Stress can seem hard to define, as it describes a wide range of things that can cause physical and mental effects on the body, and our bodies are built to deal with many types of it. A broad definition of stress would be emotional, physical, or mental strain, or what you experience when the demands on you exceed your ability to cope with them.
The results of stress can be positive (eustress) or negative, and can lead to a wide range of symptoms and conditions throughout the body, depending on the cause. This can lead to problems with your digestive tract. If stress is causing digestive issues, it’s important to understand how and why.
Let’s look at how stress affects the body, the digestive problems it can cause, and what we can do to ease your symptoms. Dr. Eric Ibegbu and his dedicated medical staff at Atlantic Medical Group are here to help the Kinston, Jacksonville, and Gastonia, North Carolina, residents with many digestive issues, including those stemming from stress.
The body uses stress to brace for danger and other stimuli, but sustained stress can negatively affect the body in many ways. Stress issues can lead to hypertension, sleeping problems, headaches, chest pains, and even an upset stomach. Stress can also affect other conditions, like diabetes, depression, anxiety, asthma, and arthritis.
Stress-related health problems affect as many as 40% of adults, and between 75-90% of doctor visits have problems with stress involved. The prevalence of emotional disorders (over 50% over a lifetime) frequently comes from untreated, chronic stress issues.
When you become stressed, your body produces increased amounts of the hormone cortisol through your autonomic nervous system, and in addition to the other changes it can cause in other areas of the body, your digestive system can experience issues. These include esophageal spasms, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and increased acid levels in the stomach.
With severe stress problems, you can experience decreased flow of blood and oxygen to the stomach, which may cause cramping, inflammation, and gut bacteria imbalances. Stress can also exacerbate existing conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and peptic ulcers.
To lower the impact stress has on your digestive health, multiple methods can be useful, including:
Stress can be harmful to your digestive tract and your overall health, but it can be managed, and we can help. Make an appointment with Dr. Ibegbu and Atlantic Medical Group today to lower the impact of stress on your digestive health.
