Why No One Cares About Anxiety Disorder Physical Symptoms
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
While everyone feels anxious at times When anxiety becomes an illness, it can trigger physical symptoms, as well as emotional ones. These include a feeling of tension in the muscles, restlessness and stomach problems.
A psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist will employ screening tools to determine whether you suffer from an anxiety disorder. panic anxiety disorder will also inquire about your medical history and run tests to rule other medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms.
1. Headaches
Many people experience anxiety from time to times. An anxiety disorder is when these feelings become continuous or more frequent. Anxiety can affect your daily life and cause you to avoid social situations.
Headaches are a common physical symptom of anxiety. They can range from a tension headache2 up to a complete migraine for some people. Many people tighten their muscles as part of their fight-or-flight response, and retaining them in a rigid way for a prolonged duration could cause pain.
Another physical sign of anxiety is lightheadedness or dizziness. This can be due to an increased heart rate, hyperventilating, or a combination. It could also be an indication of a major medical condition like heart disease, and it's important to get checked out by your physician.
You may also feel weak in your legs or arms, which can be another sign of anxiety. This is because your nervous system releases cortisol and adrenaline which aids in responding to a danger by accelerating the heartbeat and preparing the entire body for an attack. As time passes the hormones can have a negative effect on your health, making you feel weak, shaky or dizzy.
You may experience worse symptoms if you are stressed and are having trouble sleeping. Relax before going to bed and follow a routine. This will help you get more sleep. Exercise can be beneficial. Aerobic exercise can release brain chemicals that can reduce stress and improve your mood. It can assist you in falling asleep faster. Talk to your doctor If you're still having trouble sleeping.
2. Stomach issues
The body is tense when you are anxious, and if you suffer from chronic anxiety, it could cause constant pain. Your muscles may ache, your stomach can feel off or you can develop diarrhea. Stress hormones can also affect your digestive system, leading to constipation or irritable bowel syndrome.
You can experience stomach issues in any anxiety disorder, but people with panic disorders are more likely to experience them. According to the American Psychiatric Association, panic attacks are sudden feelings or terror of impending doom. They can occur in specific situations or without apparent reason. You might feel as if you're experiencing an attack of the heart or that you're unable to breathe, or you might experience chest pain or a rapid heartbeat.
Long-term anxiety can increase your risk of other health problems. The hormones that cause anxiety symptoms help us to respond to a danger and if we're on high alert, our immune system can be affected. This can make you more susceptible to common colds, and other diseases.
Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders by conducting a physical examination and a conversation about your symptoms. Before diagnosing anxiety, they will determine if there are other causes like thyroid and heart diseases. A mental health professional can provide support and assistance to manage your symptoms. They can help you learn techniques for relaxation and work through any traumas or negative experiences which could have triggered your anxiety. They can also help you identify a treatment plan that is appropriate for you. Ask your doctor for a referral or browse online therapist directories to find an anxiety specialist.
3. Muscle tension
Many people are aware that a twitchy pulse and jittery hand are signs of anxiety. But, they don't know that chronic muscle tension could be an indication of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and even specific phobias. If a person is experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis, they may begin to lose their range of motion and suffer from chronic pain in their back, neck, and shoulders.
Tense muscles may be a symptom of anxiety disorders due to the body's fight or flight response triggers a sequence of responses that cause us to physically react when we perceive threats. These reactions are a normal part of our survival instincts, but they can cause long-term issues if they're repeated or over a long period of time.
If a serious threat is present, your adrenal glands churn out hormones that speed up how fast your heart beats to ensure it can pump more blood to the big muscles in your arms and legs in the event that you need to escape or fight the danger. These increased heart rates also increase the speed at which your lungs fill with oxygen. This combination of heightened tension and hyperventilation could make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.
If you suffer from an anxiety condition your body is unable to return to its normal state between stress responses. You feel anxious all the while due to the anxiety disorder, and you keep your sympathetic nervous system in high alert. According to the American Psychological Association, this could lead to chronic muscle tensing and long-term pain. It can also affect your digestive system, which may cause stomachaches constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome.
4. Dizziness
If you're a person who is anxious you may feel dizzy and out of balance. This is because of the nervous system's response to anxiety. When you are worried or anxious, your body tenses and then it relaxes. If, however, your anxiety is persistent and you experience these symptoms frequently you may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
If you're constantly stressed often, it can be hard to focus or sleep enough. It also causes havoc to your body and can cause you to gain weight, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Anxiety also has a major influence on the menstrual cycle. This is because it can cause you to miss or experience irregular menstrual cycles due to the inability to release ovulation-inducing hormones, according to the American Psychological Association.
A high blood pressure or heart disease may increase your risk of anxiety, and it's essential to get these medical issues under control to reduce your risk. If you suffer from these conditions, make sure to inform your therapist.
Experiences that are traumatizing, such as a car crash or surgery can also increase your risk of anxiety. A chronic medical condition such as asthma or an ongoing health issue, such as diabetes, can also cause anxiety. There are solutions for anxiety disorders. They include psychotherapy, or talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which teaches you to turn negative thoughts and behaviors that trigger anxiety into positive ones. You can also learn how to practice relaxation techniques, like meditation or deep breathing. You can also take supplements to calm your body and mind.
5. Sweating
Anxiety is a term that covers many different feelings that can cause your heart to beat and your stomach to become upset and your muscles to become tight. Oftentimes, these feelings don't constitute an anxiety disorder--but when they're chronic and get out of hand. You may also experience sweating, chills or other physical symptoms that prompt you to seek medical attention.
Sweating is a common physical manifestation of anxiety disorders according to the National Institute of Mental Health. When your body's "fight-or-flight" response kicks in, it increases your blood circulation rate to prepare you for combat. The increased heart rate can cause you to feel dizzy and breathless. Breathing faster than normal--also known as hyperventilation--can enhance many of these physical symptoms by upsetting the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body, according to U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Dyspnea refers to a feeling that you are unable to breathe. This is a sign that your anxiety has become too intense to handle.
Your doctor will determine if there is anxiety disorders by analyzing your symptoms and how they impact your daily routine. They'll start by asking you about your previous experiences and current concerns. They may also run tests to determine if there are any other health issues that could be causing the symptoms, such as bloodwork and imaging scans. In some cases they may recommend medications to relieve the symptoms. These include strong antiperspirants with aluminium in them and other drugs that block nerves, or Botox injections around sweat glands. Alternative treatments include psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, and relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation.