Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

Although everyone experiences anxiety from time to time When anxiety becomes an illness, it can trigger physical symptoms, as well as emotional ones. This can include a feeling of restlessness, muscular tension, and stomach problems.

A psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist utilizes screening tools to determine if you suffer from anxiety disorder. They will also ask about your medical history, and will run tests to rule out other health conditions that may cause similar symptoms.

1. Headaches

Many people have anxiety from time to time. An anxiety disorder occurs when these feelings are constant or frequent. Anxiety can affect your daily life or cause you to avoid social situations.1

One of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety is headaches. They can range from a tension headache2 to a complete migraine in some people. This is due to the fact that many people tense their bodies as part of their fight-or-flight response and holding their muscles rigidly for long periods of time can cause pain.3

Another physical symptom of anxiety is dizziness or lightheadedness. This could be caused by a rapid heart rate, hyperventilating, or the combination of both. It could also be a sign that you are suffering from an illness that is serious, such as heart disease. Consult your doctor to determine.

You might be feeling weak, especially in your arms or legs. This can be a sign of stress. This is because your nervous system releases cortisol and adrenaline, which helps you respond to a danger by accelerating the heartbeat and preparing your entire body for a potential attack. In time, however, those hormones can have a negative impact on your health and can make you feel shaky and weak or dizzy.

If you have trouble getting enough rest due to anxiety, it could cause your symptoms to get worse. Relax before bed and adhere to your routine. This will allow you to get more sleep. Exercise can also be beneficial. Brisk aerobic activity can release brain chemicals that cut stress and improve your mood. It can aid in falling asleep more easily. Talk to your doctor if you are still having trouble sleeping.

2. Stomach problems

Anxiety can cause your body to tense up and long-term anxiety can cause pain that persists for a long time. Your muscles could hurt and your stomach may feel off or you can experience diarrhea. Your gastrointestinal system can also be affected by the constant release of stress hormones and this could lead to constipation, bloating and irritable bowel syndrome.

There are stomach issues that can be experienced with any type of anxiety disorder, however people with panic disorders are more likely to suffer from these issues. Panic attacks are sudden sensations of fear or dread that occur in specific situations or for no reason, according to the American Psychiatric Association. You may feel as if you are having a heartattack or that you cannot breathe. You might also experience chest pains or an extremely rapid pulse.

Chronic anxiety can increase your risk of other health problems also. The hormones responsible for fighting or flight that cause the symptoms of anxiety assist us in responding to threats, but if you're on high alert all the time, your immune system can suffer. This could make you more susceptible to getting the common cold and other illnesses.

Your doctor is able to diagnose anxiety disorders with physical examination and an interview about your symptoms. They will rule out other causes, such as heart disease or thyroid problems before determining that you suffer from anxiety. A mental health professional can provide assistance and support to manage your symptoms. They can help you learn techniques for relaxation and work through any traumas or negative experiences that could have triggered your anxiety. They can also help you determine the best medicine for social anxiety disorder treatment option that is appropriate for you. Ask your doctor for a referral or check online therapist directories to find a therapist who is an expert in anxiety.

3. Muscle tension

Many people are aware that a twitchy pulse and a hand that is jittery are indications of anxiety. However, they don't realize that muscle tension can be a sign of anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder panic disorder, and certain fears. If someone suffers from these symptoms frequently, they may begin to lose their range of motion and suffer from constant pain in the back, neck, and shoulders.

Tense muscles may be a symptom of anxiety disorders because the body's fight or flight response triggers a range of reactions which cause us to physically react when we sense danger. These reactions are a natural part of our survival instincts but they can cause long-term issues if they're repeated over a long time.

If a serious threat is present, your adrenal glands churn out hormones that increase the speed at which your heart beats, so that it can pump more blood to the large muscles in your arms and legs in case you need to escape or fight the danger. These increased heart rates also increase the rate that your lungs fill up with oxygen. The combination of increased stress and hyperventilation can make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.

If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, however your body isn't able to its normal state of rest between stress-related responses. You feel stressed all the time due to your anxiety disorder, so you keep your sympathetic nervous system on high alert. According to the American Psychological Association, this can cause chronic muscle tension and long-term pain. It can also affect your digestive system, which may cause stomach pains and constipation, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome.

4. Dizziness

You might be shaky or unbalanced when you are stressed. The reason is to do with the nervous system response to anxiety. When you are anxious or anxious your body begins to tense and then it relaxes. If you are experiencing these symptoms often and you feel your anxiety is persistent it could be that you suffer from an acute anxiety disorder disorder.

It can be difficult to fall asleep or focus when you are constantly worried. It also causes havoc to your body and may cause you to gain weight, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Anxiety also has a big influence on the menstrual cycle. According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety can cause you skip periods or experience irregular menstrual cycles by affecting hormones that induce the ovulation.

High blood pressure or heart disease could make you more susceptible to anxiety, so it's important to get these medical problems under control to reduce your risk. If you have these conditions, make sure to inform your therapist.

Other things that could increase your risk for anxiety are traumatizing experiences like being in a car accident or having surgery. Anxiety can be triggered by a chronic illness like asthma or diabetes or a chronic medical condition. The good news is that there are treatments which can alleviate anxiety disorder physical symptoms disorders. They include psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt for anxiety disorders), which teaches you to turn negative anxiety-inducing thoughts and actions into positive ones. You can also learn relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing. You can also take supplements to help calm your mind and body.

5. Sweating

Anxiety is a term that encompasses a wide range of feelings that can cause your heart to race and your stomach to become upset and your muscles to get tighter. Sometimes, these symptoms don't constitute an anxiety disorder, but when they're ongoing they can become out of control. You may also experience sweating, chills and other physical symptoms that prompt you to seek medical assistance.

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 is activated, it increases the speed at which your blood circulates to prepare you for battle or escape. This boost in heart rate can cause you to feel exhausted and dizzy. 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. It's an indication that your anxiety is getting too overwhelming to manage.

Your doctor will evaluate your anxiety disorders by looking at your symptoms and the way they affect your daily activities. They'll begin by asking about your previous experiences and current concerns. They may also conduct tests to determine if there are any other health issues that could be causing them, like imaging scans signs and symptoms of anxiety disorder blood tests. In certain instances, they might recommend medications to ease your symptoms, including strong antiperspirants containing aluminium, nerve-blocking drugs, or botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections that target the sweat glands. Alternative treatments include cognitive behavior therapy, psychotherapy and relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.