Have you ever had a symptom that just didn’t make sense—like your skin flaring up or your hair falling out—and no matter what you tried, it kept coming back?

I get it. I've lived it. I'm Dr. Anjali Agrawal, founder of Back in Balance, and today I want to talk about something most people overlook: how mental stress can show up as physical symptoms in your body.

Let’s walk through what that looked like for me—and what it might look like for you or your family.

The Connection Between Stress and Symptoms

When most people hear the word “stress,” they immediately think about work, deadlines, or tough family dynamics. And yes—mental and emotional stress is very real. But it's only one type of stress.

There’s also:

• Physical/structural stress (like poor posture or lack of movement)

• Nutritional/chemical stress (like inflammation from food or dehydration)

And here’s the kicker: stress doesn’t always show up in the area it comes from.
Ever had a headache and thought it was just from staring at a screen too long—but it turned out to be from dehydration? Or poor sleep? That’s how layered stress can be.

Mental and emotional stress can absolutely cause physical symptoms like eczema, sinus congestion, or even hair loss.

My Own Story with Eczema, Allergies & Chronic Congestion

I’ve dealt with eczema since childhood—scratchy, itchy patches that flared no matter what I did. We tried creams, we saw specialists… but no one ever asked why it was happening.

It wasn’t until chiropractic school—and eventually working with a functional nutritionist—that I started learning that our skin is often a mirror of what’s going on inside.

Turns out, my sweet tooth and stressed-out gut were fueling inflammation, and my skin was screaming for help. As I healed my digestion and reduced stress, my skin improved too.

Then came the sinus saga.
A few years ago, while prepping to record a course on stress, I came down with months of sinus congestion. It wasn’t allergies. It wasn’t a cold. It was stress. Once I supported my adrenal health and worked on calming my nervous system, the congestion cleared.

The Truth About Postpartum Hair Loss

Like many women, I experienced hair loss after both my pregnancies. That month 4 or 5 postpartum shedding? Yep, been there.

But what surprised me more was the round two of hair loss… two years after my second baby. I was caught off guard—until I realized it was connected to mental stress and depleted collagen reserves from pregnancy.

Once we addressed my stress response and boosted my protein intake, things started to shift again.

This is what I mean when I say: stress can hide in your symptoms.

It’s All Connected—And You Have More Control Than You Think

Here’s the thing: you might not be able to quit your job or change your family dynamic overnight. But you can improve your body’s ability to handle stress.

When we support your physical structure (posture, movement), your nutrition (gut health, hydration), and your overall habits—you create space. You give your body more bandwidth to adapt to emotional stress without breaking down.

And when that happens?
You feel more like you.

Ready to explore how to build more resilience into your day-to-day life?

Let’s talk about how we can support your whole family to move well, eat well, and live well.
Book a discovery call here.