Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

Although everyone experiences anxiety from time to time When anxiety becomes a disorder it can cause physical symptoms as well as emotional ones. These include a feeling of restlessness, muscle tension and stomach problems.

A psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist may use screening tools to determine whether you have an anxiety disorder. They will also ask you about your medical history and run tests to rule out any other health conditions that can cause similar symptoms.

1. Headaches

Most people feel anxious from time time. But it's not the same as having an anxiety disorder, that is, when the feelings are more frequent or do not go away. Anxiety can affect your daily routine or cause you to avoid best social anxiety disorder medication situations.1

Headaches are a common physical symptom associated with anxiety. They can range from an typical tension headache2 to full-blown migraine for some people. A lot of people tighten their muscles in a fight-or-flight reaction, and holding them in a rigid way for a prolonged duration could cause pain.

Another physical symptom of anxiety is lightheadedness or dizziness. This can be caused by a fast heart rate, hyperventilating, or the combination of both. It could be a sign you have an underlying medical condition such as heart disease. Talk to your doctor to find out.

You may be feeling weak in your arms or legs this could be another indication of anxiety. This is because your nervous system releases cortisol and adrenaline which help you react to a danger by speeding up the heartbeat and preparing your body for an attack. As time passes the hormones can have a negative impact on your health, making you feel weak, shakey or dizzy.

If you are having trouble getting enough sleep due to anxiety, it can cause your symptoms to get worse. Try to take a break before bed and stick to a regular routine to rest better. Exercise can be beneficial. Brisk aerobic activity can release brain chemicals that cut stress and boost your mood. It can help you fall asleep easier. If you still have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about possible treatment options.

2. Stomach issues

The body tightens up in response to anxiety, and if you suffer from chronic anxiety it can cause constant discomfort. Your muscles may ache and your stomach may be irritable, or you may get diarrhea. Your gastrointestinal system can also be affected by the constant release of stress hormones, and this could lead to constipation, bloating, or irritable bowel syndrome.

People with panic disorders have an increased risk of having stomach issues. Panic attacks are sudden sensations of fear or dread that can occur in certain situations or without explanation according to the American Psychiatric Association. You may feel as if you're experiencing a heart attack or that you cannot breathe. You may also experience chest pains, and an extremely rapid pulse.

Long-term anxiety can increase your risk for other health issues also. The hormones responsible for fighting or flight that are frequent or over a prolonged period of time.

If a risk is present, your adrenal glands produce hormones that speed up the rate of your heartbeat so that more blood is pumped to your muscles that are large in your arms or legs in the event that you have to flee or fight. These increased heart rates also boost how quickly your lungs fill with oxygen. This combination of heightened stress and hyperventilation can cause you feel lightheaded or dizzy.

If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, your body isn't able to return to its normal state of rest between stress reactions. You are constantly stressed all the time due to your anxiety disorder, so you keep your sympathetic nervous system on alert. According to the American Psychological Association, this can lead to chronic muscle tensing and long-term pain. It can also affect your digestive system, causing stomachaches, constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome.

4. Dizziness

If you're a stressed-out person you may be shaky and unbalanced. The reason for this is to do with the nervous system response to anxiety. When you are worried or anxious, your body tenses and then relaxes. If, however, your anxiety is persistent and you experience these symptoms regularly you may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder levels disorder.

If you're constantly stressed frequently, it can be hard to concentrate or sleep enough. It also causes havoc to your body and may cause you to gain weight, per the Cleveland Clinic. Anxiety also has a big influence on the menstrual cycle. According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety can cause you to miss your periods or have irregular cycles due to altering hormones that cause ovulation.

Having high functioning anxiety disorder blood pressure or heart disease can make you more prone to anxiety, so it's important to get these medical issues under control to lower your risk. Tell your therapist if you suffer from any of these ailments.

Other things that could increase your risk of anxiety are traumatizing experiences like being in a car accident or having surgery. A chronic medical condition such as asthma or a chronic health issue, such as diabetes, can also create anxiety. There are treatments 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 into positive ones. You can also learn to use relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing. You can also take supplements to calm your mind and body.

5. Sweating

Anxiety is a term that encompasses many different feelings that can cause your heart rate to rise and your stomach to become upset and your muscles to get tighter. Oftentimes, these feelings aren't enough to constitute anxiety disorder, but when they're ongoing, they can become out of control. You may be experiencing chills, sweating and other physical symptoms that prompt you to seek medical treatment.

Sweating is a typical physical sign 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 that your blood circulates to prepare you for fight or escape. This boost in heart rate can cause you to feel dizzy and breathless. 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 your anxiety has become too severe to manage.

Your doctor will determine if there is an anxiety disorder by evaluating your symptoms and how they affect your daily life. They'll start by asking you about your experiences in the past and your current concerns. They might also conduct tests to look for other health issues that could be causing them, such as imaging scans and blood tests. In some instances, they may suggest medications to ease your symptoms. These include powerful antiperspirants with aluminium in them, drugs that block nerves and Botox injections to treat sweat glands. Alternative treatments include psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.