Sometimes chronic pain and illness, wrestled with over months and years, are finally found to be rooted in stress and tension. For some, just considering that idea can help bring relief.
Here’s Dr. David Clarke’s list of common stress-related symptoms, taken from his book, They Can’t Find Anything Wrong!: 7 Keys to Understanding, Treating, and Healing Stress Illness.
- Pain such as headache, back pain, neck pain, chest pain, muscle or joint pain, and abdominal pain
- Abnormal swallowing, digestion, or bowel function including constipation, diarrhea, and bloating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Discomfort in the bladder or during urination.
- Respiratory symptom, including difficulty breathing and cough
- Voice changes
- Heart palpitations
- Pelvic and vaginal irritation, premensrual or menstrual pain
- Fatigue
- Abnormal sleeping or eating
- Symptoms related to nerve function such as blurred vision, dizziness, ringing in the ears, itching of the skin, sweating, numbness, or tingling
Sound like you? As with any medical problem, the first step is to talk with your doctor.
For more on the topic try Dr. Clarke’s site, stressillness.com or Dr. David Schechter’s MindBodyMedicine.com. On this site, go to Stress-Related Pain and Illness.