All of us have experienced some form of stress at sometime in our life. When your stress symptoms become part of your daily life it can have disastrous effects on your health. If you do not find a way to manage it, eventually it can affect your body, causing poor health and even serious medical problems that can last a lifetime. Stress that is left unchecked can contribute to many health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. If you feel you may have chronic stress, the best way to begin addressing the problem is to learn about it and get help.
What are some symptoms of chronic stress?
Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realise it. You may think illness is to blame for that irritating headache, your frequent insomnia, or your decreased productivity at work, but chronic stress may actually be the cause. Stress can affect your body organs, your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Common symptoms might include the following:
Headache, stomach upset, muscle tension and pain, restlessness, irritability or anger, feeling overwhelmed, sadness or depression, overeating or undereating, angry outbursts, chest pain, lack of motivation or focus, tobacco use, drug and alcohol misuse, and change in sex drive.
Chronic stress might be associated with the following:
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Elevated heart rate
• Diabetes
• Getting sick often due to suppression of the immune system
• Ulcers
• Erectile dysfunction
• Fertility problems
• Irregular menstrual periods
• A decrease in muscle tone
• Insomnia
Dealing with stress symptoms
If you have stress symptoms, taking steps to manage your stress can have many health benefits. You might be able to do several things to help with your stress or you might seek professional help. The following have been shown to be beneficial in dealing with stress symptoms:
• Having regular physical activity
• Practising relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or massage
• Keeping a sense of humour and having lots of laughter
• Spending time with family and friends
• Setting aside time for hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to music
• Getting adequate hours of sleep
• Having a healthy balance diet
• Avoiding tobacco use, excess caffeine and alcohol, and the use of illegal substances.
Getting professional help
If your symptoms persist, or you are not sure what is causing your symptoms, you should seek professional help. Your healthcare provider may want to check for other potential causes. Your doctor might refer you to other providers such as a counsellor or therapist, who can help you identify sources of your stress and learn new coping tools. If your chronic stress is the result of past trauma, you would not get beyond it until you deal with the feelings and symptoms related to that past event. A counsellor can help you manage your stress and deal with the cause.
Stress symptoms might mimic other medical disorders
The symptoms of stress might resemble other serious medical disorders. For instance, if you have chest pain, especially if you also have shortness of breath, jaw or back pain, pain radiating into your shoulder and arm, sweating, dizziness, or nausea, you should seek urgent medical attention as these may be warning signs of a heart attack and not simply stress symptoms.
Conclusion
Chronic stress if left untreated can have adverse effects on your health. Various medical disorders are associated with chronic stress such as heart conditions and high blood pressure. Identifying the symptoms associated with chronic stress is very important. Sometimes making lifestyle changes can help, but in many cases you might benefit from professional help.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.
Dr Brett Hodge is an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor who has over thirty eight years in clinical practice. Dr Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 4975828).
