Ways Stress Affects the Body

Stress is not inherently a bad thing. It can help ready us for action and motivate us to get things done. Uncontrolled stress can be harmful. Sustained stress can lead to or worsen a myriad of health issues, some of which may be unexpected.
Here is a list of some health issues chronic stress can exasperate:
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Joint aches and pains
• Flare-ups of arthritis and fibromyalgia
• High blood pressure
• Heart palpitations
• Hair loss
• Eczema
• Tension headaches
• Neck and shoulder spasms
• TMJ
• Dry mouth/difficulty swallowing
• Depression
Stress, in and of itself, does not directly cause every single one of these issues, but it does exasperate all of them. If you think stress may be affecting you in one of these ways, invest some time in researching techniques that would work for you. If that falls short, be willing to get yourself help from a health care professional.