the body’s natural inclination is to try to protect itself, and we do that by contracting and tightening,” Dr. Trivedi explains.

So, not only are you primed to feel more discomfort, but that tightness can directly translate into pain. And that’s where back pain comes in. Muscle tension from stress that affects your upper body (neck, shoulders) is connected—the same group of muscles that line your entire spine, top to bottom, says Dr. Trivedi. “If the upper part of your back is tight, eventually it can travel down the chain to tighten up your lower back, as well,” she explains.

Stress is one of the psychological factors in back pain. People who report severe stress are nearly three times more likely to experience low back pain compared to those with no stress, according to a July 2021 study in Scientific Reports. Among the many reasons for this: Researchers point out that cortisol is inflammatory, which can, over time, cause cellular aging and tissue damage that promotes the development of chronic (or long-lasting) pain.

Other research in Frontiers in Public Health in August 2020 on health care workers with low back pain found that those with high work-related stress were twice as likely to report back pain compared to those with low stress. One thing these authors add that really resonates in a palm-to-forehead moment: Low back pain becomes another stressor for the person experiencing it. There’s no doubt that there’s a real mind-body connection in back pain.

“When stressed, the body’s natural inclination is to try to protect itself, and we do that by contracting and tightening.” —Kavita Trivedi, DO, spine and musculoskeletal specialist

How to know if you’re dealing with stress-related back pain

Causes of back pain are numerous, and include the following, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS):

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  • Arthritis of the spine, such as ankylosing spondylitis
  • Vertebrae slips out of place
  • Degenerative disc disease (caused by the aging process)
  • Endometriosis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Kidney stones or infections
  • Herniated disc
  • Osteoporosis
  • Pregnancy
  • Scoliosis
  • Spinal infection
  • Sprain and strain
  • Tumors in the spine

That’s a wide-ranging list, to be sure. So, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate your situation. Ask yourself “what’s changed that’s now causing me to have this back pain?” says Dr. Trivedi. That doesn’t mean taking out your doctor’s pad and diagnosing yourself, but it can help give you some clues as to where to start. Is the back pain new or has it been lingering for a while? Did you have a change in lifestyle—such as a new job that requires you to sit at a desk all day—that may contribute? A new baby that you’re carrying all day? Or did you bend down to lift a couch as you were moving into your apartment and you tweaked something?

In addition, think about the stressors in your life, especially if you’ve gone through a big change recently. Was there a breakup or divorce? Did a loved one pass? Is work really putting you through the wringer? When it comes to emotional stress and backache, “many times, stress is subconscious, so it’s really having to be self-aware that this has changed in my life and probably is contributing because of a situational or emotional change,” Dr. Trivedi says.

Also keep in mind that both physical and mental stressors can be present that contribute to your back pain.

How to relieve the pain

Most important is identifying the root cause, which will clue you and your doctor into what the appropriate treatment is.

In the meantime, the reality is that you’re still strapped with the symptoms of back pain. To ease discomfort in the short-term, Dr. Trivedi says you can:

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  • Use a heating pad on the aching area to relax muscles.
  • Apply a pain-relief topical or patch, such as BioFreeeze or Salonpas. These contain ingredients like menthol, a topical NSAID, or lidocaine to relieve discomfort.
  • Take an over-the-counter anti inflammatory, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to diminish discomfort. (Despite being readily available, these medications have risks, particularly if you take a lot of them, use them over a long period of time, or take another medication that interacts with them. Always read the warnings on the label, per the National Library of Medicine.)

If your back pain is stress-related, there are a couple things you can do. One is some self-checking to identify what stressor is the top culprit. Is there anything you can do to change your situation? In addition, incorporating stress management for back pain means relying on some go-to stress-busting skills, such as deep breathing, stretching, yoga, spending time with loved ones, or doing things that you find joyful, all of which can help buffer you against the effects of daily stress.

