Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeLife can be demanding and fraught. In fact, nearly three quarters of British adults have been so stressed at some point, they felt overwhelmed and unable to cope. We all know how stress can present itself – an underlying sense of dread, irritableness, perhaps too many thoughts jostling for our attention. But left unchecked, it’s not just emotionally draining – it can manifest physically in your body, in different ways. Dr Amos Ogunkoya explains, “Stress is normally due to overproduction of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. “They’re released from the adrenal glands and produce the fight or flight response, which can lead to extreme fatigue and exhaustion.
Stress affects us all in different ways and can cause symptoms including hair loss and jaw pain
Read More
Related Articles
IBS Awareness Month: Simple ways to ease symptoms including sauerkraut and supplements
Read More
Related Articles
Doctor reveals 6 period symptoms you should NEVER ignore – including painful poos
If left untreated, we can have extreme reactions that go way beyond the usual headache and racing heart.” Here, Dr Ogunkoya shares 11 rare but potential physical symptoms of chronic stress to watch out for… Hormone imbalance Stress can lead not just to a surge in cortisol and adrenaline, but can also change the amount of certain hormones we produce, including testosterone, oestrogen and the growth hormone, somatotropin. The increase in cortisol in women can also suppress normal levels of reproductive hormones, which can lead to no ovulation, periods stopping altogether or heavier periods and increased pain. Jaw and tooth pain During tense moments, we might clench our jaws and, while sleeping, grind our teeth. This creates tension in our muscles at the back of our neck and jaw, causing pain, especially if it becomes an unconscious habit. This can lead to headaches, earaches and dental problems, such as cracks in teeth, and, in extreme cases, tooth loss. Hair loss
An increase in cortisol levels can stop hair production
A rise in cortisol can cause hair follicles to stop producing new hair – this is known as “telogen effluvium”. It’s sometimes quite sudden – people may wake up to find chunks of hair have fallen out. Trichotillomania – the urge to pull out hair – can be a sign someone is trying to self-soothe under stress, subconsciously or consciously. They can also pluck out eyelashes, or pick off their skin. Blood sugar spikes A rise in cortisol increases sugar in the bloodstream, which can trigger extreme spikes. Over a period of time this might raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you’re already diabetic, chronic stress can cause you to become less focused on monitoring your condition. Increased sensitivity to pain Pain tolerance remains the same during times of stress, but reactions might be more heightened, because the hormones that help us deal with pain can become less effective due to overstimulation. Lump in the throat
Gastric reflux can lead some people to feel as though they have a lump in their throat
Your body prioritises muscle use over digestion during periods of stress, causing gastric reflux (when acid from the stomach travels back up towards the throat), and creating the “lump in your throat” sensation. It could also possibly be caused by esophageal spasms – painful contractions within the muscular oesophagus – that can be brought on by stress, or an over- stimulated nervous system. Heightened sense of smell Stress can make your nervous system more excitable, and because the parts of the brain that deal with scent and emotions work closely together, they can intensify one another. One theory is that as the brain is working harder to find threats during “fight or flight” state, your body is hyper-aware of smells. Becoming ill more often Sleep is everything – it’s how our body regenerates – but when we’re stressed, sleep can feel impossible. As a knock-on effect, your immune system can suffer, leading to a raised risk of cancer, strokes and heart attacks. Vomiting and weight changes
Stress can cause some people’s digestive systems to reject food
Acute levels of stress can lead to a diminished appetite due to the “fight or flight” reaction causing reduced blood flow to the digestive system. If you do try to eat, your body might reject the food, triggering vomiting. Stress can also change your body composition. How? Chronic cortisol levels break down muscle tissue, making you less toned. Excessive sweating The activation of your “fight or flight” response can release adrenaline, which increases body temperature and affects the sweat glands’ output. This excessive sweating is called hyperhidrosis – and it’s fairly common. Urge to pee and poo
Sometimes stress can cause our intestines to empty quicker than usual
The “fight or flight“ response causes your body’s systems to act abnormally, as they work to help you escape the “threat”. Stress encourages your intestines, which have their own nervous system, to process the contents quicker, so you can move as quickly as possible. READ MORE: Click here for today’s top showbiz news 7 ways to cope with pet grief including allowing pain as Corrie’s Cerberus dies IBS Awareness Month: Simple ways to ease symptoms including sauerkraut and supplements Ditch hardcore cardio for walking – these are the tricks to making it work Get exclusive celebrity stories and shoots straight to your inbox with OK!’s daily newsletter Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnHealth
