Characteristics 

• The medical community now accepts that physical ailments like headache and back pain have a strong psychological component.
  
• Existing medical problems often becomes worse with stress.
• Some psychophysiological problems include tension and migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, essential hypertension, jaw pain (TMJ), motor tics, general muscle tension, and pain and fibromyalgia.
   

Effective Solutions

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps clients become aware of stress before it escalates and teaches them strategies to reduce and prevent the onset of physical symptoms.
  
• Mindfulness techniques are taught to help clients manage the intensity of pain.
• Biofeedback is an effective treatment in helping clients reduce muscular tension and stress that excacerbates pain and discomfort.