Common Physical Symptoms of Stress

Stress effects people in different ways. For some, it is an manageable annoyance. For others, it is a real danger. Much like unhealthy diet or lack of exercise, stress can have adverse effects. At its worst, stress can lead to cardiovascular issues or mental health problems.

Mouth and jaw issues

• Those under stress may feel pain in their jaw. The body's subconscious will try to work out the stress during sleep. This leads to the body tensing, leading to the clenching and grinding of teeth. The clenching and grinding can lead to greater issues, including lockjaw or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

Cardiovascular issues

• Stress may not cause a heart attack, but it may cause other issues with the cardiovascular system. There is a correlation between high blood pressure and people in high stress jobs or situations. The heart rate increases, which will lead to rapid breathing, shortness of breath and, perhaps, chest pain and tightness.

Digestive issues

• Stress will commonly occur issues with the digestive tract. It starts as a lack of appetite and can grow into indigestion or acid reflux. It can build into more serious issues, including diarrhea or ulcer.

Pain

• People under stress will experience increased pain in the neck, shoulders and back. What typically happens to people experiencing stress is that they will hunch their shoulders or tighten their neck. The muscles in this area will tense up, limiting the range of motion in the person, leading to what is most commonly known as stiff neck.

Panic disorder

• Stress can cause mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. A very physical side effect of anxiety are panic attacks or panic disorder. Rapid, uncontrollable heartbeat, heavy perspiration and a sudden inability to move or think are typical signs of a panic attack. While this overloading of the brain is mental issue, the increased heart rate, sweats and rapid breathing are very real physical symptoms.