Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder
Everyone experiences anxiety at times, when anxiety becomes a problem, it can cause physical symptoms, as well as emotional ones. These include a sense of agitation, muscle tension, and stomach problems.
A psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist will employ screening tools to determine if you suffer from an anxiety disorder. They will also inquire about your medical history and run tests to rule out any other medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms.
1. Headaches
Most people experience anxiety from time to time. An anxiety disorder is when these feelings are constant or frequent. Anxiety can affect your everyday life or cause you to avoid social situations.1
Headaches are a common physical symptom associated with anxiety. They can range from tension headache2 to a complete migraine in some people. A lot of people tighten their muscles as part of a fight or flight response, and holding them in a rigid way for a prolonged duration could cause pain.
Dizziness or lightheadedness is another symptom of physical anxiety. It can be caused by an increased heart rate, hyperventilating, or a combination of both. It could also be a sign that you suffer from an illness that is serious, such as heart disease. Consult your physician to determine.
You might be feeling weak, especially in your arms or legs. This could be a sign of anxiety. This is because the nervous system releases cortisol and adrenaline, which help you respond to a threat by increasing your heart rate and getting your body ready for a potential attack. As time passes the hormones can have a negative impact on your health, making you feel weak, shaky or dizzy.
You may experience worse symptoms if you're stressed and are having trouble sleeping. Try to unwind before bed and adhere to a regular routine so that you can rest better. Exercise can also be beneficial. Exercise can help. Talk to your doctor if you are still having trouble sleeping.
2. Stomach problems
Anxiety can cause the body to tense up and long-term anxiety can cause chronic pain. Your muscles could hurt, your stomach can feel a bit sluggish, or you could get diarrhea. Your digestive system may be affected by the constant release of stress hormones which can cause constipation, bloating or IBS.
People with panic disorders have an increased risk of having stomach issues. Panic attacks are sudden, intense feelings of fear or imminent doom that happen in specific circumstances or for no reason according to the American Psychiatric Association. You may feel like you're experiencing an attack on your heart or you can't breathe, and you might experience chest pain and a fast heartbeat.
Long-term anxiety can increase your risk of other health problems as well. The hormones that trigger anxiety symptoms help us to react to dangers and if we're on alert, our immune system can be affected. This could make you more susceptible to getting the common cold as well as other diseases.
Your doctor is able to diagnose anxiety disorders with an examination of your body and a conversation about your symptoms. They can rule out any other reasons, such as thyroid issues or heart disease, before diagnosing you with anxiety. A mental health professional can also offer support and help you manage your symptoms. They can help you learn techniques for relaxation and work through any traumas or negative experiences which might have contributed to your anxiety. They can also help you determine the best treatment option that is right for you. Ask your doctor for a referral, or look up online directories of therapists to find an anxiety specialist.
3. Muscle tension
Many people are aware that a fast pulse and a hand that is jittery are indications of anxiety. However, they don't realize that chronic muscle tension can be a sign of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and certain fears. If someone is experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis, they may begin to lose their range of motion and suffer from chronic pain in their neck, back and shoulders.
Tense muscles are a common symptom of anxiety disorder because the body's fight-or-flight response triggers a chain of bodily reactions that trigger us to physically react to perceived threats. These reactions are a normal part of our survival instincts, but they can cause long-term problems if they are repeated over a long time.
When a real danger is present, your adrenal glands produce hormones that increase the speed of your heartbeat so that more blood is pumped to your muscles that are large in your legs or arms in the event that you need to run away or fight. These increased heart rates also increase the rate at which your lungs fill up with oxygen. This combination of increased stress and hyperventilation can cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded.
If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, however your body isn't able to its normal state of relaxation between stress responses. Your anxiety disorder causes you to be constantly anxious, so your sympathetic nervous system is in high alert. This leads to the continuous tension of your muscles, which may eventually lead to long-term pain, according to the American Psychological Association. It can also affect your digestive system causing stomachaches, constipation, diarrhea or irritable-bowel syndrome.
4. Dizziness
If you're a person who is anxious, you may often be shaky and unbalanced. The reason for this is to be due to the nervous system's response to anxiety. When you are anxious or scared, your body tenses and then it relaxes. If, however, your anxiety is persistent and you are experiencing these symptoms often you could be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
When you're worried frequently it can be difficult to focus or sleep enough. It also affects your body, and could cause you to gain weight, as per the Cleveland Clinic. Anxiety can also have a significant impact on your menstrual cycle. According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety can cause you skip periods or have irregular cycles by altering hormones that trigger ovulation.
You can be more susceptible to anxiety if you suffer from high blood pressure or heart problems. It's important to control these medical conditions to lower your risk. Tell your therapist if you have any of these conditions.
A traumatic experience like a car accident or surgery can increase your anxiety risk. Anxiety can be triggered by chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or asthma or a recurring medical illness. The good news is that there are solutions that can ease anxiety issues. They include psychotherapy or talk therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that teaches you to turn negative anxiety-inducing thoughts and actions into positive ones. You can also learn relaxation techniques like deep breathing and meditation. You can also take supplements to help calm your mind and body.
5. Sweating
Anxiety is a term that covers many different feelings that can cause your heart rate to rise, your stomach to upset and your muscles to get tighter. Sometimes, these symptoms aren't enough to cause anxiety disorder--but when they're chronic they can become out of control. You might also experience chills, sweating and other physical symptoms that make you seek medical help.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health sweating is a typical physical sign of anxiety disorders. When your body's "fight-or-flight" response kicks in, it increases the rate of blood circulation to prepare you for the fight. The 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.
Dyspnea is a feeling that you are unable to breathe. This is a sign that your anxiety has become too intense to manage.
Your doctor will evaluate your anxiety disorders based on your reported symptoms and how they impact your daily life. You'll be asked about your previous experiences as well as your current concerns. They might also conduct tests to determine if you have any other health problems that could be causing your symptoms, like bloodwork and imaging scanners. In some cases they may recommend medications to relieve your symptoms. These include powerful antiperspirants with aluminium in them, drugs that block nerves and Botox injections around sweat glands. Alternative treatments include cognitive behavior therapy, psychotherapy and techniques for relaxation such as meditation or yoga.