10 Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety: How To Tell If You Have.
Introduction
It is not always easy to tell when you have anxiety, because it can manifest in many different ways.
You might feel stressed or uneasy, but if you don’t recognize the physical symptoms of anxiety, you might not realize what is going on with your body.
Here are ten physical symptoms that might be overlooked because of their delicacy and potential presence in other health issues.
1- Muscle Tension
This can be hard to pinpoint because it feels so normal, but if you notice any tension in your neck, back, shoulders or chest that never goes away no matter what you do and doesn’t seem to fade after exercise like it should, that could be a sign of anxiety.
An easy way to tell is to see how you feel when you are not doing anything.
If muscle tension is interfering with your ability to enjoy relaxing activities like reading or watching TV, then something might be up.
2- Headaches
Headache is one of the most common complains which bring patient to doctor. There are mainly two types of headache.
First is primary headache. As the name suggests cause is not known in primary headache. In secondary headache, many causes and trigger factors are responsible for it.
Headache is frequently seen in patients with anxiety. This pain radiates to neck sometimes. We should watch out for frequent headaches. While they could have other causes, stress and anxiety are common culprits.
3- Chest Pain
When anxious, your heart can speed up so much that it may start to feel like you are having a heart attack.
Chest pain along with shortness of breath, nausea, and hot flashes are all symptoms of anxiety.
If you experience any physical sensations similar to a heart attack while anxious, see a doctor right away.
They are more likely caused by an underlying condition than anxiety itself. And if you have any other health concerns or have experienced sudden changes in physical functioning as a result of stress, don’t ignore them.
Talk to your doctor about what’s happening and don’t keep things bottled up inside you could be at risk for something more serious.
Most heart attacks happen suddenly and involve a lot of pain. But some heart attacks don’t involve chest pain or pressure.
If you have more than one risk factor for heart disease, it can be hard to tell if a tight feeling in your chest is related to anxiety or something else, like stress, a cold, or an illness.
If you experience any chest discomfort or pain that doesn’t go away after 10 minutes or so and is not accompanied by other symptoms, call medical emergency services right away, you could be having a heart attack.
4- Shortness of Breath
If you are experiencing sudden and extreme difficulty in breathing, it could be a sign that you are suffering from anxiety.
Unfortunately, many people who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety are not aware that they are being affected by symptoms that are easily treatable.
If you think your breathing is impaired, reach out to a medical professional right away don’t wait.
While some causes for shortness of breath can have longer-term solutions (such as asthma), it can also be an indicator of heart disease or other serious problems.
Although anxiety is often overlooked as a cause for shortness of breath, it is an important symptom to look out for on its own, regardless of whether or not you are dealing with panic attacks.
5- Heart Palpitations
When you have a pounding heart or experience a quick, fluttering sensation in your chest that seems to go out of control, it is common to worry that you are having a heart attack.
But don’t panic. These can be signs of an anxiety attack instead.
It is important to know that these feelings are not only normal but also temporary and will pass as soon as your body relaxes. If you feel your heart racing and it doesn’t stop after five minutes, call emergency help line numbers or get to an emergency room.
6-Faintness/Dizziness
Many people experience symptoms of anxiety with lightheadedness, dizziness or even fainting.
Although there are a number of medical conditions that cause these symptoms, they can also be caused by anxiety and panic disorders.
This type of faintness/dizziness is generally brought on by hyperventilation (overbreathing), which is a common symptom in people with anxiety.
Hyperventilation leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) which leads to brain fogginess, shortness of breath and other similar symptoms.
If you experience dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting that is unrelated to exercise and is accompanied by excessive thoughts or worry about your health or well-being, talk to your doctor about whether you might have an anxiety disorder.
7-Hot and Cold Flashes
Hot flashes are an early sign of anxiety and can be especially unsettling if you are not used to them.
A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat, often accompanied by flushing, sweating, shortness of breath and even chest pain.
When you have a hot flash while out in public it can be embarrassing especially because your face might turn bright red.
But even if you don’t show any signs on your face, it doesn’t mean that hot flashes are not happening internally.
If you notice that you feel unusually warm when others are feeling normal or cool, chances are high that there is something wrong and it’s time to talk to your doctor.
8-Abdominal Cramps/Pain
The anxiety brought on by a stressful event can cause a person to feel physical pain, especially in his or her stomach.
People who experience abdominal cramps are often unsure whether it is an actual medical issue or just an effect of their anxiousness.
They might have gone to see their doctor only to be told there is nothing wrong with them.
They would then continue to suffer through bouts of pain.
They don’t know how to get rid of, fearing that something serious is actually going on inside their body.
While anxiety attacks can produce visceral pain, it does not mean that any type of abdominal pain you experience has been brought on by your worry over some sort of external threat.
9-Blurred Vision/Seeing Spots
Many people with anxiety experience feelings of tension and a need to escape by lying down.
As a result, you may find yourself sitting more than standing.
The problem with sitting is that you place stress on your circulatory system, which ultimately lowers blood flow to certain areas like your eyes.
Your vision could become blurry or you might even see spots.
When trying to catch up on work or watching television after a long day, it is important to sit up and take breaks every 30 minutes or so.
This can help alleviate pressure on your eyes and let you see clearly again.
10-Stomach Problems
Feeling anxious can cause you to feel nauseous, have a sour stomach, or have an upset stomach.
While it might be easy to write off nausea as a result of another issue, but if you are concerned that something more serious is going on, talk to your doctor or medical professional.
In fact, studies show that people with ulcers are far more likely to suffer from anxiety compared to those without them.
Stomach issues caused by anxiety may also include diarrhea and constipation so staying hydrated and healthy can help ease symptoms before they get out of hand.
Conclusion
These were the most common 10 Physical Symptoms of Anxiety. To make sure that you are taking care of yourself and recognizing any changes in your body, it is important to know the physical symptoms of anxiety and how they appear. With this blog I would like to say, if you face any such type of symptoms mentioned above, please do not ignore them. Meet your doctor immediately.
Thank you. Be healthy.
Originally published at https://www.nirajhealth.com on July 12, 2022.
