Stress is a part of life and not always a bad thing. Sometimes it gives you the motivation you need to get things done on time or do your best. But unmanaged or prolonged stress can wreak havoc on your body, causing unexpected aches, pains, and other symptoms.
Stress doesn't necessarily cause certain conditions, but it can make the symptoms of those conditions worse,” says Preventive Physician. Richard Lang, President of Preventive Medicine and Vice President of the Institute of Health. “When physical symptoms worsen, they can in turn increase a person's stress level, creating a vicious cycle.”
Stress can do some strange things by affecting various parts of your body:
1- Muscles and Joints:
Stress can cause pain, tension or aches in your muscles, as well as muscle spasms. It can lead to exacerbation of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other disease symptoms. This is because stress lowers the pain threshold.
2- Heart and Lungs:
Excess of the stress hormone cortisol can worsen heart and lung-related diseases. This deterioration; These include diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and asthma. If you have pain or tightness in your chest or heart palpitations, see a doctor as soon as possible to rule out a serious condition. However, if no pathology is detected after the checks and if there are many sources of stress in your life, definitely consult a specialist for psychiatric evaluation.
3- Skin and Hair:
A skin condition such as eczema, rosacea or psoriasis. If you have a medical condition, stress can make your illness worse. Additionally, it can lead to hives and itching, excessive sweating and even hair loss.
4- Digestive System:
Stress affects your digestive system – from simpler conditions such as pain, gas, diarrhea and constipation; It can lead to different conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis-ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux and more complex conditions.
5- Shoulders, Head and Jaw:
Doctors call this "tension triangle". Stress; It can trigger tension headaches, neck and jaw spasm, and tension and contractions in your neck and shoulders. Temporomandibular joint, which is also a jaw disorder It can contribute to the worsening of diseases.
6- Immune System:
You need a strong immune system to fight the disease, but stress weakens your body's defenses. For example, it increases the likelihood of catching a cold or flu. It can also worsen autoimmune conditions such as lupus and inflammatory bowel diseases.
7- Mental Health:
Stress can reveal symptoms of depression and reduce your enthusiasm for activities you usually enjoy, from daily hobbies to sex. People also tend to eat unhealthy and exercise less when stressed, which only makes symptoms worse.
Feeling depressed because of stress is not a personal failure. This can happen to most of us, so don't hesitate to get help. "We can treat the symptoms," Lang says, but the key is to find the cause of the problem and treat it.
8- Reproductive Ability:
According to a study conducted at Emory University School of Medicine, your body's Hormones released by the stress response can suppress ovulation. A separate study found that women who underwent IVF (in vitro fertilization) were 2.6 times more likely to become pregnant if they also participated in a stress management program.
9- Memory Problems:
Rush According to a study from the University of California, people who are prone to stress are 40 percent more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. Researchers have concluded that exposure to high levels of stress hormones can damage or shrink the hippocampus (an area deep in the brain responsible for long-term memory).
Good stress is necessary, but when stress becomes harmful, stress-induced Stress control is also necessary for the treatment of conditions that may or may aggravate the condition.
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