The king of anxiety symptoms! Muscle tension is responsible for 90% of anxiety symptoms. Having headache? it’s muscle tension. Having back, shoulders, neck, arms pain? It’s muscle tension. Having jaw pain, eye pain? yup, it’s muscle tension. Thinking that you’re having a heart attack due to chest pain? guess what, muscle tension can cause that. Feeling as you can’t stand or walk because your legs feel like jelly and giving out underneath you? yes, it’s muscle tension. You want more? OK. have you ever felt like your throat is tight and it’s difficult to swallow or breathe? Or your chest and rib cage feel like they’re being tied up by a metal chain, making it hard to take a deep breath? You guessed it! It’s muscle tension.
Anxiety causes a constant flow of stress hormone in our body. The entire muscular system reacts by tensing up and staying tense. This leads to a lot of pain and discomfort, nearly everywhere on your body.
This is actually our defense mechanism to fight danger or to run away from it. Our muscles are primed for action. But there’s no danger! Our tired and anxious mind interprets daily life situation incorrectly as we’re in danger. Therefore, our muscles have little to no break. And just like any mechanical system, it will eventually wear out and starts causing problems.
I remember my entire body was so stiff and painful, I felt like an 80-year-old man. My arms would go numb right away as soon as I lift them up or as I’m holding an object over my head. I felt like a giant metal chain was wrapped around my body, suffocating me and weighting me down, 24/7.
Warm bath, light exercise, stretching and some medications can be helpful in alleviating the pain and discomfort, short term. But for long term relief, you have to work on your anxiety and panic attacks. Once your stress level is down and your nerves have a chance to desensitize, your muscles will loosen up and the healing can begin.