Pain is a stimulus to take action to avoid harm, but what if there’s a purpose that goes even deeper? Perhaps the body is attempting to communicate the emotional state of the heart and mind.

According to author Louise Hay and scientist Bruce Lipton, physical symptoms are merely tangible evidence of what’s going on in the unconscious mind. Emotions play a crucial role in ensuring that needs are met. If they are ignored, the subconscious mind must find another way to get its message across.

Placing a hand directly over a flame will prompt an immediate response to remove it. But if the hand is held two feet above the flame and left there, it eventually causes pain and then is moved. In the first scenario, the body is giving an immediate response to avoid damage from the flame. In the second, the stimulus for removing the hand is more about addressing the pain and less about the possible damage. In fact, the further away from the cause of a pain, the less likely the actual cause of the pain is recognized. Therefore, a headache may develop in response to an emotion triggered hours earlier, but arthritis pain may stem from an emotional reaction that began decades ago.

More often than not, people have been conditioned to address only theirpain. For the purpose of healing, addressing only the pain is about as effective as turning the music up in the car to try to drown out an annoying noise from the engine. It won’t correct the engine problem or prevent the car from breaking down. The pain usually won’t go away permanently until the message is acknowledged and taken care of at the core level.

With every thought or feeling, the body releases tiny chemical proteins called neuropeptides. There are more than a thousand different neuropeptides, each triggering its own specific physiological effect. Without them, the body couldn’t function. Hormones, for example, are neuropeptides, as are endorphins and adrenalin.

When the mental and emotional state is out of balance, the resulting neuropeptides cause physical symptoms to appear. Any prolonged negative mental state will weaken a correlating area of the body over a prolonged period. By the time symptoms appear, the state of being may have been existing for quite a while, or it may even have already shifted but the damage can take some time to heal.

Some examples of clues about the body can be found in sayings from the past. “That really galls me,” is an expression revealing that slow-burning anger affects the gall bladder. “You expect me to swallow that?” is a reaction toward someone you feel is “feeding you” a lie, which affects the throat. A person who is constantly criticizing is “riding you.” If they do it enough, you get angry and yell, “Get off my back!”

The heart emits a much stronger electromagnetic force field than the brain. The brain entrains with the heart, and matches its biological rhythm. When love, appreciation and gratitude are felt in your heart, the brain will entrain with that and enter a coherent pattern. If the heart feels anger, frustration or fear, the brain will entrain with that and go into an incoherent pattern.

Recent medical studies show that depression is a greater cause of heart disease than smoking. In depressed people, the blood platelets became stickier, clogging arteries and veins. Depressed people lose hope and lack feelings of satisfaction and empowerment. Life is viewed from a negative perspective.

Anger has been shown to affect the liver. When it’s felt, toxins increase which the liver must deal with. Sad people tend to crave carbohydrates, especially sweets. Long-term exposure to a high-carbohydrate diet results in insulin resistance and diabetes. Sadness is known to affect the pancreas, which produces insulin.

Another approach to detect the emotional causes of pain is to look at the symbolism of the different parts of the body. The hands grip, so a pain in the hand may indicate a problem with holding onto something. Likewise, if there’s a problem with the intestines, which eliminate waste, it may correlate to a problem of holding onto an emotion.

The neck sits between the brain and heart—the body’s two electric command centers. Electrical impulses passing between the heart and brain integrate analytical thinking with emotional desires and feelings. Differences between what the brain thinks and the heart desires can leave one feeling scattered, stuck, confused or powerless. Decisions become difficult. Disparity between heart and mind is the root cause of many physical disorders and dysfunctions.

Thyroid disorders, laryngitis and TMJ are especially indicative of an imbalance between thought and desire. If a person doesn’t speak up and express what is wanted or needed, difficulties may show up in these areas.

The lungs and heart sustain life. Deep grief and loss affects them. Expressing love is more important than receiving love. The only way to actually feel love is to express it. When in a state of love, the heart chakra and whole chest area expands. The body’s vibration increases.

The spinal column and skeleton literally support the body. Problems with the area indicate obstacles and challenges that are affecting the mental and emotional state of well-being. Back pain may reveal feeling a lack of support.

The stomach and digestion are the body’s assimilation process. Digestive problems occur when there’s an inability to “digest” or absorb what’s going on in one’s environment, head or heart.

The legs, calves, knees and feet store trauma, resentment, jealousy and emotional pain, both past and present, especially in regard to family. Problems in these areas may indicate a block in the root chakra, which may bring feelings of fear with moving forward or making changes, plus issues about self-identity.

Getting in touch with the body and its communication system is key to warding off or addressing issues from the core level. Yoga, meditation, qigong and energy work are just some of the ways the mind body connection can be better attained.

Lisa O’Brien, ERYT, CRM, is with Bliss Body Studio, Collingswood, NJ. For more information, visit BlissBodyNJ.com.