Anita Lesco was a veteran nurse anesthetist, but nothing in her years of experience prepared her for the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. She did her best to ignore her fear of becoming seriously ill herself and kept coming to work each day. But as Lesco told AARP Magazine, she couldn't keep the anxiety bottled up forever, and in March 2022, she experienced the first panic attack of her life. It wouldn't be the last.
Panic attacks are sudden episodes of intense fear and physical symptoms that can make the sufferer feel as if they're dying. According to the Cleveland Clinic, most people experience them at least once or twice during their lifetimes, and they occur regularly for some. They're an extreme example of the physical toll that stress can exact on us. These symptoms are almost always treatable, but can be difficult to recognize as stress related.
* Headaches. According to Henry Ford Health, stress is a major trigger for tension and migraine headaches.
* Lower back pain. Dr. Lynn Dado of Henry Ford Health comments that most lower back pain isn't a mechanical problem at all, and often results from stress-related muscle tension.
* Jaw pain. Teeth-grinding to rid ourselves of built-up stress and anxiety is common, and we often don't even realize that we're doing it. In addition to jaw pain and dental problems, it can lead to pain in the neck and shoulders.
* Digestive problems. Stress can ramp up stomach acid production, which can lead to a host of digestive ailments including nausea, heartburn, and diarrhea.
* More frequent illness. Your immune system can also take a hit from excess stress, which leaves you more vulnerable to illness.
The Mayo Clinic encourages people to find active ways to try to manage your stress, like taking walks outside. A balanced diet, healthy sleep habits, and making time for hobbies can also help balance out our stress. If your physical symptoms are severe or fail to resolve with lifestyle changes, see your health care provider to ask about additional treatment options and to be assessed for other underlying causes.
