Stress and underlying illnesses

October 18, 2013 by Olufemi Oboye 

   

Olufemi Oboye

According to the American Institute for Stress, the word ‘stress,’ as it is currently used, was coined by Hans Selye in 1936. He defined it as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.”

Selye had noted in numerous experiments that laboratory animals subjected to acute but different noxious physical and emotional stimuli, such as blaring light, deafening noise, extremes of heat or cold and perpetual frustration, all exhibited the same pathologic changes of stomach ulcerations, shrinkage of lymphoid tissue and enlargement of the adrenals.

He later demonstrated that persistent stress could cause these animals to develop various diseases similar to those seen in humans, such as heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Modern  life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustration, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. But when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body may pay the price. You can protect yourself by understanding stress and how to reduce its harmful effects. Anything that poses a challenge or a threat to our well-being is a stress.

Signs, symptoms of stress

Symptoms of stress are enormous, and they include frequent headaches, jaw-clenching, grinding teeth, stuttering or stammering, tremors, trembling lips or hands, neck ache, back pain, muscle spasms, light headedness, faintness, dizziness, ringing/buzzing or ‘popping’ sounds, sweating, cold or sweaty hands/feet, dry mouth, problems swallowing, frequent colds, infections, herpes sores, rashes, itching, hives, goose bumps, heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, excess belching, flatulence, constipation, diarrhoea, loss of control, difficulty in breathing, frequent sighing, chest pain, palpitations, rapid pulse, frequent urination, and diminished sexual desire or performance, among others.

Believe it or not, the list is inexhaustible!

Stress and immunity

There is an inverse relationship between stress and immunity. This implies that increased stress results in decrease in level of immunity. So, if you’re under too much stress, you may be getting sick more often. Below are some simple but important signs and symptoms that may be clues of an underlying illness. Knowledge of these signs and symptoms will help early detection of subtle or potential life-threatening conditions.

Signs, symptoms of underlying illness

Abdominal pain: This may be indicative of appendicitis, food allergies, food poisoning, gastro-intestinal disorders, pre-menstrual syndrome and hiatal hernia — an anatomical abnormality in which a part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm and up into the chest.

Abnormal vaginal discharge: This may be indicative of yeast infection, such as candidiasis, Chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhoea or trichomoniasis.

Back ache: It may be indicative of back strain, degenerative disc disease, lack of exercise, obesity, spinal injury or pancreatic disorders.

Blood in urine, stool, vomit: This condition may be indicative of hemorrhoids, infections, polyps, bowel tumors, ulcers, renal calculi, cancer of the kidneys, colon or bladder.

Difficulty swallowing: It may be indicative of emotional stress, inflammation of the oesophagus due to trauma or foreign body, hiatal hernia, or cancer of the aesophagus.

Excessive sweating: It may be indicative of thyroid disorder, stress, food allergies, fever, infection or Hodgkin’s disease.

Frequent urination: It may be indicative of bladder infection, a diuretic effect, excessively taking in liquid.

Indigestion: It may be indicative of poor diet, lack of digestive enzymes such as hydrochloric acid, gall bladder dysfunction, heart disease, acidosis, alkalosis, allergies, stress, adrenal, liver or pancreatic disorders.

Persistant cough: This may be indicative of lung disorders, pneumonia, emphysema, bronchitis, influenza, food allergies or cancer.

Persistant headache: This may be indicative of migraines, eye strain, need for glasses, allergies, asthma, drugs, glaucoma, high blood pressure, brain tumor, vitamin deficiencies, sinusitis or stress due to personal life experiences.

Sudden weight gain: It may be indicative of over-eating, lack of exercise, underactive thyroid condition or edema.

Sudden weight loss (unexplained): It may be indicative of cancer, diabetes, overactive thyroid condition, hepatitis, mononucleosis, parasites, infection or malabsorption syndrome.

Swelling in the arm, legs or abdomen: This may be indicative of edema, localised traumatic injury, heart condition, kidney dysfunction, side effects of some medication or food allergies.

Swollen lymph nodes: It may be indicative of chronic infection, lymphoma, various cancers, toxic metal build-up or Hodgkin’s disease.

Excessive thirst: It may be indicative of diabetes, infection, excessive exercise or fever.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms as described, please seek medical intervention from a qualified and experienced medical doctor.

The goal of this article is to provide you with information that may be useful in attaining optimum health. Nothing in it is meant as a prescription or as medical advice. You should consult your physician before implementing any changes in your diet, exercise or other lifestyle habits.

Have a splendid weekend.