9 Lessons Your Parents Taught You About Anxiety And Physical Symptoms
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Chronic anxiety can cause physical symptoms and keep our bodies alert. This could include:
Get regular check-ups. Untreated anxiety can lead to heart problems and other medical ailments. Discuss with your doctor ways to combat these symptoms, such as cutting down on caffeine consumption and avoid drinking alcohol or recreational street drugs.
Tense muscles
Anxiety is usually accompanied by muscle tension. It can cause pain or stiffness in your neck, shoulders, hands, chest, and back. The tension caused by anxiety can also affect your posture and breathing.
The muscle tension that is associated with anxiety tends to last only a short time and usually disappears when the trigger incident or event has passed. But for some people, the tension in their muscles is persistent and can lead to long-term health issues if not treated.
Muscles that are tight are a sign of anxiety. The fight-or-flight response triggers your body to prepare by sending more oxygen to the muscles. This increases their strength so they can avoid physical danger. The increased flow of blood is the reason your heart beats faster, and that is why you breath faster when you're anxious.
In an anxiety attack the increased blood flow and speed of breathing can temporarily increase your immune system's ability to help you overcome the fear or stress. If you experience anxiety on a regular basis, this increased alertness can become a part of your everyday life and cause persistent, chronic symptoms like muscle tightness and breathing problems.
As your body prepares to fight or flee any perceived threat, it releases flood hormones and chemicals. The continuous state of alertness can make you feel exhausted and as if you have a constant headache or stomachache.
Changes in your heart rate
Anxiety can cause your heart to race which can cause chest pain and shortness in breath. This is because a person's stress response triggers adrenal glands to pump out hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which increase the heart rate and blood pressure. This is a helpful response in emergency situations, when you need to pump more blood to your large muscles so that you can flee or combat threats. However, it can be dangerous when it happens all the time, because it increases the risk of heart disease and other health problems.
You might also notice your stomach being more upset when you are stressed. The body's fight or flight response could keep you alert and affect digestion. This can cause symptoms like constipation diarrhea, abdominal discomfort or irritable bowel syndrome. Sleep problems or a hard sleeping pattern can be experienced by those with high anxiety symptoms. The constant surge of stress hormones can decrease the immune system, making it more likely to contract the common cold or other infections.
If you have these physical signs of anxiety symptoms at work, it's a great idea to talk to your doctor. They can check for medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms, like thyroid issues. However, it's an excellent idea to locate an expert in mental health who can help you discover strategies to manage your anxiety to ensure that physical symptoms stop occurring. They might suggest therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy or psychodynamic psychotherapy that can help you swap negative thoughts with positive ones. Be wary of taking your pulse, since it can trigger anxiety and physical symptoms [clashofcryptos.trade].
Tingling in the hands and feet
A tingling sensation in your feet or hands can be a sign of anxiety. Tingling in your feet or hands is also called paresthesia, and is a sign of the body's stress response which is triggered by anxiety. When you experience a panic attack, or other intense feelings of anxiety, your body is trying to protect yourself from danger or harm by releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones trigger a range of physical reactions, such as changes in blood circulation.
As part of the fight or response to flight, your body redirects blood flow away from peripheral areas to the major muscle groups that could need help with potential physical action. This could leave your hands and feet with reduced blood flow, which may cause the tingling feeling. The tingling sensation is more evident when you are stressed or anxious and will disappear after the tension eases.
Consult your physician if your tingling continues. They can assist you in managing anxiety eye symptoms, and reduce the tingling sensations in your feet and hands.
Though tingling sensations on your feet or hands could be a sign of serious medical problem they are typically caused by stress. To reduce these sensations, try exercising regularly to increase blood flow or to practice relaxation techniques. A good night's sleep is important, as anxiety can alter your sleeping habits. Limiting your alcohol and caffeine consumption can help. Contact an FastMed Urgent Care to speak with a medical professional about your symptoms if there is an immediate sensation of numbness or tingling sensations in your feet or hands.
Dry mouth
If you're stressed and stressed, your body may begin how to reduce anxiety symptoms alter the way it produces saliva. Dry mouth is a condition that can indicate anxiety. It can be a side-effect of certain medications like antidepressants and antipsychotics.
If you suffer from dry mouth, it's important to see a doctor. They can rule out any medical issues that may be causing the issue. If your doctor decides you have anxiety, they may suggest treatments.
Anxiety can lead to dry mouth because of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol which are released when you are anxious or scared. These hormones can increase heart rate and breathing to aid in running or fighting off a threat but they can also disrupt your digestion and cause other physical symptoms.
You may also feel dry mouth when you are stressed or take medication that reduces saliva production. For example, SSRIs, which are usually prescribed to treat anxiety may cause dry mouth. These drugs inhibit the action of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that is involved in involuntary movements as well as bodily functions like salivation, digestion and urination.
If you experience dry mouth and are experiencing anxiety, you should drink plenty of water and employ relaxation techniques. If your anxiety is severe a mental health professional might suggest other options for treatment, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and protection from exposure to harmful substances, and complementary health practices like yoga and mediation.
Breathing Shortness
Whether you feel weak during exercise or at other times during the day, this symptom could indicate that you're suffering from anxiety. This symptom could be linked with any anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety and panic disorders. In many cases, anxiety can cause muscle tension, which can cause feeling out of breath, particularly in the shoulders and back region. These tensions may cause an increase in physical symptoms.
The reason anxiety can trigger these and other physical responses is related to the body's fight-orflight response. This reaction is essential to respond to threats, but when activated long-term by chronic anxiety, it could result in negative consequences.
If you experience anxiety and stress, your body is unable to tell that you're not in danger, or that this isn't the real reason behind your anxiety. This can cause the sensation that you're always in danger, even if you're not. That's why it's essential to consult an expert in mental health.
When you are anxious your body releases large amount of stress hormones. These hormones cause your body to react as if you're in danger, which can include feelings like shortness of breath. This is a normal reaction however it is difficult to distinguish from other conditions and illnesses that may trigger this symptoms. For example, heart disease, a blood clot in the lung, or pneumonia all can trigger this. It is recommended to consult your doctor about running tests and determine if you have an underlying issue that could be causing the sensation.
