Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

Chronic anxiety can trigger physical symptoms and keep our bodies alert. These symptoms could include:

Get regular check-ups. Untreated anxiety can lead to heart problems and other medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about ways to control these symptoms, such as cutting down on caffeine consumption and avoiding alcohol and street drugs that are recreational.

Tense muscles

Muscle tension is a frequent sign of anxiety pregnancy symptom. It can cause stiffness or pain in your back, neck shoulders, chest, and back and also in your hands, feet or stomach. Stress can also affect your breathing and posture.

The muscle tension associated with anxiety tends to last only a short time and typically disappears when the trigger event or situation passes. However, for some people the muscle tension is chronic and can lead to chronic health issues if it is not addressed.

Muscles that are tight are a sign of anxiety. The fight or flight response causes your body to prepare by pumping more oxygen into 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 that is why you breathe faster when you're anxious.

In the event of an occasional anxiety attack, the increased blood flow and rapid breathing can provide your immune system a temporary boost that helps you to overcome any perceived threat or stressful situation. If you are constantly experiencing anxiety and are constantly alert, this increased alertness could become a part of your everyday life and lead to long-term symptoms, such as breathing difficulties and muscle tightness.

As your body prepares to fight or flee any perceived threat, it releases flood of hormones and chemicals. The constant state of alertness can make you feel exhausted and as if you have a constant headache or stomachache.

Changes in your heart rate

Anxiety can cause your heart to race, which can cause chest discomfort and a shortness of breath. This is because the stress response causes the adrenal glands to crank out hormones, such as cortisol or adrenaline, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure. This is a helpful response in situations of real emergency, when you need to pump more blood into your large muscles so that you can flee or combat a threat. However, it could be harmful when it occurs often, since it increases the risk of heart disease and other health issues.

You may also notice that your stomach gets more upset when you're anxious. The body's fight or flight response can keep you on edge, and impact digestion. This can result in symptoms like constipation diarrhea, abdominal discomfort or irritable bowel syndrome. Sleep problems or a hard to fall asleep could be experienced by people with anxiety. The constant heightened stress hormones can degrade the immune system and make it more prone to get the common cold or other diseases.

If you are experiencing these physical symptoms of anxiety, it's a great idea to talk to your doctor. They can test for medical issues that can cause similar symptoms, for instance a thyroid problem. It's a good idea to find a mental health professional who can help you learn ways to manage your anxiety to ensure that physical symptoms do not occur. They might recommend therapies like psychodynamic psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, which will teach you how to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Be careful not to take your pulse since it can trigger anxiety.

Tingling in the hands and feet

A tingling sensation in your hands or feet can be an indication of anxiety. Tingling in your feet or hands is also called paresthesia, and is a sign of the body's stress response, that is caused by anxiety. In the event of a panic attack or other intense feelings of anxiety your body is trying to protect yourself from perceived danger or harm by releasing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can cause a variety of physical reactions that can affect the flow of blood.

As part of your fight or flight response, the body directs blood flow away from the peripheral areas to major muscle groups that may require assistance with physical action. This can leave hands and feet with reduced blood flow, which may cause a tingling sensation. The sensation will likely be more apparent during times of heightened stress or anxiety and will likely fade after the tension has subsided.

Consult your physician if your discomfort persists. They can help you find ways to reduce your anxiety and ease the pain in your feet and hands.

While tingling sensations in your hands or feet can be an indication of a serious medical condition It is usually caused by anxiety mouth symptoms. Try exercising regularly to improve blood flow, or practice relaxation techniques. Sleeping enough is vital, as anxiety could alter your sleeping habits. Limiting your alcohol and caffeine consumption can aid. If you experience a sudden tingling in your hands or feet contact a FastMed Urgent Care location to talk to a health care professional about your symptoms.

Dry mouth

If you're stressed, your body can start to change how it produces saliva. This condition is referred to as dry mouth, and could be a sign you have anxiety. It is also an adverse effect of certain medication, including antidepressants anxiolytics, antihistamines and muscle relaxers.

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 determines you have anxiety, they may suggest treatment options.

The stress hormones cortisol as well as adrenaline are released when you experience anxiety or fear. These hormones can increase heart rate and breathing to help you run or fight against threats but they can also affect digestion and trigger other physical symptoms.

You may also feel dry mouth when you are under stress or taking medications that decrease saliva production. SSRIs (which are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety) can cause dryness in the mouth. They work by blocking actions of acetylcholine. This is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in voluntary muscle movements as well as bodily functions like salivation, digestion and urination.

If you're experiencing dry mouth, it's vital that you drink plenty of water and practice relaxation techniques to ease your anxiety psychological somatic symptoms of anxiety of anxiety (site). If your anxiety is extreme an expert in mental health can recommend other treatment options like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure response prevention, as well as complementary health practices such as yoga and meditation.

Breathlessness

The feeling of a shortness of breath could be an indication of anxiety whether it occurs when you exercise or at other times during the daytime. This symptom is associated with various types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety and panic disorders. In many cases, anxiety can cause muscle tension that leads to feeling out of breath, especially in the back and shoulders area. These tensions can result in the cycle of depression and anxiety which can further intensify these physical symptoms.

This and other physical reactions can be triggered by anxiety because of the body's fight or flight response. This response is required to respond to a threat, but it could cause negative consequences if chronic anxiety activates it.

When you feel anxious it is because your body doesn't know that you're not in danger and that there's no real reason to feel this way. This can make you feel that you are always in danger, even if you're not. This is why it's important to work with mental health professionals.

When you are stressed your body releases a variety of stress hormones. These hormones trigger your body to respond as when you're in danger, which could include feelings like shortness of breath. This is a typical reaction, but it can be difficult to differentiate from other illnesses or conditions that can trigger this symptom. For instance heart disease, blood clot in the lung or pneumonia can all cause this. You should consult with your doctor to run tests and determine whether there is a root cause which could be the cause of the feeling.