Stress, Communication & Your Spine: Can Better Conversations Help Reduce Physical Tension?

Presented by Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh
Soft Touch Chiropractic
Porter Ranch & Northridge, CA
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Stress doesn't only affect how we feel emotionally. It can also affect how our bodies feel and function.
Stress can show up physically through behaviors such as:

• 😠 Frowning and tightening facial muscles
• 😬 Clenching the jaw
• 💪 Tensing the shoulders
• 🧠 Tightening the neck muscles
• 🦴 Bracing the upper or lower back

At Soft Touch Chiropractic, we believe these repeated stress-related muscle contractions may contribute to abnormal tension around spinal joints, restricted movement, and what chiropractors may describe as vertebral subluxation or spinal joint dysfunction.
This is one reason we encourage patients to consider not only their physical health, but also the stress in their everyday lives.
How Much Does Stress Matter?
In The Science of Natural Healing, Dr. Mimi Guarneri discusses the relationship between stress and health. The American Institute of Stress has cited estimates that 75–90% of visits to health-care providers involve stress-related complaints or disorders.
This does not mean stress causes 75–90% of all illnesses. Rather, it highlights how frequently stress may be associated with symptoms that bring people to health-care professionals.
And where does a lot of everyday stress come from?
🗣️ Our relationships and communication.Family disagreements, workplace conflicts, marriage difficulties, misunderstandings and arguments can keep us emotionally—and physically—tense.
🧊 Think of Conflict Like an IcebergIn Supercommunicators, Charles Duhigg shows that what we're arguing about may only be the tip of the iceberg.
Above the water we hear:
Opinions • Positions • Arguments
But underneath may be:
❤️ Values
😨 Fear
🛡️ Safety
👤 Identity
👨‍👩‍👧 Family experiences
🤝 Belonging
📖 Personal history
When we attack only the person's position, this can create a cycle:
⚔️ ATTACK → 🛡️ DEFEND → ⚔️ ATTACK → 😡 CONFLICT → ⚡ STRESSInstead, try changing the conversation.
❤️ From Conflict to ConnectionInstead of:
“How can I prove you wrong?”
try:
“Help me understand why this is important to you.”

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​Then follow this simple pathway:
❓ CURIOSITY“What experiences shaped your opinion?”
📖 STORY“What happened?”
❤️ EMOTION“How did that affect you?”
👂 UNDERSTANDING“I understand why this matters to you.”
🤝 CONNECTIONRemember:
Understanding does NOT mean agreeing.You can disagree with someone's conclusion while still understanding their feelings and experiences.
Stress → Muscle Tension → Physical DiscomfortThink about what happens during a stressful argument.
You may unconsciously:
Clench your jaw → Raise your shoulders → Tighten your neck → Brace your back
If this happens repeatedly, those muscles can remain tense and contribute to stiffness, restricted joint movement and discomfort.
At Soft Touch Chiropractic, we believe reducing unnecessary stress while addressing musculoskeletal dysfunction can be an important part of a broader wellness strategy.
The Soft Touch Chiropractic MessageWhen conflict begins, remember:
Don't immediately attack the position.
❤️ Get curious.
👂 Listen for what's underneath.
🤝 Look for common ground.
🕊️ Seek understanding rather than simply winning.
Better communication → Less unnecessary conflict → Less stress → Less muscle tension📞 Are Stress and Muscle Tension Affecting Your Neck or Back?
​If you're experiencing persistent neck tension, back pain, headaches, stiffness, jaw tension, or tight shoulders, consider having your musculoskeletal function evaluated.
Soft Touch Chiropractic
Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh
Serving Porter Ranch, Northridge, and surrounding communities
If you're searching for a chiropractor near me, chiropractor in Porter Ranch, chiropractic care in Northridge, neck pain relief, back pain treatment, posture correction, or gentle chiropractic care, contact Soft Touch Chiropractic to schedule an evaluation.
❤️ Don't just manage the argument. Learn to manage the stress it creates.I used “may contribute to” rather than stating that stress directly causes vertebral subluxation, which makes the claim more appropriate for patient-facing health content while preserving your chiropractic message.