Chronic Stress Related Illnesses and its Affects on Your Body: Migraine headaches,high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, etc.

Did you realize that almost 75% of all doctor visits are stress related?  Yes, stress and health are closely connected.  Research shows the effects of stress on the body and mind influence stress related illnesses.  In today’s fast pace lifestyle, many people are overwhelmed and stressed out in their lives due to financial problems, work related issues, or martial/divorce problems and these issues are causing major stress related illnesses every day. Coping with stress can be a difficult task.  Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The effects of stress can be positive - keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger- while, on the other hand it can also become negative. This occurs when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges and physical illnesses related to stress develop as a result. Stress affect your overall health in many ways; the signs, physical symptoms or emotional symptoms of stress vary from person to person, but all have the potential to harm your health and emotional well-being. In fact, some evidence suggests that repeated release of stress hormones produces hyperactivity in the hypothalamus-pituitary axis and disrupts normal levels of serotonin, the nerve chemical that is critical for producing feelings of well-being. Stress causes blood to become stickier (possibly in preparation of potential injury), increasing the likelihood of an artery-clogging blood clot.

Chronic stress affects the immune system in complex ways, which may have various effects on the body.  Some examples of stress related illnesses are:

·         Migraine headaches and most other headaches

·         High blood pressure

·         Muscle tension

·         Ulcers

·         Insomnia

·         Sexual Dysfunction

·         Cancer

MIGRAINE HEADACHES:  Stress and anxiety can lead to tension that will eventually cause headaches. A common cause of stress headaches is increased muscle tension around the eyes, forehead and neck.  Tension-type headache episodes are highly associated with stress and stressful events. Some research suggests that tension-type headache sufferers may actually have some biological predisposition for translating stress into muscle contractions. Among the wide range of possible migraine triggers is emotional stress (although the headaches often erupt after the stress has eased).

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:  Heart attack and high blood pressure have both been proven to be caused by increased or continuous unresolved stress called stacking.  High blood pressure puts undue stress on the blood vessel walls which may burst and cause a stroke.  This also causes increased pressure to be placed on the circulatory system and puts an unhealthy strain on the heart which in turn greatly contributes to the occurrence of heart attacks. Studies have reported an association between stress and hypertension (high blood pressure), which may be more pronounced in men than in women. According to some evidence, people who regularly experience sudden spikes in blood pressure caused by mental stress may, over time, develop injuries in the inner lining of their blood vessels. In one 20-year study, for example, men who periodically measured highest on the stress scale were twice as likely to have high blood pressure as those with normal stress. By reducing stress and lowering blood pressure you can greatly lower the risk of stroke and heart attack.

MUSCLE TENSION AND ACHES:  It has been reported that muscle tension is probably the cause of all stress headaches.  Muscle tension caused by stress includes having a stiff neck or shoulders or lower back pain.  Tightness in your muscles occurs during periods of stress. This occurs to enable you to move and be coordinated. However, an extended period of stress can result in sore muscles


ULCERS:  Stress produces excessive stomach acids that can destroy the lining of the stomach.  Stress also tenses and contracts the muscles of the stomach as it does the rest of the body and prevents proper digestion of food. Reducing stress reduces acids, promotes healing and good digestion.
 
INSOMNIA & CHRONIC FATIGUE:  The release of stress hormone under influence of stress will stimulate the brain preparing it to respond to the external stressor. Under constant or prolonged stress, the elevated level of stress hormones tend to keep the brain in an alert state and this causes the person to have difficulty going to sleep. When this continues, the person will be exhausted leading ultimately to chronic fatigue, which is a commonly seen physical symptoms of stress.  Also, being over worked, over stimulated and not coping with stress will keep you from sleeping, which in turn will add more to the stacking effect of stress in your life.   When the brain is over stimulated, the body produces adrenaline a chemical produced by the brain which is the natural stimulant that produces alertness and gives you the extra energy you might need to fight off whatever stressful problems you may be faced with. In order for you to go to sleep, the adrenaline has to be shut off and/or reduced so the body can begin to produce melatonin (a chemical produced by the brain that induces relaxation and sleep.)


RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS:  Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the immune system.  It is an auto immune illness in which antibodies (a substance in the blood that
normally destroys bacteria and neutralizes poisons) becomes misdirected against the body's own cells resulting in tissue damage.  Stress and tension and depression adds to the severity of this arthritis.  Like other stress induced or stress aggravated illnesses, rheumatoid arthritis often can be contained or completely diminished through a program of stress management.

SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION:  Stress can lead to diminished sexual desire and an inability to achieve orgasm in women. Stress response can also cause temporary impotence in men. Part of the stress response involves the release of brain chemicals that constrict the smooth muscles of the penis and its arteries. This constriction reduces the blood flow into and increases the blood flow out of the penis, which can prevent erection.


CANCER:  Though not scientifically proven to have a direct link to stress, it is believed that stress is a major factor that causes many different types of cancer. The reason being that stress weakens the immune system, which makes our body more susceptible to the “invasion” by cancer cells, and therefore has fewer and weaker cells to do the work of fighting off problems. The T cells in the immune system are the body's only real means of defending itself against cancer cells and they can only be created during the bodiy's relaxation cycle. By regularly decreasing your stress level, and not allowing the body to achieve the stress stacking effect, you can improve the body’s defense system. Increasing relaxation time increases T cell count and reduces the risk of cancer. Remember, stress weakens the immune system, significantly reducing the number of T cells in the body which are responsible for defending it against the malignant cancer cells.  Stress can also reduce the number of new T cells being created and reduce the amount of new blood cells being created and this dangerous combination can actually compromise your immune system.  And a compromised immune system paves the way for many different illnesses and diseases. The good news is that research has shown that the mind is able to induce its own relaxation response which adds to the body’s natural ability to create T cells. By deliberately inducing the relaxation response; such as watching a relaxation video, walking, exercising, reducing stress, listening to music etc., you can increase the T cell production and strengthen your entire immune system.

You must get control of the chronic stress in your life!  Keep in mind that the physical illnesses related to stress listed above can be caused by other psychological or physical problems, so it’s important that you consult and seek the advise of a doctor.

Your Success Coach,

Dr. Amy

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* Disclaimer:  The information contained on this blog page is for general reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice.  You should always seek the advice of your physician before starting any new treatment.