The Most Pervasive Issues With Anxiety Disorder Physical Symptoms Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder

Everyone experiences anxiety at times, but when anxiety becomes an illness, it can trigger physical and emotional symptoms. These include a sense of restlessness, muscular tension and stomach issues.

A psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist will use screening tools to determine if you have anxiety disorder. They will also inquire about your medical history, and run tests to rule other medical conditions that could cause similar symptoms.

1. Headaches

The majority of people experience anxiety at times. An anxiety disorder is when these feelings become persistent or more frequent. Anxiety can also affect your daily life or cause you to avoid social situations.1

One of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety are headaches. They can range from a tension headache2 all the way to a complete migraine in some individuals. Many people tense up their muscles in a fight or flight response, and holding them in a rigid position for a long time could cause pain.

Lightheadedness or dizziness 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 an indication of a major medical issue like heart disease, and it's important to get examined by your physician.

You might also feel weak, particularly in your legs or arms. This can 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 possible attack. In time, however, those hormones can have the opposite effect on your health, and may cause you to feel weak, shaky and weak or dizzy.

If you're having difficulty getting enough rest due to anxiety, it could make your symptoms worse. Try to unwind before bed and adhere to your routine to rest better. Exercise can be beneficial. Exercise can also aid. If you still have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about options for treatment.

2. Stomach issues

Anxiety can cause your body to tense up, and chronic anxiety can cause pain that persists for a long time. You might experience muscle aches, stomach discomfort or diarrhea. Your gastrointestinal system can also be affected by the constant release of stress hormones and this can lead to constipation, bloating, or IBS.

You can experience stomach issues when you suffer from any anxiety disorder, but those who suffer from panic disorders are more likely to have them. Panic attacks are sudden sensations of fear or dread that can occur in certain situations or for no reason according to the American Psychiatric Association. It could feel like you are having a heartattack or that you cannot breathe. You might also experience chest pains or an extremely rapid pulse.

Long-term anxiety may increase the chances of developing other health problems. The fight-or-flight hormones that cause anxiety symptoms aid us in responding to danger and if you're constantly in high alert all the time your immune system could suffer. This could make you more susceptible to getting the common cold as well as other illnesses.

Your doctor can diagnose anxiety disorders by doing an examination and talking to you about your symptoms. They can rule out any other causes, like heart disease or thyroid problems, before diagnosing you with anxiety. A mental health professional can also provide assistance and support to manage your symptoms. They can help you learn relaxation techniques and help you deal with any trauma or negative experience that could have triggered anxiety. They can also help you find a treatment option that is right for you. Ask your doctor to refer you or look online for directories that feature an anxiety specialist.

3. Muscle tension

While the majority of people know that a racing heart and hands that feel jittery are signs of anxiety, many don't realize that chronic tension in the muscles is a indicator of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social anxiety disorder (SAD) or panic disorder, or even specific phobias. If someone suffers from these symptoms frequently they could begin to lose their range of motion and experience persistent pain in the back, neck and shoulders.


Tense muscles are a common manifestation of anxiety disorder since the body's fight or flight response triggers a chain of bodily reactions that cause us to physically react to perceived threats. Moderate anxiety levels elicit these reactions as part of our instinctual survival instinct, but they can cause long-term muscle issues when they happen frequently or over a long period of time.

When a real threat occurs, your adrenal glands churn out hormones that accelerate how fast your heart beats so that it can pump more blood to the massive muscles in your arms and legs in case you need to escape or fight the threat. These increased heart rates also increase the rate that your lungs fill with oxygen. This combination of heightened stress and hyperventilation can make you feel lightheaded or dizzy.

If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, your body isn't able to its normal state of relaxation between stress responses. You are constantly anxious all the while due to the anxiety disorder, and you keep your sympathetic nervous system on high alert. This leads to the continuous tension in your muscles that can eventually cause long-term pain, according the American Psychological Association. It can also affect the digestive system, causing stomachaches constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome.

4. Dizziness

If you're a stressed-out person you might feel dizzy and off balance. The reason for this has to relate to the nervous system's response to anxiety. The body gets tense whenever you think about something that scares or worries you, but then relaxes once the threat passes. If you experience these symptoms frequently and your anxiety is chronic it could be that you suffer from an anxiety disorder.

If you're constantly stressed often, it can be hard to concentrate or get enough sleep. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it can also cause your body to suffer and you may gain weight. Anxiety can also have a major influence on your menstrual cycles. That's because it can cause you to miss or experience irregular menstrual cycles due to the inability to release hormones that induce ovulation, according to the American Psychological Association.

Having high blood pressure or heart disease may make you more prone to anxiety, which is why it's crucial to bring these medical conditions under control to decrease your risk. If you're suffering from any of these conditions, make sure to inform your therapist.

Other things that can increase the risk of anxiety are traumatizing experiences such as being involved in a car crash or having surgery. Anxiety can be triggered by a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma, or a recurring medical illness. The good news is that there are solutions that can help with anxiety disorders. Talk therapy or psychotherapy such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can help. CBT teaches you how to transform negative behavior patterns and thoughts that cause anxiety into positive ones. You can also learn relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing. medication for anxiety disorder and depression can supplement your diet with supplements to relax your mind and body.

5. Sweating

Anxiety is a broad term for a whole cluster of frightening feelings that could cause your heart to beat and your stomach turn a bit upset, and your muscles tense. Oftentimes, these feelings aren't enough to cause anxiety disorder, but when they're ongoing and get out of hand. You might also experience sweating, chills and other physical symptoms that cause you to seek medical treatment.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, sweating is a common physical manifestation of anxiety disorders. When your body's "fight-or-flight" response kicks in it increases your blood circulation rate to prepare you for battle. The increased heart rate could cause you to feel faint or 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 refers to a feeling that you are unable to breathe. It's an indication that your anxiety is becoming too overwhelming to manage.

Your doctor will evaluate your anxiety disorders in light of your symptoms and how they interfere with your daily activities. You'll be asked about your past experiences and current concerns. They may also conduct tests to check for other health problems that could be contributing to your symptoms, like imaging scanners and blood tests. In some cases they may recommend medications to relieve your symptoms. These include powerful antiperspirants containing aluminium and other drugs that block nerves, or Botox injections to treat sweat glands. Alternative treatments include psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.