And while this may feel like a physical problem that you see a medical doctor for, a psychologist or therapist may be able to help. In a 2022 meta-analysis of nearly 100 randomized controlled trials on over 13,000 people with back pain in BMJ, combining psychological care, such as behavioral or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or pain education, with structured exercise helped improve pain intensity and physical function. (One example of how CBT is used might be using relaxation or imagery.)

Speaking of exercise, it’s not only been found to help reduce back pain compared to no treatment or placebo conditions, per the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in September 2021, but it’s also a known mood-booster. “Exercise is beneficial physically, but also mentally. If you do have stress, staying active can help,” says Dr. Trivedi.

How to prevent stress-induced back pain

Set the foundation for a back that’s more resistant to pain. “One thing that’s important for back pain is core strength. Core includes the abdominal and back muscles, which stabilize your spine,” says Dr. Trivedi.

In addition, stay active–a habit that’s important for improving resilience against stress and is physically good for your back. That includes structured exercise, but also finding small amounts of time to get moving throughout the day. “Our backs do not like to be in one position for long periods of time,” says Dr. Trevedi. These mini breaks can also help mitigate stress by giving you time to walk away and regroup. She recommends setting an alarm on your phone for every 60 to 90 minutes as a reminder to get up, go to the bathroom, refill your water bottle, or shift your body position. If you do sit down all day, you’ll also want to practice sitting exercises to release your ‘stress’ muscles.

Lastly, think about your relationship with your devices. Social media is often a go-to when you want to zone out. And sometimes it is helpful. But it may not be the best coping tool. It’s also been found to cause stress, according to a study in Current Opinion in Psychology in June 2022. But there’s also something to remember as you’re staring down at your phone–it hunches your neck and shoulders in a terrible position, says Dr. Trivedi. If possible, hold your phone at eye level. “Even the little things we do can help prevent and manage back pain,” she says. Oh, and check-in with yourself to ask if TikTok is helping or hurting your stress levels right now.

When to see a doctor or therapist

Back pain can happen to the best of us. If you have four to six weeks of back pain (without the red flags, below), tried over-the-counter medication, heating pads, and topical pain patches to no avail, Dr. Trivedi recommends seeing your doctor. “Most injuries caused by strained muscles go away after a few days, but they should definitely be resolved after a few weeks,” she says.

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That said, if your back pain is accompanied by numbness, leg weakness, severe enough discomfort to wake you up at night, or is affecting your urinary or bowel function, call your doctor asap to schedule an appointment. These are all concerning symptoms that indicate something more than stress or run-of-the-mill muscle strain or sprain is behind your pain.

Stress-induced back pain requires a lot of self-awareness, says Dr. Trivedi. “Stress can involve a lot of denial where you feel as if it’s something that’s okay or that you can overcome. For many people, it can be difficult to come to terms with and say that it’s really bothering them and now affecting them physically,” she explains.

If you come to a point where your stress is difficult to manage, your stress-management techniques are not enough, and you’re suffering from stress physically, you can feel free to reach out to a therapist whenever–you don’t have to wait a specific timeframe. The sooner you work through these underlying feelings or come up with a plan to change your circumstances–all things a licensed therapist can help with–the sooner you’ll feel better, in body and mind.

—reviewed by Jennifer Gilbert, MD, MPH

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HealthMental Health

Phone-Free February Calls for Breaking Up With Your Screen—Here’s Why You Should Try the Trend

Phone-Free February encourages you to spend less time on your phone. Here are the benefits of less screen time and tips to stay off it. %

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Photo: Stocksy / Tanya Yatsenko
Published Jan 31, 2025

Written by 

Korin Miller

Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission

If you’ve ever left the house without your phone, you know how naked it can make you feel in those moments before you race back to reclaim your screen. But you’re not the only one experiencing phone dependency: One survey found that we spend up to 40 hours a week on our phones, and 40 percent of adults say they’re online almost constantly, per the Pew Research Center. Does that number surprise you? Then you may be one of those people wondering if it’s a good idea to spend less time on your phone. Enter Phone-Free February.

