Dennis Relojo-Howell

Health & Medicine
2 MIN READ

Beyond the Mind: The Physical Effects of Stress and Anxiety on Your Body

Cite This
Dennis Relojo-Howell, (2020, October 12). Beyond the Mind: The Physical Effects of Stress and Anxiety on Your Body. Psychreg on Health & Medicine. https://www.psychreg.org/physical-effect-stress-anxiety/
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The overall healthcare costs because of workplace stress amount to €20 billion in Europe, according to Health Advocate. As such, it is crucial to figure out ways to instantly relieve stress from work. If stress and anxiety are allowed to affect you unchecked, they will start to have physical consequences.

To give you a better idea, here are a few examples of the physical manifestations of stress and anxiety.

Jaw clenching

In the past several months, there has been a rise in patients with cracked teeth, according to Tammy Chen and several of her dentist peers. This is something that dental experts attribute to stress-induced jaw clenching. As nerves in the shoulders and the neck muscles are connected to your mouth, if you feel tension it’ll manifest in your mouth. The clenching can lead to tooth sensitivity, cheek pain, and jaw aches. A good way to combat this is through jaw relaxing exercises and activities. Getting a handle on your jaw clenching is a good way to avoid the pain that comes with stress-induced jaw clenching.  There are also some supplements that can help you overcome stress and anxiety, you can check this link: https://rawpowders.co.uk/Ashwagandha.

Gastrointestinal issues

Your mind and your digestive system are linked. When you feel troubled, your mind will send signals to your stomach and intestines, which is why you may feel your stomach knot up when you feel anxious. The reverse is also true, so gastrointestinal issues can be the cause or byproduct of your anxiety, according to Harvard Medical School. Their medical experts recommend seeking therapy to address the root of anxiety to help alleviate anxiety-linked gastrointestinal issues. Therapy can also link you with general practitioners that can help further recommend medication, activities, and positive lifestyle changes to help address anxiety.

Stress rashes

When you feel stressed, your body produces chemicals that may cause inflammation of your skin, according to Erin Lester, MD. She goes on to say that stress can make your skin more sensitive, so it isn’t surprising if you start seeing rashes and flare-ups during periods of excessive stress. Stress rashes often get mistaken for goosebumps, but these are actually red bumps called hives. Some good counters to stress rashes are ice packs and over-the-counter antihistamines.

While the physical manifestations of stress and anxiety can be cumbersome, the good news is that you can take control. By learning the physical symptoms, you can initiate changes that can help mitigate the symptoms and better handle stress in your life. That way, you can improve your overall quality of life and say goodbye to the physical effects of stress and anxiety.


Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg.

VIEW AUTHOR’S PROFILE


The articles we publish on Psychreg are here to educate and inform. They’re not meant to take the place of expert advice. So if you’re looking for professional help, don’t delay or ignore it because of what you’ve read here. Check our full disclaimer