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Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
While everyone feels anxious from time to time, when anxiety becomes a disorder it can cause physical symptoms as well as emotional ones. These include a sense of anxiety, muscle tension and stomach issues.
A psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist will use screening tools to determine if you have anxiety disorder. They will also inquire about your medical history, and run tests to rule other health conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
1. Headaches
Most people feel anxious occasionally. An anxiety disorder is when these feelings are continuous or more frequent. Anxiety can affect your everyday life or cause you to avoid social situations.1
Headaches are a typical physical symptom associated with anxiety. They can range from the average tension headache2 to a full-blown migraine in some people. This is because a lot of people tighten their muscles as part of the fight-or-flight response and securing those muscles in a rigid position for long periods of time can lead to pain.3
Dizziness or lightheadedness is another physical symptom of anxiety. This could be caused by rapid heart rate, hyperventilating, or the combination of both. It could also be a sign that you have an illness that is serious, such as heart disease. Consult your doctor to determine.
You may be feeling weak, especially in your arms or legs. This can be a sign of anxiety. This is because the nervous system releases adrenaline and cortisol which aid in responding to threats by speeding up your heartbeat and preparing your body for a potential attack. Over time, however, those hormones can have a negative effect on your health, and may cause you to feel weak, shaky or weak. You may also feel dizzy, weak, or weak.
There are times when you may experience more symptoms if you are stressed and having difficulty sleeping. Try to relax before bed and follow a regular routine so that you can rest better. Exercise is also helpful. 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 are still struggling to sleep.
2. Stomach problems
Anxiety can cause your body to become tense, and chronic anxiety can cause chronic pain. Your muscles could hurt or your stomach may be irritable, or you may get diarrhea. Stress hormones can also impact your gastrointestinal system, causing constipation or irritable bowel syndrome.
You can experience stomach issues in any anxiety disorder, however people with panic disorders are more likely to suffer from stomach issues. Panic attacks are sudden sensations of terror or impending doom that can occur in certain situations or for no apparent reason according to the American Psychiatric Association. It could feel like you're having an attack of the heart or that you're not breathing, and you may experience chest pain or a rapid heartbeat.
Long-term anxiety can increase your risk of other health issues, too. The fight-or-flight hormones that cause anxiety symptoms aid us in responding to a threat however, if you're always on alert throughout the day, your immune system can suffer. This can make you more prone to getting the common cold as well as other diseases.
Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders through physical examination and a conversation about your symptoms. Before diagnosing anxiety, they will determine if there are other causes like heart disease and thyroid problems. A mental health professional will also be able to offer you support and help manage your symptoms. They can help you learn techniques for relaxation and work through any underlying traumas or negative experiences that could have triggered anxiety. They can also help you in finding the right treatment for you. Ask your doctor to refer you to one or search online directories for an anxiety specialist.
3. Muscle tension
Although most people are aware that a heart racing and jittery hands are signs of anxiety, a lot of people don't realize that chronic tension in the muscles is a indication of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social anxiety disorder (SAD) panic disorder, or certain fears. If someone is experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis, they may begin to lose their range of motion and experience chronic pain in their neck, back, and shoulders.
Tense muscles are a typical manifestation of anxiety disorder since the body's fight-or-flight response triggers a cascade of bodily reactions that result in us physically reacting to perceived threats. These reactions are a normal part of our survival instincts, however, they can cause problems in the long run if they are repeated over a prolonged period of time.
If a serious threat is present, your adrenal glands churn out hormones that accelerate the rate at which your heart beats so that it can pump more blood to the big muscles in your arms and legs in case you need to escape or fight the threat. The increased heart rate can increase the speed at which your lungs are filled with oxygen. The combination of stress and hyperventilation can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded.
If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, however your body isn't able to return to its normal state of relaxation between stress reactions. You are constantly anxious all the while because of your anxiety disorder, which is why you keep your sympathetic nervous system in high alert. This leads to the continuous tension in your muscles that can eventually cause long-term pain, according the American Psychological Association. It can also affect your digestive system, which could cause stomach pains constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome.
4. Dizziness
If you're an anxious person you may be shaky and unbalanced. This is because of the nervous system's response to anxiety. If you are stressed or worried your body begins to tense and then relaxes. If, however, your anxiety is persistent and you experience these symptoms regularly you may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
When you're worried often it can be difficult to focus or sleep enough. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it can also cause your body to suffer, and you may gain weight. Anxiety can also have a significant effect on your menstrual cycle. This is because it can cause you to miss or have irregular periods due to the inability to release ovulation-inducing hormones, according to the American Psychological Association.
A high blood pressure or heart disease could increase your risk of anxiety, which is why it's crucial to bring these medical conditions under control to decrease your risk. Talk to your therapist if have any of these conditions.
Other things that could increase the risk of anxiety are traumatic experiences, such as being in a car accident or having surgery. A recurring medical condition like asthma or chronic health issues, such as diabetes, can create anxiety. There are treatment options for anxiety disorders. Psychotherapy or talk therapy such as cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) can aid. CBT teaches you how to transform negative thoughts and behaviors that cause anxiety to positive ones. You can also learn how to use relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing. You can supplement your diet with supplements to relax your mind and body.
5. Sweating
Anxiety is a broad term for a range of threatening feelings that can make your heart beat faster and your stomach ache, as well as your muscles tight. disorders anxiety of the time, these feelings aren't enough to constitute anxiety disorder, but when they're ongoing they can get out of hand. You may also experience sweating, chills and other physical symptoms that prompt you to seek medical help.
Sweating is a typical physical symptom 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. This increased heart rate could cause you to feel dizzy or out of breath. 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.
This imbalance can also lead to the feeling of not being breathing properly or breathe, which is known as dyspnea. This is a sign your anxiety has become too intense to manage.
Your healthcare provider will determine if there is an anxiety disorder by looking at your symptoms and how they affect your daily routine. You'll be asked about your past experiences as well as your current concerns. They may also conduct tests to determine if there are any other health issues that could be causing the symptoms, such as bloodwork and imaging scans. In some instances they may suggest medications to ease your symptoms, such as strong antiperspirants containing aluminium, nerve-blocking medications or botulinum toxins type A (Botox) injections around the sweat glands. Alternative treatments include psychotherapy, cognitive therapy and relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation.