Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Chronic Pain and Anxiety?

Rochelle43
Rochelle43

I have written about this before, but with this new navigation system I can't seem to find it anymore.  Has anyone dealt with chronic pain that may be from their anxiety?  I have had rib and back pain since November.  I had a lot of stress with hosting Thanksgiving and having overnight guests so that could've been what started it all.  Anyway, long story short, I was put through a CT scan, different ultrasounds and blood tests only to have everything come back normal.  I had bloating as well and could hardly get around.  The bloating got some better, but the aching/pain stayed with me.  I ended up being diagnosed with an ab strain at the end and going to physical therapy, which did help quite a bit.  I had surgery eventually for an umbilical hernia and after the surgery the pain started to come back again (most likely because I wasn't able to exercise).  I have been to doctors again and again and they don't seem to know what is causing me this pain.  Honestly, I am beginning to think it's my anxiety causing it.  I didn't realize anxiety could cause pain like this????  I am considering going to therapy to see if I can learn better coping skills for the anxiety so that it doesn't lead to pain if this is truly the case.  I have never been put on any meds.  The only one I have tried (because I asked for it at one time) was Xanax, but I don't take it very often because I am not supposed to drive with it.  Anyway, whenever I have brought up my anxiety to doctors they tend to brush me off, saying "Oh, just cut out the caffeine,   Etc.".   I think I must hide it well in front of people!  I do get the butterflies in the stomach, terrible anxiety when driving long distances, feeling like I can't handle things at times, etc.  I guess I just wanted to know if anyone else out there has experienced pain that they feel is associated with anxiety.  Now that I am aware of this I am trying to focus on relaxing and breathing techniques, etc.

Reed31
Reed31
Chronic pain is often related to anxiety. Here's why: first, when you are anxious, your muscles are tight. You are in a constant state of bracing yourself, of fight or flight. If you're able to get help to begin relaxing the muscles you will be shocked at how tight they've been for how long. I'm doing a therapy called AAT done by physical therapists. I used to have headaches every single day. Not, I get maybe two a week which is a huge improvement for me. The therapy is done to release the body and mind from fight or flight.

Fight or flight also affects digestion. When you're getting ready to fight, your body slows digestion and you can wind up with more gas and/or other stomach problems like IBS.
BalloonBirdie
BalloonBirdie
I am so sorry to hear you're going through this pain. I can't imagine what that is like for you, but I do know in my experience, anxiety and physical symptoms go hand in hand. I get headaches frequently as well as vertigo and general dizzy spells.

My uncle recently had a series of heart attacks and was in the hospital for several days. For a while he was touch and go, and the stress sent my mother over the edge. She ended up spending 2 days in the hospital herself- back pain, and debilitating chest pain. When all her tests came back fine they concluded it was stress induced.

My dizziness is chronic, but not severe, and my mom's was severe, but not chronic. I tell them to you because although they don't match what you're going through, I find it comforting to hear when I'm not alone.

I would consider talking to a therapist about pain relief. They may suggest physical therapy, or yoga, or something different altogether. You deserve to feel strong, and I hope you're able to find some relief.
anonymous_r
anonymous_r
Hi I went through back pain and rib pain not long ago, and it was definitely stress related. Eventually it got better and disappear after some pills. But I think the important thing to recognize is that if the scans and tests are coming out OK (like in my case) one has to accept it and stop looking for a physiological reason. So that being said I still needed the pills to "relax" the contraction, but in my mind I was accepting the idea that I had "nothing" because that's what the test showed.
Stress was in my case the definite cause because like two weeks ago I got in a stressful job situation and right away felt the rib stinging pain again.
My advice to you is to accept the results and keep looking for ways of getting better, even if it includes some medication, know that if the cause of the pain is mental you need to start shutting down those stressful thoughts
Rochelle43
Rochelle43
Thank you all for your responses... I definitely am starting to accept that this could be anxiety related. It's so weird looking back at how painful this all was, knowing that anxiety could have played a role. I did have a hernia all along as well, but my surgeon said my symptoms were not from it. And the fact that the pain came back after surgery confirmed that. I have always fought anxiety, thinking I could get myself back on track and that I didn't need to see anyone for it. Now I think maybe I need to find a therapist so that this doesn't get out of hand again. I can't go through another year like I just had. It's just making that first step and calling.....
anonymous_r
anonymous_r
Talking about it is a HUGE step, but also make sure you invest your energy in talking about it in the proper places or to the right people, maybe a Therapist, maybe someone you admire and trust, make sure not to waste the energy you need to conceptualize your feelings into words with random people around, cheers and best of lucks!
Reed31
Reed31
One of my friends gave me a book that was really helpful. Essentially, it helped me begin to see pain and illness as a messenger. Instead of obsessing about "this hurts, I'm weak and sick" I think about "what's my body trying to tell me? what's the message?" And generally the answer is more about lifestyle change than medicine which I prefer.

The book is "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay. When I had hip bursitis I learned it may be about a fear of moving forward. Made sense. So I got to do some inner work while I was healing my body too.

I will say that I tried yoga and meditation and all the other "relaxing" things but my body never really relaxed until AAT. I never realized how much tension my body was holding until then. Here's a website if anyone is interested: http://www.tools-for-abundance.com/AAT.html
Community LeaderMid
Mid
What Reed mentions about the amount of tension our bodies hold, and continue to hold, even with relaxation, is so true. I've not tried AAT, however, CBT (cognitive behavior therapy), has been successful in helping me find my new normal anxiety range. I function well in most situations for short periods before the physical stressors start playing their tune. The book by Louise Hay is a tool that can help. Anxiety is natural, so treating it naturally will help heal and give you release from the "holdover tension" syndrome. Best wishes!
yani40
yani40
Sorry to hear about your anxiety. I am heading in myself to a therapist. EMDR therapy is amazing and works faster from what I hear. Try taking a long bath or listening to soft music, try heating pad and ice packs too.
muskrattiger
muskrattiger
sorry your anxiety is so bad .........I do get sore backs and headakes ...from my anziet.......and just terable fealings dowen my back and in my chest ..I can hardly stand it ...........I hope you feel better ......
bridgie101
bridgie101
I have spent a few years waking in the morning with astonishing back pain that goes down both legs, and also goes all through my pelvis. it's quite remarkable. I had seized up, my chiropractor could not even crack my back it was all so tight, and he recommended more exercise, eg swimming or bike riding.

So putting three and four together I decided in the end it might have to do with the sedative I was taking for sleep that counterbalances the antidepressant I'm taking that is a mild upper. Maybe I wasn't moving enough in the night??

So I was off this medical combo for a while and didn't notice it, but slowly have improved. Recently I had a bad experience and the doctor put me back on the meds, and within 2 weeks I was back to the back agony, sciatica down both legs, pelvis feeling like I'm dying, nausea, and extreme hair-raising desperation whenever I need to pass wind or go number 2.

so I've quit the darn things. If I go loopy for the next month you'll all know why - but I can't take the pain.

So that's not the anxiety - it's the medication. But the medication came about due to the anxiety (and depression.)
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