Does Stress Or Anxiety Cause Pain

In this video the surgeons explore the relationship between stress, anxiety and depression (S.A.D.) and musculoskeletal pain. Although there is a very complex relationship between mental health and body pain, the surgeons try to simplify the issues based on the experience they have treating orthopedic conditions in the presence of stress, anxiety and depression.

[gabecruz]

I love it that some doctors like yourselves answer question on public platforms. When i was a jr in uni for engineering i started getting chest pain and thought it was cardiac related. In this time i had other physical, emotional amd cognitive symptoms related to anxiety. Lightheadness, random pains, derealization, fatigue, burning skin etc. These things are never vocalized as symptoms of anxiety to the public so i thought it was forsure something organic or structural. After becoming a hypochondriac and seeing my gp 100s of times for different complaints, i took his advice and listened to him it was all anxiety induced. Slowly blood went back to my skin fixing the burning skin, my chest muscles relaxed, the dizziness wemt away. Sometimes when get anxious or stressed some symptoms trigger but a whole lot better overall. Thank docs and for others, who suffer terribly, there's hope. Just keep working toward it. God bless

[wordswordswords]

So true that the mind body connection is strong. I've had a lot of depression and it totally effects my body, resulting in more aches and pains, exhaustion, etc. I've found not all family doctors including mine want to talk to you about your depression or anxiety other than just prescribing a pill. It would be nice if primary care had some training in this and was willing to get even just slightly more involved. Also, because it's really tough at least in my experience to find a really good therapist. Doctors are overall better trained and usually more intelligent than therapists. The bar is not too high to become a therapist/counsellor and some of them are really bad. I find that mental and emotional issues for me at least are much much more painful than the physical. Thanks for talking about this. There are so many people suffering from depression and anxiety, etc. and it needs to be talked about more and way more support needs to be given because people in this emotional state have a really hard time even getting it together enough to get help for themselves.

[JonnyQ]

I had panic attacks, anxiety, depression, I even became a agoraphobia because I started having panic attacks daily 4 years ago body aches, headaches, dizziness, etc I was scared to leave my house, I also felt sick and the dizziness didn’t help, it took me two years to “cure myself” without meds. If you feel stress out keep track of the time, what you were doing etc like a log of your day etc

[Sarahh_]

does anxiety also cause nerve-like stinging pain in the legs and arms? it all started one day when I was studying for my exam. since then, it hasnt left me and im going crazy. I got blood tests and everything was fine.

[jrortiz]

I am a clinical psychologist and a double knee replacement patient. I could not agree more; stress, anxiety, depression may not cause knee/hip problems but they exacerbate these conditions. Cognitive Behavior Therapy from a qualified CBT therapist is very effective for these conditions.

[memelive]

This is so true. I have had 16 cystoscopes, 11 lithotripes, 2 knee surg., 2 back surg, a full hysterectomy. I also have fibromyalgia and severe Depression(I have tried over 10 depression meds.) I hurt all over every day. I have told my primary care Dr. that and he said I should go to a psychiatrist. I agree with that, but it's a viscous cycle. The PAIN makes me Depressed and the Depression makes me Hurt more. Thank you for talking about this issue.

[DariaApostolova]

The hardest thing it’s to find a doctor who understands that. My therapist was giving me nothing but a pain relief pills even I was telling him that I experience insane stomach pain after stress. Nothing but a pain killers pills that does -ZERO! The only thing that helps me it’s listening a guiding meditation through my earbuds. That’s all I need!

[rosiecotts]

Agree. The way you feel emotionally affects you physically. Everyone should take a day off. I mean OFF. Sleep all day. Get up to drink water, eat something light, and take a shower, go back to sleep. Whatever is there to do will be there to do next day anyway. If you are like me. Do everything the day before, so it is not in your head and you can relax. Exercise everyday at least a little. Sunday's it's a good day.

