Psychosomatic pain: “A combination of symptoms of physical pain in various body areas that occur during any life period, where treatment is sought for the pain by going to many health clinics, and resulting in disruption of social and/or occupational activities” [1, 2, 3]. “Soma” means the body.
The symptoms of psychosomatic illnesses are very real. The symptoms of psychosomatic illnesses are very real. We've all wondered whether an ache or pain could be the sign of something more sinister. For most of us it's a fleeting worry, quickly forgotten when the symptom disappears.
Nine Ways to Cope with Emotional Pain
- Find a New Hobby.
- Move Your Body.
- Don't Ruminate.
- Stop Telling the Story.
- Start Keeping a Journal.
- Cry.
- Open Yourself to Others, Let Them In.
- Make a List of What You're Thankful For.
People often think of pain as a purely physical sensation. However, pain has biological, psychological and emotional factors. Furthermore, chronic pain can cause feelings such as anger, hopelessness, sadness and anxiety.
When you whack yourself with a hammer, it feels like the pain is in your thumb. But really it's in your brain.
When we feel pain, such as when we touch a hot stove, sensory receptors in our skin send a message via nerve fibres (A-delta fibres and C fibres) to the spinal cord and brainstem and then onto the brain where the sensation of pain is registered, the information is processed and the pain is perceived.
Muscle tension, body soreness, headaches. For people with anxiety disorders, pain like this may be all too familiar. Pain can be a common symptom — and sometimes a good indicator — of an anxiety disorder, particularly generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Medications used in the treatment of phantom pain include:
- Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) might relieve phantom pain.
- Antidepressants.
- Anticonvulsants.
- Narcotics.
- N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists.
Usually, increased pain and worsening fatigue are the hallmarks of a fibromyalgia flare-up. Additional symptoms may also occur during flare-ups these flare-ups, including poor sleep, trouble thinking (cognitive dysfunction), digestive difficulty (such as acid reflux), swollen extremities, and numbness and tingling.
A common cause is pressure on a specific part of the arm or leg, which causes compression of nerves. This usually resolves quickly when the position is changed and the pressure is removed. Persistent pins and needles may be symptomatic of more serious conditions, such as nerve injury or inflammation.
But unfortunately, just like pain can make you feel worse mentally, your mind can cause pain without a physical source, or make preexisting pain increase or linger. This phenomenon is called psychogenic pain, and it occurs when your pain is related to underlying psychological, emotional, or behavioral factors.
For those who have experienced it, migratory chronic pain might be the answer. Migratory pain affects different parts of the body at different times. It can manifest as muscular aching, throbbing, burning, shooting, sharp or stabbing pain—or it can produce an overall body ache that mimics flu-like symptoms.
Is it flu or cold symptoms?
| Symptoms | Cold | Flu |
|---|
| General Aches, Pains | Slight | Usual; often severe |
| Fatigue, Weakness | Sometimes | Usual; can last 2 to 3 weeks |
| Extreme Exhaustion | Never | Usual; at the beginning of the illness |
| Stuffy Nose | Common | Sometimes |
6 easy and effective home remedies for body pain
- Do cold therapy. When you apply ice on the affected body part, it slows down the nerve impulses in that area thus relieving pain.
- Dip in a warm salt solution.
- Massage with mustard oil.
- Drink ginger tea.
- Drink turmeric and honey milk.
- Drink cherry juice.
Infection. Just like with the flu virus, your body can turn on the chills in response to other infections. This may help your immune system kick in faster and work better. Chills are a common symptom of infections like pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTI), and malaria.
Morning body aches can be caused by a lack of good quality sleep, which deprives your body's tissues and cells of repair time. An effective way to improve sleep is with exercise, which tires the body and reduces stress, helping to improve both the quality of your sleep, and the amount of sleep that you get each night.
There are no laboratory tests that can detect it, so it's up to your doctor to recognize the symptoms and exclude other conditions. One way that doctors try to narrow down a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is by exerting pressure on 18 small spots located throughout the body. These spots are known as tender points.
According to Carla Manley, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author, people with mental illnesses can experience a range of physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, pain, headaches, insomnia, and feelings of restlessness.
Do you have psychosomatic symptoms?6 common signs.
- Fatigue.
- Nausea/vomiting.
- Fever.
- Constipation/ Bloated Belly/ Abdominal Pain.
- High blood pressure.
- Back pain.
Symptoms of emotional pain can include feelings of: Deep sorrow, sadness, or depression. Grief. Intense distress.
Relaxation, meditation, positive thinking, and other mind-body techniques can help reduce your need for pain medication. Drugs are very good at getting rid of pain, but they often have unpleasant, and even serious, side effects when used for a long time.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has long been believed to be the one psychiatric disorder that produced the most intense emotional pain, agony, and distress in those who suffer with this condition. Studies have shown that borderline patients experience chronic and significant emotional suffering and mental agony.
The term psychosomatic refers to real physical symptoms that arise from or are influenced by the mind and emotions rather than a specific organic cause in the body (such as an injury or infection).
What are the warning signs of stress?
- Dizziness or a general feeling of "being out of it."
- General aches and pains.
- Grinding teeth, clenched jaw.
- Headaches.
- Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms.
- Increase in or loss of appetite.
- Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders.
- Problems sleeping.
Feeling run down, getting sick often, or feeling nauseous always is often explained by a lack of sleep, poor diet, anxiety or stress. However, it could also be a sign of pregnancy or chronic illness.
There are some signs and symptoms that a person may exhibit if they are in pain that can clue you in:
- Facial grimacing or a frown.
- Writhing or constant shifting in bed.
- Moaning, groaning, or whimpering.
- Restlessness and agitation.
- Appearing uneasy and tense, perhaps drawing their legs up or kicking.
Your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury when you're stressed. They tend to release again once you relax, but if you're constantly under stress, your muscles may not get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause headaches, back and shoulder pain, and body aches.
Your muscles may feel like they have been overworked or pulled even though you haven't exercised. Sometimes, your muscles will twitch. Other times they will burn or ache with deep stabbing pain. Some patients with fibromyalgia have pain and achiness around the joints in their neck, shoulders, back, and hips.
Share on Pinterest Feeling faint, chest pains, and dizziness are symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Anxiety chest pain is frequently described as a sharp, stabbing sensation that starts suddenly, even if the person is inactive.
Physical symptoms are often the first to subside, though depending on your anxiety levels, you may continue to hyperventilate and experience chest and abdominal discomfort. After the comedown of the attack, you may also feel tired or tension in your muscles.
Studies have shown a strong association between anxiety and respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath. Other symptoms that can occur during this response and as a result of anxiety include: faster breathing (hyperventilation) chest tightness.
Signs and Symptoms
- Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge.
- Being easily fatigued.
- Having difficulty concentrating; mind going blank.
- Being irritable.
- Having muscle tension.
- Difficulty controlling feelings of worry.
- Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, restlessness, or unsatisfying sleep.
When you have anxiety you experience long-term stress, and as a result your body continually produces these cytokine molecules. Inflammation caused by these molecules cause your joints to swell and ultimately leads to more pain in your movements.