Experts in This Article

Aaron Brinen

assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Jaime Zuckerman

a licensed clinical psychologist based in Pennsylvania

John Mayer

clinical psychologist and author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life

Thea Gallagher

clinical psychologist and co-host of the Mind In View podcast

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This nonprofit campaign encourages people to use their screens less for 28 days, with the ultimate goal of interacting more with the real world. Doing Phone-Free February doesn’t mean you have to completely ditch your phone—that would be impossible for most people with jobs, anyway. But it encourages being on screens less. Here’s what the challenge involves, plus why psychologists say this trend is actually worth considering.

What is Phone-Free February, anyway? 

Phone-Free February is a campaign that was co-created by the Global Solidarity Foundation, a nonprofit organization that focuses on social issues like climate justice, smartphone usage, and sustainability. Phone-Free February kicks off on February 1 and lasts for the entire month.

The overarching goal is to “promote healthier smartphone use by challenging you to go without your phone for the month of February,” according to the Phone-Free February website. Participants can choose from two levels: PhoneFlex, which challenges followers to use their phones less and be mindful about their usage, and Phone-Free, which involves putting your phone in a box for a month. (FYI, the creators of Phone-Free February admit on the challenge’s website that this second category is “radical” and “advanced.”)

If you want to do Phone-Free February the way the challenge was intended, you’ll need to sign up for a level online. But technically, you can just try to spend the month of February being more mindful about your phone usage.

Benefits of reducing your screen time

There is a lot of data to show that our phone usage isn’t exactly healthy. That said, lowering your screen time can offer some useful benefits.

Lowers risk of health conditions

Research shows that excessive screen time is linked with a higher risk of obesity, mental health concerns like anxiety and depression, and sleep complications. And unfortunately, obesity, mental health conditions, and sleep issues can all be related. “If you’re on your phone and scrolling, you usually don’t realize that you’re mindlessly snacking,” says Jaime Zuckerman, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist based in Pennsylvania.

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Eating more than your body needs can raise your risk of obesity, obesity can then cause sleep disorders like sleep apnea, and not getting enough sleep can worsen your mental health. See the cycle? Cutting back on your screen usage can lower your risk of these health conditions and improve your overall quality of life. “Less screen time could improve your weight and, ultimately, your health,” Dr. Zuckerman adds.

Increases self-awareness

Less time for the phone = more time for you. “A big pro is that you can allow yourself to be with your thoughts when you’re not on your phone,” says Thea Gallagher, PsyD, a clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Health and a cohost of the Mind in View podcast. “That can be powerful, and you can get to know yourself, building self-awareness of your thoughts, feelings, creative urges, dreams, and imagination.”

Improves relationships

Could your phone affect your relationships? Turns out, yes. Going screenless may also improve your relationships, says psychologist John Mayer, Ph.D., author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life. “I have seen so many relationships being poisoned by one or both partners spending inordinate amounts of time on their phone and not engaging in conversation and activities with their partner,” he says. Without the excess phone usage, you may get some time back to spend with your loved ones and see them beyond the screen.

Boosts mental health

Limiting screen time also means you’re likely to be on social media less—and that can give your mental health a boost, Dr. Zuckerman says.“It reduces the self-comparison that people tend to do on social media and can improve your self-image,” she explains.

Aaron P. Brinen, PsyD, assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, agrees that a lot of phone use is tied to social media. “Many of the things we are doing are algorithm-based,” he says. “Essentially it’s a digital slot machine. Just like any type of behavior on a reinforcement schedule, it’s good to step away. If you’re in Vegas, there’s value in stepping away from the gambling tables. ”When you can make intentional time to take a break, Brinen says you’ll likely notice that your anxiety goes down.

Allows you to become more present

Overall, Dr. Gallagher says that spending less time on your phone allows you to be more present in everyday life. “Phones have a tendency to pull us out of the moment,” she says. “When you remove that, you’re allowing yourself to focus on the people in your life and what’s happening around you.”

