Talk Cancer

Question:

Hi all, I suffer from anxiety and am wondering how many other people out there suffer from muscle aches/general weekness? Usually from the minute I wake up my arms, legs, and joints are aching (but not bad enough that it causes interferance in my day), however all physical tests so far show nothing. I’m really paranoid that I have a physical illness, like MS or cancer, so the more I worry the worse I feel (We all know that feeling!). Can someone reassure me that my body aches are stress related? I don’t do much exercise, and feel like I cant because I dont want to feel even worse. Thanks Rob.

Response:

I suffer from anxiety and am wondering how many other people out there suffer from muscle aches/general weekness?

Hi, Rob: No one can diagnose you for sure except a doc, but I want you to know that many of us have had similar symptoms due to anxiety, stress, depression, etc. I don’t have any magic bullet for you. Please see your doctor and a psychiatrist, if possible. Mild exercise (walking, very gentle weight work) may help you. Ditto anti-anxiety meds. When I get like that, I have to take a couple of Ibuprofen just to get to sleep at night. And I am wiped out all day.  :-( Good luck. xo Anne

Response:

Hi Rob, Hi all, I suffer from anxiety and am wondering how many other people out there suffer from muscle aches/general weekness?

I do. My back and neck is aching all the time and sometimes it feels like I can’t lift my feet high enough to walk (but I can…). I’m suffering from GAD, and have a constant tension in my body, which makes the muscles ache. Imagine your body, tense from anxiety, the more anxiety, the more tension…..at least that’s what I think. If you take small walks, hot showers/baths and so on, it may release some of the tension. I know it’s hard to do when you feel like that, I’m in the middle of it myself, but I really think that you need to move your body a little to release the tension. Start out with 10 minute walks…… I will do the same (I haven’t really started, but I do know that I feel better those days that I have done something, little as it may be). Good luck! Marika

Response:

Hi all, I suffer from anxiety and am wondering how many other people out there suffer from muscle aches/general weekness? Usually from the minute I wake up my arms, legs, and joints are aching (but not bad enough that it causes interferance in my day), however all physical tests so far show nothing. I’m really paranoid that I have a physical illness, like MS or cancer, so the more I worry the worse I feel (We all know that feeling!). Can someone reassure me that my body aches are stress related? I don’t do much exercise, and feel like I cant because I dont want to feel even worse. Thanks Rob.

Hi Rob, Yes, I do relate to the aches and pains. When my anxiety is high I ache soooo much. I recently was totally laid up with a bad back and I am sure this was due to the tension that I had. The only answer I have for this is walking. It helps me a lot. I normally do about 40 mins walking a day as I have to walk my daughter to school. It helps me a lot. It is always a good idea to be checked out by your doc but if they can’t find anything physical then I would say it’s possibly the tension in your body. Carol.. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Rob wrote….. I suffer from anxiety and am wondering how many other people out there suffer from muscle aches/general weekness? Usually from the minute I wake up my arms, legs, and joints are aching (but not bad enough that it causes interferance in my day), however all physical tests so far show nothing.

It isn`t a everyday anxiety symptom for me but when my anxiety has been high for awhile I do get achy ( mostly in my shoulders, neck and upper back) and suffer from charley horses in my calves. I tend to tighten my muscles when I am stressed or anxious and that tightness leads to muscle soreness. I’m really paranoid that I have a physical illness, like MS or cancer, so the more I worry the worse I feel (We all know that feeling!)

Believe me when I say that if you did indeed have one of these disorders it would have been detected with all the testing you have been through and you would have more distressing symptoms than aches and pains. Can someone reassure me that my body aches are stress related?

Being you have been tested and seen by a doctor I can assure you that this is anxiety related. I don’t do much exercise, and feel like I cant because I dont want to feel even worse.

Have you ever tried deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises? If you haven`t, you might want to give it a try. You might also want to get into some cognitive behavioral therapy……could really help you. Take care, Jackie

Response:

Hi.  I have fibromyalgia, and I’m not saying that is what you have, if it doesn’t interfere with your day then that is probably not it or anything else serious, I was pretty much debilitated and had to quit my job.  But I did have lots of muscle and joint pain and didn’t exercise because it seemed like a bad idea with all the pain.  But once I started exercising, I started feeling so much better.  You have to start slowly and work your way up to more.  Just start by walking for 10 minutes in the morning and work your way up to at least 1/2 hour of exercise and do it every day and you will feel much better. Sasha

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I suffer from anxiety and am wondering how many other people out there suffer from muscle aches/general weekness? Usually from the minute I wake up my arms, legs, and joints are aching (but not bad enough that it causes interferance in my day), however all physical tests so far show nothing. I’m really paranoid that I have a physical illness, like MS or cancer, so the more I worry the worse I feel (We all know that feeling!). Can someone reassure me that my body aches are stress related? I don’t do much exercise, and feel like I cant because I dont want to feel even worse. Thanks Rob.

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