When you get anxiety or something of that sort... muscle pain/soreness?

[TridenT]

Do you ever get really anxious or worried about something... kind of like, "Ooohhh shiiiiiit" (but less comically, more like really worried about your future type of stuff) and then do you feel really strong muscle pain/soreness? It's pretty brief and definitely momentary but you sure as fuck feel it.

The only kind of pain I can relate it to is having worked out REALLY hard and then having really bad muscle soreness afterwards. It's almost like that, but way worse. It feels like the muscles in your chest and arms freeze up and create some kind of burning sensation. It might be that my muscles have tensed up so hard that when they give out it creates a lot of pain. It also feels like, and I feel this first part too, that they're tensing up really hard and then giving out. It can't be both. (One of those you're unaware that your muscles have tensed up and the other you're aware because you feel that shit come on strong) I don't know. Hard to describe. You know the feeling if you've felt it though...

It's weird. Just wondering if anyone else feels that. I don't really ever hear about it so I am wondering if it's just a "me" thing.

 

[Kaido]

Sure, it's called "muscle tension" or also "body soreness" (google those terms + anxiety).

http://www.anxietyguru.net/muscle-aches-and-pains-caused-by-anxiety/

Something to do with chemical response & all that jazz.

 

[cronos]

Happens to me from time to time, but I'm old :awe:

 

[Kaido]

I don't really ever hear about it so I am wondering if it's just a "me" thing.

Yup, adrenaline-based:

When you feel anxiety and tension for a prolonged period of time this will eventually lead to sore and even painful muscles. This type of tension can make your legs feel like big noodles and give you the feeling that your legs are about to buckle from underneath you. But fear not this is adrenaline at work and not some mystery disease.

Even small doses of adrenaline can alter the normal contractions of our muscles. This can cause not only weakness, but also aches, pain or even rapid vibration also known as twitching. This phenomenon can affect your legs, arms, chest, back even your scalp in the form of numbness and tingling. So what do you do?

 

[balloonshark]

Look in the mirror and observe your shoulders. Take a deep breath and try to relax and see if they drop. If they do you were using your muscles to keep them up and that could be why they are sore.

Are you clinching any parts of your body when stressed or feeling anxiety? If so that could cause soreness.

Also make sure you're not taking shallow breaths rather than normal breaths. Try to be aware of what your body is doing and force yourself to relax and take deep breaths.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I have had the most awful two weeks at work I could possibly imagine. As soon as my stress levels go up my lower back instantly shits the bed. Been miserable from work and back pain for days. They are compounding to make things even worse... :'(

 

[ch33zw1z]

you will get a similar feeling after ingesting too much caffeine. Lay off the red bulls dude.

 

[mmntech]

I get tension headaches. It builds up in my shoulders and neck.

Maybe you could try meditation. That works well for a lot of people. I've found leading a healthier life style and cutting out my bad habits has helped me with this as well. While hardly scientific, anxiety to me is just pent up energy that needs to needs to be expelled through positive expression. So try eating better, cutting out things like too much caffeine, porn, alcohol, drugs, etc, get regular exercise, and find a creative hobby. Even just going for a walk or bike ride every day has helped me.

 

[jaedaliu]

Yeah, listen to the Canadian, he goes for walks and rides his bike daily. Even in the WINTER!

As everyone has said, it's not abnormal. Everyone's bodies respond to stress differently. I don't get hungry, and start getting stomach aches when the stress is really bad. Do what you can to remove the stress. And if you can't, then do your best to reduce it.(meditate / exercise / sensory deprivation chamber / whatever works for you)

At some point, see your primary care physician if you need it. Better than self medicating with alcohol.

 

[Gooberlx2]

A family member's anxiety gets so bad that her brain essentially reboots and she has a non-epileptic seizure. It's like bad programming instead of bad wiring. Sorta like a very severe form of a panic attack.

Thankfully, now that they have the EEG readings, they can remove the ineffective meds and get some cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with the issues. Though, apparently these same people are at a greater risk of being epileptic as well.

I imagine there's a wide range of symptoms depending on how severe your anxiety is. If your anxiety is always so bad that you're always in pain, I'd definitely try to address your stressers and how to manage them. Nothing wrong with seeing a shrink if you need help figuring it out.

 

[Newell Steamer]

When stressed, one side of my neck to my shoulder cramps up and hurts to turn.

Ibuprofen kicks that knot, right out.

 

[moonbogg]

Stress causes me adrenaline release at bed time, increased heart rate and stuff like that but never muscle pain. See a doctor, or a bar tender.

 

[Kaido]

When stressed, one side of my neck to my shoulder cramps up and hurts to turn.

Ibuprofen kicks that knot, right out.

The one luxury item I wish I had was a hot tub. I house-sat for friends with one and it was amaaaaaaazing :wub: I'm not a fan of saunas or medicines and stuff, and heating pads aren't really very effective for me for some reason, but man, a soak in a hot tub is da bomb :thumbsup:

 

[WilliamM2]

Just take a Valium.