Stress is a normal part of one’s life but the effects of chronic stress on ones body can be tremendous. Chronic stress can affect almost every organ of our body in a negative way. It has been estimated that approximately 70% of visits to the doctor are partly related to chronic stress.

What is stress?
Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. We encounter stress at all times in our lives but, fortunately, not all stress is harmful. Some stress, mainly acute short-term stress, can help to keep us vital. Some stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. Chronic stress, however, tends to cause the most negative effects on our bodies.

How does chronic stress affect our health?
Our bodies are designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress becomes negative when one faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges.

Continuous chronic stress can lead to distress which can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure and problems sleeping.

Stress also becomes very harmful when individuals use alcohol, tobacco or other illegal drugs to relieve it. Very often, instead of relieving the stress these substances tend to keep the body in a stress state and cause more problems.

Chronic stress can wear down the body’s natural defences leading to a variety of physical symptoms including the following:

• General aches and pains

• Grinding teeth, clenched jaw

• Headaches
• Indigestion
• Increase in or loss of appetite
• Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders
• Problems sleeping
• Racing heart
• Cold and sweaty palms
• Tiredness, exhaustion
• Trembling/shaking
• Weight gain or loss
• Upset stomach
• Sexual difficulties

When faced with chronic stress and an over activated autonomic nervous system, people begin to see physical symptoms. The first symptoms are relatively mild, like chronic headaches and increased susceptibility to colds. With more exposure to chronic stress, however, more serious health problems may develop. These stress-influenced conditions include, but are not limited to:
• Depression

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Hair loss

• Heart disease

• Hyperthyroidism

• Obesity

•Obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder

• Sexual dysfunction

• Tooth and gum disease

• Ulcers
• Cancer (possibly)
Coping with chronic stress
There are many books written about coping with stress. Some of the main issues for coping with chronic stress include the following:

Individuals should learn to relax in a healthy way, such as breathing exercises, meditation and praying, and engaging in regular physical activities.

Individuals should identify the problem for causing the stress. This is important to keep it from happening again.

Address the problem. This might mean making a change or even accepting the situation as out of one’s control without stressing about it any further.

Most doctors are reluctant to prescribe medications to treat chronic stress unless the person has an anxiety disorder.

Strategies for coping with stress include looking at our diet, physical and emotional well-being, amount of time we sleep and quality of sleep, leisure activities and a range of other aspects of our lives.

Conclusion
Chronic stress affects all parts of the body if we do not develop healthy techniques to cope with it. Everyday we are faced with many stressful stimuli some of which might be positive but in most instances continuous chronic stress can lead to a variety of health conditions some of which can be serious. Individuals not able to deal with chronic stress should seek professional help.
Ask Your Doctor is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. Dr. Brett Hodge is an obstetrician/gynaecologist and family doctor who has over twenty years in clinical practice. Dr. Hodge has a medical practice in the Johnson Building in The Valley.

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