Physical Symptoms of Constant Muscle Tension Anxiety and its Control
Healthful Vitality | 10/09/2021 | By NP Contributor | Constant Muscle Tension Anxiety
True, you heard it right: constant muscle tension anxiety. You might have experienced tensing of muscle, or a backache when you are under stress for a long time. Also, you would have felt tiredness and body aches when you are exposed to a sudden stress. What could be the reason for this? Besides, how constant muscle tension and anxiety are related? First, let us have a look at it. Afterwards, we will also see the symptoms and control of constant muscle tension anxiety.
What do statistics say about constant muscle tension anxiety?
Before diving into the relationship between anxiety and muscle tension, here are some facts in this regard. According to CDC statistics, 11.2% of the U.S adult population are under regular feelings of worry or anxiety. Furthermore, in the U.S, there are 55.7 million physician visits per year for mental illnesses. [1] Another estimate by NIH shows incidents of chronic pain among U.S. adults range from 11% to 40% of the population. [2] Incidentally, muscle tension is one of the main causes of chronic pain. Thus constant muscle tension anxiety is one of the commonest health issues.
How anxiety and muscle tension are related?
Indeed, the stress response is a helpful process in our body. It enables you to aptly react to a threat either by fighting it or by running away. In the meantime, your muscles need to be quick and ready to go. The acting of muscles is needed for either of the response, fight or run. Therefore, your muscles become tense to realize the planned action. However, stress as well as muscle tension, becomes an issue when it occurs every now and then. In effect, this physiological relation between anxiety and muscle tension leads to constant muscle tension anxiety. The muscle tension can further lead to stress and thus the vicious cycle starts again.
Symptoms of constant muscle tension anxiety
Important to realize that from the symptoms listed below, if you have some of them, then you might be having constant muscle tension anxiety. [3][4] [5]
- Feeling of tiredness,
- Backache,
- Tightness of throat,
- Stiff jaws,
- Shoulder and neck pain,
- Stress sore throat,
- Chest pains,
- Belly muscle pain,
- General muscle rigidity,
- Trembling and shaking,
- Muscle jerks,
- Muscle pain all over the body,
- Slight weakness of limb muscles, etc.
Other symptoms that are seen in association with constant muscle tension anxiety
Muscle tension is one of the important physical symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder(GAD). Along with constant muscle tension, other physical symptoms can also occur as listed below. [3] [4] [5]
- Feeling sick,
- Breathing difficulty,
- Increased heart beats,
- Upset stomach,
- Loose stools,
- Numbness of arms and legs,
- Urge to vomit,
- Fever and chills,
- Sleeplessness.
How to control constant muscle tension anxiety?
Firstly, we should manage the stressors as the muscle tension is due to anxiety. Secondly, we should focus on relaxing techniques and physical activity to lower muscle tension. In effect, lower levels of anxiety cure muscle tension which in turn will reduce further stress. Thus, the earlier mentioned vicious cycle can be modified to a wellness cycle.
Given below are some of the ways you can lower constant muscle tension anxiety [6] [7] [8]
1. Manage your stress
Obviously, stress management is important. You can follow some effective ways of coping with stress to reduce muscle tension.
2. Be Physically Active
Lack of physical activity can trigger both anxiety as well as muscle tension. Moreover, physical activity can relax tensed muscles by improving blood supply to that location. In addition, physical activity has many more benefits such as reducing the risks of heart attack, obesity and other lifestyle disorders.
3. Practice Breathing Exercises
Muscle pain can be due to lactic acid formed in our muscles in the absence of oxygen. However, breathing exercises boosts oxygen supply to the muscles. Thus the lactic acid accumulated in the muscles is washed off. Thus it lower the muscle pain to a great extent.
Commonly, the breathing exercises include breathing in the air for some time and then exhaling it slowly. Afterwards, this pattern should be repeated several times.
4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation technique
In progressive muscle relaxation, you have to follow recorded instructions to sequentially tense and relax muscles. Consequently, this will improve blood circulation and helps relax the tensed muscles. Incidentally, various mobile applications and websites are providing voice-overs that will guide you for this technique.
5. Guided imagery relaxation (Visualization)
In this technique, you should imagine yourself to be in a peaceful place. It could be a natural scenery of aesthetic beauty or any situation peaceful to you. Surely, it will make you feel better.
6. Relaxation customized by Biofeedback
An electronic device usually in the form of a wrist band can give sense your heartbeat, blood pressure and muscle tension changes. In this way, you get feedback on the activities or thoughts that make you stressed. Thus you can have healthy a lifestyle by controlling only the activities that stress your body.
Medications for Constant Muscle Tension anxiety
Constant muscle tension anxiety is due to the stimulation of hormonal pathways involving adrenaline, serotonin, acetylcholine etc. So the medications also target these pathways. [9] Therefore, your doctor may prescribe;
- Muscle Relaxant medications: for relieving muscle tension
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) & other Antidepressants: for controlling your anxiety
Before starting on any medications, you should consult a physician or a mental health expert. Any attempt at self-treatment can lead to serious complications
Takeaway
In summary, constant muscle tension anxiety is a health issue faced by many people. It can manifest as several bodily symptoms. However, it can be effectively managed by lowering stress along with some relaxation exercises. Indeed, you should always seek the help of an expert medical professional before adopting any treatment options.
References
1. Mental Health Data, National Centre for Health Statistics, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mental-health.htm
2. Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report (MMWR), Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults United States 2016, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6736a2.htm
3. Symptoms – Generalised anxiety disorder in adults, National Health Service-UK (NHS UK). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/symptoms/
4. Chand SP, Marwaha R, Anxiety, [Updated 2021 Jul 26], In StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470361/?report=classic
5. Gelenberg AJ, Psychiatric and Somatic Markers of Anxiety: Identification and Pharmacologic Treatment, Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry, 2000;2(2):49-54. doi:10.4088/PCC.v02n0204. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181205/
6. Relaxation Techniques, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/relax.html
7. Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Available at: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/relaxation-techniques-what-you-need-to-know
8. Norelli SK, Long A, Krepps JM, Relaxation Techniques, [Updated 2021 Jul 26], In StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513238/
9. Kodish I, Rockhill C, Varley C. Pharmacotherapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2011;13(4):439-452. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.4/ikodish. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263391/