Coping With Stress - Health Problems Caused By Stress The following article is one of a series of articles which focus on bringing you great content, tips and guidance on managing and coping with stress, physical or mental. We will ensure that the articles on managing stress are totally relevant to theme of this website and can truly help you to enhance your lifestyle. However, if you feel that we need to include more material and other articles on managing stress, mental or physical or you wish to submit an article yourself, Contact Us Here. I sincerely hope that you find the following information of value.

Over 1 million people each year are diagnosed with stress-related illnesses. These illnesses range from mild to severe . Because the effects of stress can be cumulative, people don't think that stress is the cause of their problem. Stress can cause many health troubles. Even doctors may have a hard time determining that stress has played a part in a health situation. That's why it is important in all medical conditions that you help your doctor by listing any stressful situations you may be under. Sometimes, the first real indication a person has that they are stressed is by the body showing it in physical illness. The good news is, by reducing or eliminating our stress levels, we can combat these diseases and in some cases, we can slow or reverse the effects of stress. Once we learn to reduce our stress levels, our body will respond positively. We can prevent, reverse or slow down, many common illnesses by using stress control. Once free from stress, the body once again functions as normal. The long-term effects, however, are with us and may cause us problems down the road. By learning to control stress, we can help our body maintain proper function. Here are some common medical symptoms that can be caused directly or indirectly by stress: Headache - Stress can cause headaches. The stress does not need to be occurring at the time you get the headache. Because stress can accumulate, one or several stressful situations that have already occurred can cause you to get a headache. Stress headaches usually subside after taking an over-the-counter medication. Tension headaches that are more severe or that do not subside after a reasonable amount of time may be classified as a tension-type headache. Sleep Difficulties - Many times, stress causes people to have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. If you are under stress, the mind is constantly working on ways to fix the situation. You may find that you have a hard time removing the situation from your mind long enough to fall asleep. Or, you may awaken after just a partial night's sleep and be unable to fall back asleep because your mind is racing. Tiredness or Fatigue - Stress can cause us to feel tired and listless. Because your mind is working overtime, you tire easily. If you don't sleep well due to stress, you are tired and become exhausted. If you are experiencing extreme fatigue, have your doctor rule out any medical causes. Overeating or Loss of Appetite - Stress may make you overeat. Your body is not using correct signals or is ignoring the signals that let you know when to eat and when to stop eating. Some people eat when they are nervous. Tension can also cause stomachaches, which can lead to loss of appetite. Heartburn or Acid Stomach - This is a very common complaint that is often related to stress. The body increases acid secretions during times of stress. This may lead to a buildup of acid causing many symptoms, such as heartburn or gas. Ulcers can be the result of years of extra acid working on our stomach. Backaches - A common source of backaches is tension caused by stress. Sitting in one position for long periods of time, such as hunched at a computer keyboard, can cause back and neck aches as well. Working under a tight deadline can force us to work for long periods with poor posture. Stiff Neck - Stress can cause us to tighten all of our muscles. The neck and shoulders are extremely susceptible to pain from overuse or tension. Sometimes, it may only take a small amount of stress to aggravate an already stiff neck. Panic Attacks - Panic attacks are very common. These episodes can occur when the body has an overload of stress. The symptoms can be very similar to a heart attack. If you ever feel shortness of breath, dizziness, rapid heartbeat or chest pains, seek medical attention immediately. Only a doctor can rule out the possibility of an actual heart attack. Colds or the Flu - Being under stress can diminish the body's effectiveness to fight other illnesses, particularly colds and the flu. If you seem to be getting colds frequently, you may want to review your stress levels. Depression - When faced with chronic stress, some people may show signs of depression. These include a lack of interest in others, fatigue, and feelings of hopelessness. Talk to a medical doctor about these symptoms. When left untreated, depression can worsen. Elevated Blood Pressure - Tension and anger can temporarily raise your blood pressure. This is especially bad for people who already have high blood pressure. Raised Cholesterol - Studies have shown that prolonged stress and tension can actually stimulate cholesterol production in the body, thus raising your cholesterol level. Pain in the Jaw - Tension can cause us to clench our teeth. We usually do this without really knowing it; however, this clenching can cause us to get acute pain in our jaws. You also may clench your teeth at night or you may grind your teeth. Grinding your teeth at night is a way the body can physically remove some built up stress. This action, however, can cause pain in the neck and jaw. Anger - Chronic stress can cause some people to become angry. You may notice that small things set you into a state of anger. This could be the cumulative stress making us irritable. Anger management classes deal with the underlying source of the anger, which many times is due to stress. Heart Disease - Heart disease is the number one killer in many modern socities and western countries. Heart disease is caused by many factors but stress can be a major contributor to it. The heart, like any muscle, is exposed to stress over long periods of time. Stress can increase the risk of heart disease. Cancer - Stress alone does not cause cancer. However, it has been shown that stress adversely effects cancer. If you take measures to reduce your stress, cancers often positively respond. Please remember, if you feel that we need to include more material and other articles on managing, controlling or coping with stress related topics or you wish to submit an article yourself, Contact Us Here. Return From Coping With Stress to Articles On Stress