[exoticspeedefy]

I think the anxiety makes all your nerves more sensitive, I have symptoms of short of breath, a sensation that makes me feel like I need to cough (i feel the cold air in my throat) palpitations, ectopics, and some unexplained muscleoskel chest pain that I feel when I push on my sternum, or pull my shoulders back, I feel pain in my chest/upper sternum... I'm scared it's a heart or lung problem. Even tho I've had 3 ECG, 4 blood tests and an x ray. I don't think it's costo as there's no pain while motionless, only a tight feeling

[chryseass.]

Wow, you guys are amazing- I didn't even get follow up on how I was actually going to cope at home recovering from two broken ankles with no weight bearing -not even any practical help on how to leave the examination room and get back to the waiting room after being casted ( I guess I was expected to levitate but I asked for a wheelchair!) I can't imagine that my psychological health would even be considered. Keep up this good work!

[shego]

I suffer from anxiety for all my life honestly i wish it could get better. Affects me from being able to eat and sleep. Talking to someone doesnt help and taking medicine doesnt help. Hopefully some day all of this will make sense :(

[mancunianinlondon]

Absolutely correct. I get stressed because I care for an elderly relative with dementia. When I get super stressed, the pain in my knees goes berserk. The pain in my muscles also goes berserk. You need to understand your pain

[dhimitriag]

I went through anxiety and depression at the age of 30. It started with a headache and fatigue, then I went to the doctor because I had pain in my shoulders and arms and it was moving in different places. (abdomen, stomach, liver, kidney, head and neck. ) everything I read on google directed me towards bad diseases like cancer. I went to the doctor more than 27 times in two months. I did blood tests, urinary infections, stomach tests, I checked the liver, pancreas and lungs (I haven't smoked for 3 years). I've had 5 heart checks and I still think I'm sick. every analysis of mine was perfect. My stomach also gives me some pain and some diarrhea. The doctors didn't find anything suspicious. I also feel a little pain in my throat or neck and immediately think of the worst. Now I'm starting to look for graphic images of the organs because I still think that the doctors have forgotten something in Sweden that they haven't found. I can't control it yet, I've been struggling for two months and I'm going hypochondriac. what do you suggest?

[danikaharnett]

I’m 23 years old, overweight and dealing with severe anxiety . Numbness in arm, face, chest pains, dizziness, headaches, feeling of impending doom and more.
I’ve had numerous blood tests, troponions, ecgs, ct scans, echo, stress test …
Multiple doctors say im fine but my symptoms are so severe . I’ve been to Emergancy over 25 times in 3 months. I don’t want to deal with this anymore

[Theguywhodoesthings]

Clutter that's been piling plus my never ending to do list is making me very anxious these days and not having time to get anything or everything done. I was stressing about this one thing and literally started feeling a sensation in both my arms, started going down to my hands then also my neck and upper back. I was worried it might be something else, but it makes sense that stress anxiety definitely playing a part in this nulling pain. I got a massage and it helped bit, then when I started feeling stress again I felt the sensation slowly creep up again
I will declutter my life and I know alot of my stress n anxiety will subside. Stress can do alot to your body without knowing it

[MandyFraser-fpft]

This is SO relavant more so today than perhaps when the video was recorded. Coming thru a pandemic it seems that the baseline level of anxiety across the board has increased as as expected are reports of pain. As a Physical Therapist and Mental Health counsellor I am using this as an educational tid bit. !! Thank you

[ab_]

During my final year at university, I experienced a strange feeling in my stomach for almost a month. As soon as my exams were done, the pain went away. The next time it popped up is when I started my first job after uni. Since then, I’ve experienced this pain more frequently but it typically doesn’t last anymore than a month. It sort of feels like I’m extremely hungry and my stomach feels like it’s ‘twisting’. Any one else experience this?

[Furkan-dqpf]

I had a panic attack induced by cannabis now 4 months further i still have CONSTANT pain on my chest and belly what can i do??

[alidavalentinagosgnach]

This is true, anxiety and stress does make you feel really sick. I know that there were times that I had anxiety but now I learned to cope with it..

[lornabartlett]

Found what you shared personally very helpful to comforting others