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The Connection Between Stress and Your Immune System

Understanding the Impact of Physical, Chemical, and Emotional Stress on Your Body

Stress is more than just a feeling—it’s a full-body response that directly impacts your immune system. In our Newport Beach chiropractic and wellness clinic, we see patients every day whose immune resilience is weakened by chronic stress, often without them realizing it. The link between stress and immunity is undeniable, and understanding this connection is a crucial step in taking control of your health.

One of the most important insights from both chiropractic care and functional medicine is this: the body does not differentiate between types of stress. Whether you’re experiencing physical pain, eating a poor diet, or facing emotional turmoil, your body mounts the same stress response. That means every form of stress—from bad posture to toxic exposures to negative thoughts—can ultimately weaken your immune system if left unchecked.

In this article, we’ll break down the three primary types of stress—physical, chemical, and emotional—discuss how the body responds, and show how chiropractic care (including spinal adjustments and Active Release Techniques) can help restore function and boost your immune health.

The Three Types of Stress: Physical, Chemical, and Emotional

1. Physical Stress

Physical stress includes anything that places a mechanical load on your body. Examples include:

  • Poor posture from computer or phone use

  • Car accidents or sports injuries

  • Improper lifting or movement patterns

  • Lack of movement or overtraining

  • Muscle tension and tight fascia

  • Spinal misalignments (subluxations)

Subluxations are small misalignments in the vertebrae that can compress nerves, restrict mobility, and disrupt nervous system communication. These disruptions not only contribute to pain and stiffness but also weaken immune function by keeping the body in a chronic “fight or flight” mode.

Chiropractic adjustments correct subluxations, helping to relieve physical stress and restore proper nervous system flow.

2. Chemical Stress

Chemical stress occurs when your body is exposed to harmful substances or is deprived of vital nutrients. Common sources include:

  • Sugar, alcohol, and processed foods

  • Pesticides, mold, and environmental toxins

  • Poor hydration and electrolyte imbalance

  • Prescription medications or recreational drugs

  • Imbalanced gut bacteria or food sensitivities

From a functional medicine perspective, chemical stress triggers widespread inflammation, weakens the gut lining, and impairs detoxification—leaving your immune system overwhelmed. In fact, about 70% of the immune system resides in the gut, making nutrition and detox support critical components of immune resilience.

Chiropractic clinics like ours in Newport Beach often incorporate anti-inflammatory nutritional guidance and detox strategies as part of a holistic approach.

3. Emotional Stress

Emotional stress is often the most misunderstood and underestimated. It includes:

  • Work deadlines and financial pressure

  • Family or relationship conflict

  • Past trauma or unresolved grief

  • Chronic worry, anxiety, or depression

Emotional stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, causing overproduction of cortisol—the primary stress hormone. Over time, this can lead to adrenal dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, poor sleep, fatigue, and compromised immune function.

Even though emotional stress isn’t visible, it is just as toxic to your immune system as chemical exposure or physical injury. That’s why we integrate evidence-based nutrition, chiropractic care, and mind-body practices to help patients address the full spectrum of stress.

How the Body Responds to All Stress the Same Way

Regardless of the source, the body’s stress response is identical. It activates the sympathetic nervous system, preparing your body for “fight or flight.” This includes:

  • Increased heart rate and blood pressure

  • Rapid, shallow breathing

  • Muscle tension

  • Slowed digestion and immune suppression

  • Elevated cortisol and adrenaline

  • Blood flow redirected away from organs and toward muscles

When this system is triggered constantly—whether by posture, poor food, or emotional strain—the result is chronic inflammation, poor healing, and a suppressed immune system.

Over time, chronic stress can cause:

  • Increased frequency of infections

  • Slower recovery from illness or injury

  • Exacerbation of autoimmune conditions

  • Higher risk for chronic diseases

This is where both chiropractic stress relief and functional medicine stress management become powerful tools to rebalance the body and restore immune resilience.

Chiropractic Immune Health: Adjustments and Beyond

Chiropractors don’t just treat pain—they optimize the nervous system. By correcting subluxations, chiropractic adjustments help restore clear communication between the brain and body. This supports:

  • Proper organ and immune system function

  • Reduced sympathetic (fight or flight) dominance

  • Enhanced parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity

  • Lower inflammation and better recovery

  • Improved energy, sleep, and digestion

Chiropractic care in Newport Beach is a powerful way to reduce stress on the body and restore overall balance.

But adjustments aren’t the only tool we use…

Active Release Techniques (ART): Targeting Soft Tissue Stress

While spinal misalignments contribute to physical stress, soft tissue dysfunction is equally important. That’s where Active Release Techniques (ART) come in.

ART is a hands-on treatment used by many chiropractors to identify and release tight, inflamed, or injured muscles, fascia, ligaments, and tendons. These soft tissue adhesions often develop from:

  • Repetitive strain

  • Trauma or overuse

  • Poor posture

  • Inflammation from chemical or emotional stress

Using specific movement patterns and precise pressure, ART:

  • Breaks up scar tissue and adhesions

  • Restores normal movement and function

  • Improves circulation and oxygenation to tissues

  • Reduces pain and stiffness

  • Enhances nervous system signaling

Patients experiencing chronic tightness, headaches, sports injuries, or even immune-related fatigue often benefit from ART as part of their chiropractic care.

By addressing both the spinal and soft tissue components of physical stress, we help your body function optimally—and that includes a more responsive immune system.

Holistic Strategies for Stress and Immune Support

At our Newport Beach clinic, we take an integrated functional medicine and chiropractic approach to reducing all forms of stress. Here are evidence-based ways to support your immune system and overall health:

Physical Stress Solutions:

  • Chiropractic adjustments for spinal alignment

  • Active Release Techniques for muscle and fascial balance

  • Daily movement (walking, yoga, strength training)

  • Ergonomic evaluation and posture correction

  • Quality sleep on a supportive mattress

Chemical Stress Solutions:

  • Anti-inflammatory functional medicine diet (rich in whole foods, healthy fats, antioxidants)

  • Elimination of processed foods, refined sugar, and alcohol

  • Detox support through hydration, cruciferous vegetables, and sauna

  • Supplementation based on lab testing (e.g., vitamin D, zinc, glutathione)

  • Functional medicine testing to uncover hidden chemical stressors (e.g., mold, heavy metals)

Emotional Stress Solutions:

  • Deep breathing and mindfulness practices

  • Stress-reducing supplements or adaptogens

  • Professional counseling or therapy

  • Community support and social engagement

  • Quality time in nature, prayer, or journaling

Your Next Step Toward a Healthier, Less Stressed Life

Stress might be invisible—but its effects on your immune system, spine, soft tissues, and gut health are very real. At our chiropractic clinic in Newport Beach, we combine the best of spinal care, soft tissue therapies like Active Release Techniques, and functional medicine to help you eliminate stress at its root and strengthen your body’s natural defense systems.

Don’t wait for a crash to take care of your health.

If you’re feeling run down, dealing with recurring colds, or stuck in chronic pain, your body may be asking for support. Let’s identify your stressors, restore alignment, and help your immune system thrive.

Schedule your appointment today for a personalized chiropractic and immune health evaluation. Your body will thank you.  Call us at (949)476-1250