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How to spend less time on your phone

Experts say there are a few things you can do to make it easier to spend less time on your phone. Consider these tips:

  • Curb your app use: Disabling push notifications for apps you don’t need, like social media platforms, can go a long way. You can even delete the apps if you have trouble controlling your use, Dr. Gallagher says. “There are timers and reminders on the phones—you can use them,” Dr. Brinen adds. (He points out that he has a timer on his phone for YouTube and has found it to help limit his use.) Apps that limit screen time are also something you can try if the feature isn’t already embedded in your phone.
  • Designate screen-free times during the day: Dr. Gallagher suggests setting aside time when your phone is put away, like from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (You can also hide your apps from your phone during certain times of the day, Dr. Brinen explains.) The best time frame to choose is ultimately what fits best with your work and home life schedule. If you’re a heavy phone user, Dr. Gallagher suggests going slow. “Start with 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, and note how you feel before and after,” she says. “It can give you an opportunity to see that those breaks are possible and beneficial.”
  • Put your phone to “bed” for the night: Many people use their phone as an alarm, but you don’t have to go this route. Instead, consider investing in an analog alarm clock and putting your phone away in another room for the night at a designated time, like an hour or half hour before you plan to go to sleep. If you’re worried about getting a call about a family emergency, you can put your phone on “do not disturb” but allow certain contacts to still get through.
  • Don’t feel the need to respond immediately: “A lot of us feel like we have to respond right away if somebody texts us,” Dr. Gallagher explains. “But you don’t have to do that.” Instead, she suggests setting a new precedent with yourself where you only respond to texts within a certain window of time or simply don’t feel pressure to get back to people right away. “People should not feel like they need to be constantly contactable,” she says.

What to do when you’re not on your phone

Have the health benefits of reducing screen time convinced you to try the challenge? We’re rooting for you! But, going without a phone (for short or long periods of time) can still be challenging in this day of age. If you’re seeking ideas of what to do with the newly-founded time in your schedule, look no further. Here’s what our experts recommend to maximize your screenless time:

  • Focus on things you enjoy: If you have certain hobbies in place already, Dr. Zuckerman recommends focusing on them more. But she also stresses that you don’t need to spend time doing something during your screenless time because you feel obligated to do it. “If exercising isn’t something you enjoy, don’t do it during that time,” she says. “You have to make sure these are things you enjoy.”
  • Try to spend time outside: Research has linked outdoor time to better mental health, but Dr. Zuckerman says it’s important to get out in a way that feels natural to you. “You don’t need to go on a hike,” she says. “You can just sit on a bench during a lunch break or take a quick walk outside.”
  • Have conversations with other people: It sounds simple, but Dr. Gallagher explains that you’ll be surprised at how much better conversations flow when you’re not distracted by your phone. Dr. Mayer agrees. “Talk to your partner, your kids. Let’s get back to good conversations,” he adds.
  • Start reading: It’s not for everyone, but Dr. Gallagher points out that reading a good book can be a nice substitution for time you would have otherwise spent scrolling. Don’t love books? Try a magazine, comic book, or poetry. Reading shouldn’t be a chore, so find something that actually piques your interest.
  • Spend time with your thoughts: You don’t have to be doing something, physically or mentally, at all hours of the day, Dr. Gallagher says. Taking time to sit, think, and reflect can help you become more mindful and maybe even learn a few things about yourself along the way.

The bottom line

Phone-Free February challenges you to be more mindful about your phone usage. If you feel like you’re probably picking up your phone too often or doomscrolling even though you didn’t even want to, you’re not alone. But, here’s your chance to be more proactive about your habits.

Doing your best to cut down on your screen time can help boost your mental and physical health, and even improve your relationships with loved ones. Just be honest with yourself about when you need to use your phone, and when you don’t, and take things from there. It’s not always easy to give up the devices in our technology-driven world, but be kind to yourself and don’t judge too hard if you still need to be on your phone from time to time. When in doubt, remember what Dr. Gallagher says:  “Have compassion for yourself.”

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