Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Chronic anxiety can cause physical symptoms and keep our bodies on alert. These symptoms can include:
Get regular check-ups. Untreated anxiety can result in heart problems or other medical issues. Consult your physician about ways to manage these symptoms, for example, cutting down on caffeine and avoid drinking alcohol or recreational street drugs.
Tense muscles
Muscle tension is a typical symptom of anxiety. 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.
The muscle tension associated with anxiety tends to be short-lived, and it usually fades when the trigger event or situation passes. For some, the tension in their muscles is persistent and can lead to long-term health issues if not addressed.
The tightness of your muscles could be a sign of anxiety because the stress response of fight or flight triggers your body to prepare itself for danger by sending more blood to muscles, which increases their strength and provides them with more oxygen so they can escape or combat the physical threat. The increase in blood flow is why your heart beats faster, and also the reason you breathe faster when you're feeling anxious.
During an anxiety attack, increased blood flow and rapid breathing can temporarily increase your immune system's ability to help you overcome a perceived stress or threat. However, if you are experiencing anxiety regularly, this heightened alertness can become a normal part of your life, resulting in chronic, persistent symptoms such as breathlessness and muscle tightness.
As your body prepares to fight or flee a perceived threat, it releases flood hormones and chemicals. This constant state of alertness can cause you to feel exhausted, as though you always have a headache or are in a state of constant stomachache.
Changes in your heart rate
Anxiety can cause your heart rate to increase, causing chest pain and shortness in breath. Stress causes adrenal glands, like adrenaline or cortisol, to produce hormones that raise blood pressure and heart rate. This is a useful reaction in times of crisis in which you need to pump more blood to your muscles to defend yourself or escape from an attack. However, it can be dangerous when it occurs all the time, because it increases the risk of developing heart disease and other health issues.
You may also notice your stomach being more upset when you're stressed. This is due to the body's fight-or flight response keeps you on edge and can cause digestive issues and lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome. People with anxiety might also experience sleep problems or have trouble falling asleep because they're on edge all the time. Stress hormones can cause the immune system to weaken, which increases the likelihood of contracting an infection or cold.
Talk to your doctor If you have these physical symptoms. They can check whether there are any medical conditions that may cause similar symptoms. For example an issue with your thyroid. It's a good idea however, to consult an expert in mental health that can guide you on how to manage your anxiety and reduce the physical symptoms. They might suggest therapies such as psychodynamic or cognitive behavioral therapy psychotherapy that can help you replace negative thoughts with healthy ones. Be wary of taking your pulse, because it can cause anxiety.
Tingling in the feet and hands
A tingling sensation in your feet or hands could be an indication of anxiety. Tingling in your hands or feet is also referred to as paresthesia and is a sign of the body's stress response, that is activated by anxiety. During a
panic anxiety symptoms attack or other intense feelings of
anxiety exhaustion symptoms, your body is trying to shield you from perceived danger or harm by releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can cause various physical reactions and can cause changes to your blood circulation.
As part of your fight or flight response, your body redirects blood from peripheral areas to the major muscles that require assistance in physical activity. This can lead to decreased blood flow to the feet and hands and cause tingling. The tingling may be more apparent during times of stress or anxiety and will likely disappear when the tension subsides.
Consult your doctor if your burning sensation persists. They can help you manage your anxiety and ease the tingling of your hands and feet.
While tingling in your hands or feet could be a sign of a serious medical condition, it is most often caused by
anxiety symptoms in stomach. Try exercising regularly to improve blood flow or practice relaxation techniques. Sleeping enough is crucial, as anxiety can alter your sleeping habits. Limiting your caffeine and alcohol consumption can aid. Contact the FastMed Urgent Care to speak with a medical professional about your symptoms if you experience an immediate sensation of tingling or numbness in your hands or feet.
Dry mouth
When you are anxious, your body can start to change the way it produces saliva. Dry mouth is a condition that could be a sign of anxiety. It is a possible side-effect of certain medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics.
It is important to see your doctor if you experience dry mouth. They can rule out any medical issue that could be the cause. If your doctor decides you have anxiety, they may suggest treatments.
what's anxiety symptoms -
Click On this page - can lead to dry mouth due to 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 aid in running or fighting against threats however, they also disrupt your digestion and trigger other physical symptoms.
You may also experience a feeling of dry mouth if stressed or take medications that decrease saliva production. For instance, SSRIs which are commonly prescribed for anxiety may cause dry mouth. These drugs inhibit the action of acetylcholine which is a neurotransmitter that is involved in voluntary movements and bodily functions, such as salivation digestion, and urination.
If you're experiencing a dry mouth, it's essential to consume plenty of fluids and use relaxation techniques to alleviate your anxiety-related symptoms. If your anxiety is extreme an expert in mental health can recommend other treatment options such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure response prevention, as well as complementary health practices like meditation and yoga.
Breathing Shortness
This sensation of a shortness in breath can be an indication of anxiety whether you experience it when you exercise or elsewhere during the day. This symptom could be linked with any type of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety and panic disorders. Often, anxiety can cause tension in muscles that can lead to the feeling of being out of breath, especially in the shoulders and back area. These tensions can also lead to the cycle of anxiety and depression that can further aggravate the physical symptoms.
This and other physical reactions can be triggered by anxiety as a result of the body's fight or flight. This is a necessary response for responding to a threat but if it is triggered long-term due to chronic anxiety, it can result in negative consequences.
When you feel anxious 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 create the feeling that you're always in danger, even when you're not. That's why it's important to work with an expert in mental health.
When you're anxious your body releases large amount of stress hormones. These hormones cause your body to react as being in danger, and this can include feelings like shortness of breath. This is a typical reaction, but it can be difficult to differentiate from other illnesses or conditions that may cause this symptoms. It can be caused by heart disease or a blood clot in the lung or pneumonia. It is important to speak with your medical professional or doctor so they can run tests and determine if have an underlying problem that may be causing this feeling.