Muscle tension

What is important to know

With stress and anxiety, the body can remain in a state of high alert for a long time. At the same time, the muscles involuntarily tense, even if the person does not notice it immediately.

For example, a person may constantly raise their shoulders, clench their jaw, or tense their abdominal or back muscles. If this condition persists for a long time, it may be accompanied by pain, headache, feeling tired and limited movement.

However, the presence of anxiety or stress does not exclude physical causes of muscle tension. It may also be associated with musculoskeletal disorders, neurological conditions, sleep disorders, chronic pain, or side effects of certain medications.

How muscle tension can manifest itself

A person may notice:

feeling of stiffness in the neck or shoulders;

constant tension in the back muscles;

clenching of the jaw or teeth;

feeling of heaviness in the muscles;

soreness to touch;

restriction of usual mobility;

feeling that it is difficult to completely relax;

increased tension towards the end of the working day;

headache due to muscle tension;

Symptoms increase during periods of stress or anxiety.

What to pay attention to

Where exactly does the tension occur?

How long ago did it appear and how often does it repeat itself?

Is it associated with physical activity, working at a computer, or staying in one position for a long time?

Does tension increase during periods of anxiety, conflict, or extreme stress?

Is there any pain, numbness, tingling or muscle weakness at the same time?

Do you experience headaches or pain in the jaw area?

Do you have a habit of clenching your teeth or grinding them in your sleep?

How the condition is related to sleep and physical activity.

Did the tension begin after an injury or illness?

Did its appearance coincide with the prescription of a new medication or a change in dosage.

How much the symptom interferes with work, movement, rest and sleep.

What can help

If muscle tension is due to overuse or staying in one position for long periods of time, taking regular short breaks, gentle physical activity, changing your working position and gradually stretching the tense muscles can help.

When there is a strong connection to stress, relaxation techniques, slow breathing, body awareness and exercises aimed at gradually reducing the overall level of stress are useful.

If a person notices a habit of constantly clenching their jaw or shoulders, it is helpful to periodically check their body position and consciously release excess tension.

For daily self-support, you can use the PainFlow app, developed with the clinical support of our specialists. It helps you monitor bodily symptoms, pain, mood and energy levels, notice how conditions are related to workload and stress, and use short practices of breathing, grounding, body awareness and self-regulation. PainFlow does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment, but can be used as an additional tool to more closely monitor your condition.

For chronic symptoms, your doctor may recommend physical therapy, physical rehabilitation, or another approach depending on the cause.

Psychotherapy may be helpful if muscle tension is associated with chronic anxiety, constant internal tension or stress. This does not mean that the symptom is “only psychological” - working with stress can be part of an integrated approach.

When to ask for help

See your doctor if muscle tension persists for several weeks, gets worse, is accompanied by severe pain, or limits movement.

It is especially important to get a medical examination if muscle weakness, numbness, sensory disturbances, tremors, severe seizures or other neurological symptoms occur simultaneously.

If stress is accompanied by chronic anxiety, sleep disturbances, depressed mood, or a persistent feeling of internal overload, consulting a mental health professional may be helpful.

Urgent medical attention is necessary if tension or pain occurs after a serious injury, accompanied by sudden weakness, difficulty moving, breathing, or other acute symptoms.