9 Things Your Parents Teach You About Anxiety And Physical Symptoms
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Chronic anxiety can cause physical symptoms and keep our bodies on alert. These could include:
Get regular check-ups. stress anxiety symptoms may result in heart problems or other medical conditions. Consult your physician to learn how you can manage these symptoms. For instance you can cut down on caffeine intake and avoid the use of alcohol and recreational drugs.
Tense muscles
Anxiety is often caused by muscle tension. It can cause stiffness or pain in your neck, shoulders, hands, chest and back. The tension that anxiety causes can also affect your posture and breathing.
Muscle tension is usually short-lived and is gone after the trigger event or circumstance is over. For some people however, the tension may be persistent and cause long-term issues.
Muscles that are tight are a sign of anxiety. The fight-or-flight response causes your body to prepare by sending more oxygen to the muscles. This boosts their strength, allowing them to avoid physical danger. The increased flow of blood is the reason why your heart beats faster and why you breathe faster when you're anxious.
In an anxiety attack the increased blood flow and speed of breathing can temporarily boost your immune system to help you overcome any perceived threat or stress. But when you suffer from anxiety on a regular basis and you are constantly alert, this increased alertness could become a normal part of your life, resulting in persistent, chronic symptoms like breathlessness and muscle tightness.
When your body is preparing to defend itself or escape from a perceived threat, it releases flood of hormones and chemical. The constant state of alertness can cause you to feel tired and feeling as if you've got an unending stomachache or headache.
Heart rate changes
Anxiety can cause your heart to race that can cause chest pain as well as shortness in breath. Stress causes adrenal glands, such as cortisol or adrenaline, to produce hormones that increase blood pressure and heart rate. This is a good response in an emergency in which you need to pump more blood into your muscles to fight or escape a threat. It could be harmful when you do it all every day, as it increases the risk of heart disease.
You may also notice that your stomach gets more agitated when you're stressed. This is because the body's fight or flight response keeps you on edge and can affect digestion and cause abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome. Sleep problems or a hard to fall asleep could be experienced by those with anxiety. The constant increase in stress hormones can degrade the immune system, making it more likely to catch the common cold or other infections.
If you are experiencing these physical signs of anxiety, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can test for medical issues that can cause similar symptoms, like thyroid problems. However, it's also an excellent idea to locate an expert in mental health who can assist you in learning ways to manage your anxiety so that physical symptoms cease. They may recommend therapies like psychodynamic or cognitive behavioral therapy psychotherapy, which can help you replace negative thoughts with healthy ones. Be wary of taking your pulse, as it can exacerbate anxiety.
Tingling in the hands and feet
A tingling feeling in your feet and hands can be a sign of anxiety. Tingling is also known as paresthesia and is a sign of anxiety-induced stress. During a panic attack or other intense feelings of anxiety, your body is trying to shield you from perceived danger or harm by releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones cause a number of physical reactions, including changes in your blood circulation.
As part of your fight or flight response, your body directs blood flow away from peripheral areas to the major muscle groups which may need assistance in physical activity. This can leave the feet and hands with a reduced blood flow, which could cause the tingling feeling. The sensation of tingling will be more noticeable when you are stressed or anxious, and will disappear once the tension subsides.
Consult your doctor if your burning sensation persists. They can assist you in finding ways to reduce your anxiety and alleviate the tingling in your hands and feet.
While tingling sensations in your hands or feet could be a sign of a serious medical issue It is usually caused by anxiety. Exercise regularly to increase blood flow, or practice relaxation techniques. Getting enough sleep is also crucial, as anxiety can affect your sleeping habits. Additionally restricting your consumption of caffeine and alcohol can aid in reducing. Contact an FastMed Urgent Care to speak with a medical professional about your symptoms if there is the sensation of tingling or numbness in your feet or hands.
Dry mouth
If you're feeling anxious your body could begin to change the way it produces saliva. This is referred to as dry mouth, and it could indicate that you have anxiety. It can also be a side effect of some medications, including antidepressants, anxiolytics, antihistamines and muscle relaxers.
If you suffer from dry mouth, it's vital to consult a doctor. They can rule out any medical issues that could be the cause. If your doctor determines you have anxiety, they may suggest treatment options.
Anxiety can lead to dry mouth as a result of the cortisol and adrenaline, stress hormones that are released when you are feeling anxious or scared. These hormones can raise breathing and heart rate to help you run or fight against threats, but they can also disrupt your digestion and trigger other physical symptoms.
There are times when you may experience dry mouth if you're under stress or taking medication that affects saliva production. SSRIs (which are typically prescribed to combat anxiety) can cause dryness in the mouth. These medications interfere with the action of acetylcholine which is a neurotransmitter that is involved in involuntary movements as well as bodily functions, such as salivation digestion, and urination.
If you're experiencing a dry mouth, it's important that you consume plenty of fluids and practice relaxation techniques to alleviate your anxiety symptoms. If your anxiety is serious, a mental health professional may suggest other treatment options like cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and prevention of exposure to harmful substances and complementary health practices such as meditation and yoga.
Shortness of Breath
Whether you feel weak during exercise or at other times throughout the day, this sensation can be a sign that you're experiencing anxiety. This symptom is common to various types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, 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 area. These tensions can cause a cycle that may aggravate physical symptoms.
The reason anxiety can trigger this and other physical responses has to do with the body's fight-or-flight response. This is a necessary response to respond to threats but if it is triggered long-term by chronic anxiety, it can have negative consequences.
If you are experiencing anxiety it is because your body doesn't know that you aren't in danger and there isn't a real reason to feel this way. This can cause you to feel that you are always in danger, even though you're not. That's why it's so crucial to work with mental health experts.
When you are anxious, your body releases a lot of stress hormones. These hormones cause your body to react as if you're in danger, and this can be accompanied by feelings of a shortness or a sluggish breath. This is a typical reaction, but it can be difficult to distinguish from other illnesses or conditions that may cause this symptoms. For instance heart disease, blood clot in the lung or pneumonia all can trigger this. You should speak with your doctor about running tests to determine if there is a root cause that could be causing the sensation.