When people walk through the doors of our practice, their pain often tells a story far deeper than what we see on the surface. Back pain and mental health struggles are often two sides of the same coin—and the way they show up in men versus women is not an accident.
Men: Low Back Pain and Depression
For many men, pain tends to settle in the low back. Biologically and neurologically, the low back is built to provide strength, stability, and support. It’s the foundation that allows us to lift, carry, and protect.
But here’s the connection: when the nervous system is stuck in stress mode, the body interprets emotional strain as physical strain. For men, who are often wired and conditioned to be providers, protectors, and supporters, that stress translates into extra weight on the low back. It’s as if their body is saying: “I can’t keep carrying this all by myself.”
Research consistently shows a strong link between low back pain and depression in men. The nervous system, overwhelmed by the load, starts to express that emotional heaviness through both mood and muscle. Depression, fatigue, and a lack of motivation often show up alongside chronic low back pain.
Women: Upper Back Pain and Anxiety
On the other hand, many women tend to carry stress higher in the body, especially in the upper back, neck, and shoulders. Think about it: how many women describe their pain as “carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders”?
Neurologically, the upper back and shoulders are tied closely to the part of the nervous system that processes relationships, emotions, and vigilance. Women, often designed as nurturers and connectors, experience anxiety when that system is overfiring. The body responds by tightening the shoulders, clenching the neck, and creating tension headaches.
Anxiety and upper back pain frequently travel together, feeding each other in a cycle that’s hard to break without addressing the nervous system.
The Nervous System: The Great Connector
Both men and women express stress and emotional strain physically—just in different places. The nervous system doesn’t separate “mental health” from “physical health.” Instead, it’s one seamless web of communication.
- For men, depression may weigh down the low back.
- For women, anxiety may tighten the upper back and shoulders.
When we address the nervous system through chiropractic care, the body resets and the nervous system can come out of stress mode and into healing mode.
Reclaiming Design
At the end of the day, this is not about stereotypes but about design. Men were created with a unique role as supporters and protectors, and women with a unique role as nurturers and connectors. When those God-given designs become overwhelmed by stress, the body cries out—through pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and more.
The good news? The body was also designed to heal. With the right support, the nervous system can recalibrate. The heaviness on the low back can lift, the tension in the upper back can release, and both men and women can return to living fully present in their design.