Type A People: How Your Personality Is Causing Your Back Pain, And 3 Easy Things You Can Do About It

Do you consider yourself an impatient person? Are you quick to lose your temper, or competitive by nature? If so, you've got a type A personality, and it may be the cause of your lower back pain. Read on to learn more.

What Makes A Person Type A?

The term "type A personality" has been around since the 1950s. It was first dubbed by two well-known cardiologists who conducted a study on norepinephrine (the hormone that stimulates your fight or flight response) levels.

In their study, the cardiologists noted that some of their subjects exhibited higher levels of norepinephrine during their daily activities. The same subjects had normal norepinephrine levels while at rest, indicating that environmental factors were responsible for the hormone spikes.

Since the study, "type A personality" has become a household term used to describe everybody from workaholics, to aggressive drivers, go-getters, and competitors of all kinds, but the one thing all of these people have in common is their heightened response to stress that manifests as a result of high levels of norepinephrine. 

How Does Having A Type A Personality Affect Your Health?

Stress can wreak havoc on your body. Its symptoms include memory loss, poor judgment, mood swings, teeth clenching, nausea, aches, pains, poor posture, muscle tension, and, you guessed it... lower back pain.

The increased tension in those with type A personalities can cause the muscles in the back to become weakened, tired, and sore. As the sufferer learns to adjust their body to avoid the pain, they worsen the problem by forcing those muscles into unnatural positions. As the pain worsens, the sufferers compensate their posture even further, resulting in an endless cycle of pain and discomfort.

Worse yet, studies show that those who are under stress actually experience pain more intensely than people who are relaxed and stress-free.

What does this mean for you? If you have a type A personality, your stress could not only be causing your back pain, but it could be making it hurt worse than it actually should.

How Can You Alter Your Stress Levels To Relieve Lower Back Pain?

If you experience lower back pain, there is a good chance that decreasing your stress levels can give you some relief. Here are some super easy stress-busting techniques to try:

Meditation -- There are several kinds of meditation, with the most basic involving nothing more than sitting quietly with your eyes closed and attempting to clear your mind of any thoughts whatsoever. You can start practicing this technique with just 2 or 3 extra minutes a day, and work your way up from there. 

Yoga -- Yoga is more than a type of exercise -- it's a 5000 year old practice designed to stimulate balance between the body and the mind. In just a few minutes a day, and without even getting out of bed, you can use yoga to decrease stress, and increase muscle strength and flexibility.

Diet Changes -- Try snacking away your lower back pain! Certain foods are packed with flavenoids and antioxidants that are proven to ease stress and promote relaxation. The next time you're feeling hungry, grab a bit of dark chocolate (shoot for at least 70% cacao), an ounce of walnuts or sunflower seeds, or a serving of fresh blueberries.

If you're a member of the type A personality club, you high tension levels could be causing your lower back pain. Visit your doctor or chiropractor to rule out any serious illnesses or injuries that might be causing your lower back pain, and work one or more of the above three easy-to-do stress-busting techniques into your daily routine. For more suggestions, talk to professionals from sites like http://www.swfna.com.