Can Stress Cause Flu Like Symptoms

Can Anxiety Cause Dizziness

Anxiety disorders may be associated with dizziness.

People with anxiety disorders, particularly those with panic disorder, often complain of feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

However, the link between dizziness and anxiety isn’t completely clear.

It’s thought, though, that stress-related hormones or compounds released during the fight-or-flight response might affect the vestibular system within the inner ear, which coordinates balance and movement. This, in turn, may be the source of feelings of dizziness or lightheadedness in some individuals with anxiety disorders.

Tips To Eliminate Stress And Overcome Cold

In times when you are feeling stressed and are looking for immediate peace, there are a number of things you can do to take the edge off. Here are a few ideas you might want to consider:

• Relax: Dedicate 20 minutes per day to relax, collect your thoughts, or just spend some quiet time alone.
• Talk to a friend: Meet a friend for a drink, tea, or coffee and have some quality conversation.
• Put things into perspective: Sometimes what seems like a major problem wont seem that significant when you look at it in comparison to other things in your life.
• Try something new: Schedule some time, once a week, to try something or go somewhere new. It could be a shop around the corner or a park across town. You can also participate in a new activity, such as hiking or joining a painting class or community group. Try something that gives you a new experience, something to look forward to and focus your attention somewhere other than the things bogging you down.

If you dont know whats causing your stress or how its affecting you, it can be very difficult to get healthy and feel any relief. For effective stress relief and stress management, try to assess your stressors and see how you can organize them in a productive, positive way.

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How Can The Flu Harm Your Pregnancy

Health complications from the flu, like a lung infection called pneumonia, can be serious and even deadly, especially if youre pregnant. If you get the flu during pregnancy, youre more likely than other adults to have serious complications. Its best to get a flu shot before you get pregnant. Getting a flu shot can help reduce your risk of getting the flu, having serious flu complications and needing treatment in a hospital.

Pregnant women who get the flu are more likely than women who dont get it to have preterm labor and premature birth (birth that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Fever from the flu may be linked to birth defects, like neural tube defects, and other problems in your baby. A birth defect is a health condition that is present at birth. Birth defects change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. They can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops, or in how the body works. Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.

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Your Weight Starts To Fluctuate

“Stress triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which impairs your body’s ability to process blood sugar and changes the way you metabolize fat, protein, and carbs, which can lead to weight gain or loss,” says Shanna Levine, MD, a primary care physician and clinical instructor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Stress can also cause people to engage in unhealthy behaviors like overeating or under eating.

What to do: Snack on nuts. The protein will help if you’re under-eating, and the fiber will fill you up if you’ve been bingeing. Here are some more healthy ways to de-stress with food.

If You’re Sick Allow Time For Physical And Mental Rest

Prior to the pandemic, it wasn’t uncommon to go to work or school despite being sick. COVID-19 has changed that those who are sick need to stay home as much as possible, experts say.

Working from home has also caused some employees to feel they need to work through sickness. Smerling highlights the importance of allowing oneself to be sick, and to take better care to soothe and heal. Getting outside, watching a fun movie or TV show and reaching out to loved ones are important parts of slowing down and practicing self-care.

“I think that’s a profound lesson that we have learned from the pandemic: that it’s okay to take your foot off the ,” she says. “You’re still going to be driving the car, but you’re not going to be driving the car at 90 miles an hour. It’s OK to to go inside and in reflect and take some time away from the frantic everyday world.”

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What If A Woman Has An Untreated Uti

This is commonly seen in women who suffer from UTIs due to unhygienic practices and a weakened immune system. It can have serious consequences if pregnant women or young children suffer from urinary tract infections. A rare but serious health complication caused by an untreated UTI is permanent kidney damage or kidney infection .

What Are Signs And Symptoms Of The Flu

Signs of a condition are things someone else can see or know about you, like you have a rash or youre coughing. Symptoms are things you feel yourself that others cant see, like having a sore throat or feeling dizzy. Common signs and symptoms of the flu include:

• Being very tired or sleepy
• Fever , chills or body shakes. Not everyone who has the flu has a fever.
• Sore throat
• Vomiting or diarrhea

The flu often comes on quickly. Fever and most other symptoms can last a week or longer. But some people can be sick from the flu for a long time, including children, people older than 65, pregnant women and women who have recently had a baby.

• Feeling your baby move less or not at all
• High fever that doesnt go down after taking acetaminophen . Dont take any medicine without checking with your provider first.
• Pain or pressure in the chest or belly
• Sudden dizziness or confusion
• Trouble breathing or shortness of breath
• Vomiting thats severe or doesnt stop
• Flu signs or symptoms that get better but then come back with fever and a worse cough

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Psychological Symptoms Of Gad

GAD can cause a change in your behaviour and the way you think and feel about things, resulting in symptoms such as:

• restlessness
• difficulty concentrating
• irritability

Your symptoms may cause you to withdraw from social contact to avoid feelings of worry and dread.

