Grief and the Lungs
Grief isn’t just something we feel — it’s something the body carries.
From a physical standpoint, the lungs are surrounded by a thin, delicate membrane called the pleura. This tissue allows the lungs to glide smoothly against the rib cage with every breath. For healthy breathing, that glide needs to be unrestricted.
When someone experiences grief, loss, or prolonged emotional stress, the nervous system often shifts into a protective state. Breathing patterns subtly change, becoming shallower, guarded, or held. And over time, the tissues around the chest and lungs can lose some of their natural mobility.
In holistic manual therapy, we often see that emotional stress can correlate with restrictions in the pleura and surrounding connective tissue, limiting the ease with which the chest expands and the freedom of the breath.
When this happens, people may notice physical symptoms such as:
A sense of tightness or pressure in the chest
Shallow or restricted breathing, especially during stress
Neck and shoulder tension, as the body recruits accessory muscles to breathe
Headaches are often linked to altered breathing mechanics and upper-body tension.
A general feeling of being “stuck” or unable to take a full, satisfying breath
Why Pain Often Shows Up Later
One of the most confusing aspects of grief-related symptoms is timing.
Many people don’t feel physical pain immediately after a loss. In the early stages, the body is remarkably adaptive. It finds ways to keep functioning — even if that means holding tension, altering posture, or suppressing breath.
Weeks or months later, once the nervous system has been in that guarded state for too long, those compensations begin to create strain. The tissues fatigue. Mobility decreases. Pain, tightness, or breathing discomfort finally surface — often long after the emotional event itself.
This is why someone may say, “I don’t understand why my neck, ribs, or breathing feel tight now — the loss happened months ago.”
From a holistic perspective, it makes perfect sense.
A More Compassionate View of Healing
When we recognize grief as both an emotional and physical experience, care becomes gentler — and more effective.
Healing doesn’t mean “pushing through” or ignoring what the body has been holding onto. It means creating safety, restoring movement, and allowing the breath and the body to soften again.
Because sometimes, the body needs permission to let go.
📍 R3 Physio | Holistic Physical Therapy in Keller, TX