Anxiety is normal and healthy in the right context, but ongoing high levels can be detrimental to your health long-term. Anxiety can affect our body in different ways. Here are 5 symptoms of anxiety that you may not be aware of:
1. Dizziness
Ever felt off-balance, a little faint or just well, dizzy? A reason for this can sometimes be Hyper- and hypoventilation. Meaning sometimes when we have anxiety it can affect our breathing and we can take in too much or too little air resulting in the so called "dizzy' spell.
2. Regular urination
Finding yourself making regular trips to the bathroom? This is actually a common anxiety symptom that's not widely known!
3. Digestive disturbances
Do you find every-day situations can make you feel nauseous, have 'butterflies' in your stomach, or have digestive discomforts with no particular reason? Our digestive systems are very sensitive to emotion because it is connected very closely to our brain, and so anxiety could be causing problems there for you.
4. Tension in the back and neck
Okay, we can probably all relate to this one! Did you know it's actually our body's way of trying to help? When we experience stress or anxiety our body goes in to 'Fight or Flight' mode and our muscles tighten as a way of protecting us. This can result in a feeling of stiffness, tightness and even painful tension in the neck and back. If prolonged it can also cause headaches.
5. Throbbing or stabbing pain
Ever experienced your muscles throbbing, have a twitch or spasm, or maybe they contract uncontrollably? This can also be a symptom of anxiety as our brain sends erratic nerve impulses to the body's muscles when they are tightened.
Whilst these are common symptoms of anxiety, they could also be an indication of some other illness(es) and so it always pays to get them checked out by your GP.
Living with anxiety and all it has to offer can not only be exhausting, but can cause other health concerns due to the stress it creates.
THERE ARE WAYS TO HELP AND MANAGE ANXIETY NATURALLY – You don't have to just put up with it, or be ashamed of it!
As a naturopath using a holistic approach, we can together look at what may be causing or contributing to your anxiety, and provide aid and support.
| References: |
|---|
Encyclopaedia of Natural Medicine – Murray & Pizzorno
The Autoimmune Solution – Dr Amy Myers