You may also find going to work difficult and stressful, and may take time off sick. These actions can make you worry even more about yourself and increase your lack of self-esteem.

You Always Have A Cold

Stress suppresses the immune system, which makes it easier for you to get sick and harder to fight off bugs. “When people are stressed, they get sick. It could be a cold or cold sores, which pop up because the immune system can’t suppress the virus,” says Dr. Levine. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh infected volunteers with a cold virus those who reported in a survey that they were coping with many stresses were twice as likely to get sick as those with fewer problems, Parents.com reported. Here are some simple habits that boost your immune system.

What to do: One study found that zinc supplements or lozenges can shorten the length of a cold by about a day if taken within 24 hours of feeling sick. Meditation, regular exercise, and plenty of sleep can also help you de-stress and boost your immune system. Also, give one of these cold sore remedies or natural cold remedies a try.

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Can Anxiety Make You Feel Things That Arent There

The answer is yes, anxiety can make you feel things that are not there. The way that anxiety works makes you more aware of things that are likely to cause you anxiety. So an anxiety sufferer may hear a tap dripping, or hear their own footsteps echoing in their ears or feel like they are sweating but not actually be sweating or hear their footsteps or feel like they are sweating but not actually be sweating..

How Long Does Fever Last With Urinary Tract Infections

What to expect: The fever usually goes away within 48 hours. The pain and burning is often much better within 48 hours. Frequency is also usually better within 48 hours.

How do you know if a UTI has spread to your kidneys?

The infection can spread from the urinary tract to the kidneys or, more rarely, the kidneys can become infected with bacteria in the blood. Chills, fever, back pain, nausea and vomiting may occur. Urine and sometimes blood and imaging tests are done if doctors suspect pyelonephritis.

What happens if a UTI goes untreated for a week?

The infection from an untreated UTI can eventually pass through the body and become very dangerous, even fatal. If a bladder infection is left untreated, it can become a kidney infection. A kidney infection is a much more serious infection, as the infection can spread through the blood and cause sepsis.

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Why Is The Flu So Harmful During Pregnancy

The flu can be dangerous during pregnancy because pregnancy affects your immune system, heart and lungs. Your immune system is your bodys way of protecting itself from illnesses and diseases. When your body senses something like a virus that can harm your health, your immune system works hard to fight the virus.

When youre pregnant, your immune system isnt as quick to respond to illnesses as it was before pregnancy. Your body knows that pregnancy is OK and that it shouldnt reject your baby. So, your body naturally lowers the immune systems ability to protect you and respond to illnesses so that it can welcome your growing baby. But a lowered immune system means youre more likely get sick with viruses like the flu.

Another reason the flu can be harmful during pregnancy is that your lungs need more oxygen, especially in the second and third trimesters. Your growing belly puts pressure on your lungs, making them work harder in a smaller space. You may even find yourself feeling shortness of breath at times. Your heart is working hard, too. Its busy supplying blood to you and your baby. All of this means your body is stressed during pregnancy. This stress on your body can make you more likely to get the flu. If youre pregnant or had a baby within the last 2 weeks, youre more likely than other women to have serious health problems from the flu.

Coping With Changes In Mood

The most common changes in mood and mental health that accompany long COVID are anxiety, depression, and trauma. While the issues seem to be most severe in those who experienced acute COVID-19 symptoms and were hospitalized, they are still common among those who were only treated as outpatients.

What we know for certain is that physical and mental health are closely linked. By taking care of your mental health, you may be able to reduce the debilitating effects of your physical symptoms as well.

Anxiety. When youre struggling with long-haul COVID, its understandable to feel anxious or uncertain about how soon youll recover, whether youll suffer any long-term complications, or when youll be able to fully resume your old life. While constant tension, unease, and worry can wear you down, there are steps you can take to ease your anxiety. Creating a worry period, challenging anxious thoughts, and learning to accept uncertainty can significantly reduce worry and calm your anxious mind.

Stress. While high stress levels can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, there are plenty of things you can do to lower your stress. While youre coping with long COVID symptoms, try to cut down on your responsibilities and learn simple but effective stress management techniques to help you feel more calm and focused.

Lawrence Robinson and Melinda Smith, M.A.

