Holiday back pain can be a yearly occurrence for many people. The holidays are a time of joy and merriment, but can also be the cause of pain for some patients. The combination of physical exertion and emotional stress causes an increase in the number of back pain complaints year over year. It is no coincidence that each and every major holiday, emergency rooms are literally filled with back pain victims, as well as other serious conditions.
This dialog investigates why back ache is so prevalent during the holiday season.
Physical Holiday Back Pain
The holidays require lots of extra physical activity from many people. Long days spent shopping can take their toll on a person. Tired back and leg muscles can lead to minor cases of back muscle pain. Holiday decorating and tree trimming can create the perfect scenario for a pulled back muscle.
Spending extra time preparing all the holiday events can deprive a person of quality sleep. Over-tired people often experience sleep-related back pain when they finally manage to get some rest.
Winter holidays often coincide with snow shoveling for people in many parts of the world. Snow removal is one of the common triggers for back pain reported every winter.
There are always physical reasons why pain can occur and these are usually considered and blamed accordingly. However, few doctors or patients take time to account for the emotional causations of painful attacks which occur around the holidays.
Psychological Holiday Back Pain
Holiday time can be a huge emotional stress for a person. Dealing with family and coordinating reunions and holiday get-togethers can be both enjoyable and extremely stressful. Often, the burden of this duty falls heavily upon one family member. This person might become emotionally overwhelmed by the increased pressure to accomplish the family’s needs during the holiday season.
Some people have holiday-related emotional flash backs concerning painful or joyful times in previous years. These memories are often repressed and are likely to start a new bout of psychological back pain if the subconscious takes issue with them.
Loneliness can also bring on holiday-related back pain. No one likes to be alone in life and the holidays can make that feeling even stronger.
Of course the usual topics of conversation often turn to those we have lost, possibly stirring sensitive memories which are quickly repressed by the subconscious and covered over with the sudden onset of back ache.
Preventing Back Pain from Ruining Your Holidays
I know that the holiday season can be both a happy and hectic time for all. Make sure to keep everything in perspective. Take time to celebrate and don’t allow preparation and responsibilities ruin the entire occasion.
It is common for one person to sacrifice all their time and energy for the enjoyment of others. Try to spread the responsibility equally when it comes to holiday preparations. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help.
Remember to count your blessings, regardless of your current situation. Life can always be better and can always be worse. Holiday time is a chance to remember those that helped you to achieve, as well as to help others to accomplish their own goals.
Do good for others and allow others to do good for you also. Most of all, enjoy the time. The holiday season comes but once a year and passes quickly into memory. Make the season count for you and your family.
