Q Since my PTSD started, I've developed unexplained headaches and pain all over my body. Can a psychological problem show up as physical symptoms?
A Yes. The chronic stress response of PTSD appears as somatic symptoms, commonly including tension headaches, musculoskeletal pain, and digestive problems. Psychogenic pain is still real pain, so receiving psychotherapy and Korean medicine treatment together is effective.
Detailed Answer
In PTSD, chronic activation of the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) keeps cortisol levels abnormal and affects the immune, digestive, and musculoskeletal systems as a whole. As a result, it is a well-recognized medical phenomenon that headaches, chronic pain in the shoulders, neck, and lower back, digestive problems, and fatigue accompany PTSD. Being psychogenic does not make it fake pain—the brain and body genuinely exchange pain signals.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
At Dongjedang, we view the qi-and-blood stagnation caused by PTSD as the source of headaches and bodily pain. While lowering psychological hyperarousal with prescriptions that tonify the heart and calm the spirit, we add prescriptions that aid qi-and-blood circulation to address physical pain at the same time. Baihui acupuncture is used for headaches, and Shenmen and Neiguan for calming the autonomic nervous system, simultaneously. Treating mind and body together is a strength of Korean medicine.
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