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References

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What Are Some Of The Worst Symptoms Caused By Extreme Stress

Extreme stress can cause you to have a heart attack, stroke or develop diabetes. It also increases the risk of depression and anxiety disorders. The good news is that there are many things we can do to combat extreme stress, including

• Exercising regularly,
• Taking time out for yourself and your loved ones,
• Reducing alcohol consumption if feeling stressed out often by drinking in moderation instead of binge drinking which only makes things worse
• Establishing social ties with friends and family members who understand how difficult it is sometimes to juggle work life with personal life when one has little free time due to long hours at work
• Meditation and relaxation techniques such as mindfulness meditation where one focuses on their breath or yoga which helps release tension from our muscles

How Can You Stop The Flu From Spreading

When you have the flu, you can spread it to others. Heres what you can do to help prevent it from spreading:

• Stay home when youre sick and limit contact with others.
• Dont kiss anyone.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your arm. Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before touching anyone. You also can use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Use enough hand sanitizer so that it takes at least 15 seconds for your hands to dry.
• Use hot, soapy water or a dishwasher to wash your dishes and utensils.
• Dont share your dishes, glasses, utensils or toothbrush.

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Can Anxiety Cause Shortness Of Breath

Certain anxiety disorders can cause feelings of shortness of breath.

General anxiety increases your respiration rate, causing you to breathe more rapidly than usual. This faster breathing, also called hyperventilation, isn’t the same as shortness of breath, however.

Shortness of breath feels like a tightening in your chest and often comes with trouble breathing. It’s not a common symptom of general anxiety.

However, similar to feelings of chest pain, shortness of breath is associated with panic attacks and panic disorder, a specific type of anxiety disorder.

Since it can be a sign of heart attack or another life-threatening condition, unexplained shortness of breath is a medical emergency. Whether you have a history of panic attacks or not, you should go to the emergency room if you’re experiencing sudden and/or severe shortness of breath.

What Is Extreme Stress

Extreme stress is often caused by significant life events, such as losing a loved one, ending a relationship or moving to another city. In many cases, people who live through these events can suffer from extreme stress symptoms.

Stress is the bodys automatic response to any demand or threat. It can be either mild or severe, temporary or ongoing, but it always signals the bodys alarm system to take action.

Psychological stress happens when a person is under pressure or has extreme emotions. Acute stress symptoms are intense behavioural symptoms that occur after a stressful situation or during a chronic stress situation. Depending on the type of extreme stress symptoms encountered, it might be short-term or long-term. When intense stress symptoms last for more than one day, it becomes extreme stress.

Stress has the power to alter your emotions, behaviors, cognitive function, and physical health. There is no immunity to any of the bodys parts. On the other hand, stress symptoms may vary since people respond to stress differently. The emotional symptoms might be vague or mistaken for a medical condition.

Extreme stress symptoms can be physical, emotional or behavioral aberrations. People usually experience undue stress from intense emotions such as anxiety or extreme sadness or from extreme events such as a terrorist attack. Certain people are more likely to suffer extreme stress than others, such as those with strong personalities or extreme lives.

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Can Stress Cause Colds And Flu

It’s winter, and like every year colds and flu are doing the rounds. Why, however, do some people turn into snivelling wrecks while others remain largely unaffected?

What we do know is that disease tends to strike when were suffering from stress, and according to a Health24 article, you know you’re stressed if you’re suffering from some or all of the following symptoms:

• Irrational and inappropriate bursts of anger and aggression
• Concentration problems
• Depression
• Increased or decreased appetite

Bhekisisa reminds us that every day, an estimated 21 South Africans commit suicide and that, according to experts, stress could be a significant contributing factor.

And according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, people exposed to chronic stress have shorter telomeres in their white blood cells, which leads to ageing and shorter lifespans.

‘Fight or flight’

Until not so long ago, most stressful situations or threats in life required physical action for example when confronted by a hungry lion or members of an enemy tribe we had the choice of running away or facing the danger. This is called the “fight or flight” reaction.

Nowadays, even though stressful situations like losing your job or not being able to pay the mortgage dont require a physical response, our bodies don’t know the difference, and we still react the way our forefathers did by automatically releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

Compromised immunity

• A positive mindset

How Can You Lessen The Impact Of Extreme Stress

One way to lessen the impact of extreme stress is through relaxation, including deep breathing techniques. Changing your thought processes can also help reduce the effects of extreme stress. Learning to cope with difficult situations is another meaningful way to lessen the impact of extreme stress.

While coping with extreme stress can be difficult, learning more about different coping techniques may help. Ways to cope with the effects of extreme stress include taking time for oneself, limiting exposure to stressful situations and surrounding yourself with supportive people.

When experiencing extreme stress, people must relax and unwind to ease their minds and body. This can be done through exercising, spending time in nature, listening to calming music and practicing deep breathing exercises.

In addition to taking time out for themselves, it is also vital that people spend enough time with family and friends to reduce feelings of isolation or loneliness. It is also essential that people invest their time in other activities that they find rewarding, whether this is an activity with career goals or their favorite pastime.

If you feel that extreme stress symptoms are affecting your ability to function at home or in the workplace, it is recommended by health care professionals to seek help from a trained therapist.

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