Stress can have an impact on how much pain you have. Several studies have found that individuals become more sensitive to pain when they feel stressed. One study showed that fibromyalgia patients had increased hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain) and allodynia (pain response from non-painful stimuli) response to pressure and temperature sensations after being exposed to a stressful scenario. A stress-induced imbalance of central nervous system pain modulation as well as sensitization of nerve endings could explain this result. It could also be caused by the release of cytokines which can increase the sensitivity of pain receptors. It’s important to manage your stress well!