really sore muscles!

[Katie_cupcakes]

I'm just wondering if anyone else gets this as an anxiety symptom, the !muscles in my chest and upper back and neck have been angonising! I couldnt sleep it was so painful. When I did eventually get to sleep I woke up in a sweat and felt seriously dehydrated. Drank a whole big glass of water, still felt dehydrated.

Anyone else had this? Iv been having a rough month and stress and anxiety has been building these past few weeks. Iv been to the Dr who has done quite a few tests but all has come back clear. Its hard to be reassured that there's nothing wrong with you, when it feels so much like there is something really sinister going on.

[trish1955]

I ave been suffering all this to and yep I have had a lot of stress at home making my anxiety high xx

[mummyanxious]

Yes and mine is my legs which is bad as they cramp up and ache whenever I walk :( Blood tests all normal so far...

[AlMc]

I get the same with my chest muscles. They go really tight and get very painful. My doc tells me its my anxiety as i get myself worked up problem is i can never untense the muscle and he sometimes prescribes me citilopram pram in order to relax me. I always thought there was something wrong with me also and as the pain was in my chest i always panicked and made it even worse lol. I have been getting that for years though and even the fact i am thinking about it is giving me the sensation of it but i know now it's caused by anxiety because i have been getting it for years. Anxiety can manifest its self in many ways.

[Katie_cupcakes]

I was reading about muscle tension and how it causes lactic acid to build up which could be the cause of the dehydration when I wake up in the night.
I know I shouldn't Google but I can't help it! I managed to keep the pain at bay all day, probably from being at work and having my mind on other things, of course now I'm home alone its all I can think about and I can feel the tension and tightness in my chest.
I really need to see about getting meds for the anxiety. I was referred for therapy, but all I got told was to 'count elephants'...so that was a little unhelpful.

[AlMc]

Yeha i was told to breath in my nose and out my mouth and count every breath... not so helpful. One thing i do find helpful though is to press the small piece of skin between my thumb and index finger as its a pressure point for tension. I also always try and take my mind of it by either playing a video game, reading a book something that requires me to focus and i can get lost in. I tend to avoid meds myself if i can help it as i get paranoid when i take them but sometimes there needed.

[Katie_cupcakes]

I also got the same breathing advice.
I worry so much that I can't actually sleep. I'm scared to sleep which makes things worse, but I do use a lot of distractions to take my mind off things and it can help a little. X

[AlMc]

I know that feeling, i get really paranoid sometimes when i'm in my bed and worry that i wont wake up. Usually sleep with the tv on as it takes my mind of things or i think of a subject something i like like say astronomy ( geek i know lol) and when i am in my bed i just think about that and sometimes you can also get lost in the thought. Its not a cure or anything but i find it helps me and well everything is worth a try once specially in our situation.

[eve22]

I do! My doc gave me muscle relaxers for it, anxiety makes me tense up really back!! wbu?

[MyNameIsTerry]

I was reading about muscle tension and how it causes lactic acid to build up which could be the cause of the dehydration when I wake up in the night.
I know I shouldn't Google but I can't help it! I managed to keep the pain at bay all day, probably from being at work and having my mind on other things, of course now I'm home alone its all I can think about and I can feel the tension and tightness in my chest.
I really need to see about getting meds for the anxiety. I was referred for therapy, but all I got told was to 'count elephants'...so that was a little unhelpful.

Yes, when you put your muscles under any stress it causes a build up of lactic acid. Pick something fairly heavy up and lift it until you can't do it anymore e.g. curl your arm up to your shoulder or press it outwards from your body). You will feel it getting harder to do and you feel like your muscle is tighter...thats lactic acid build up. When you can't do it anymore, thats when the lactic acid is at it's highest.

It's nothing to worry about, it's part of how our bodies work. It's essentially a safety mechanism. If it didn't build up and stop us doing something, we would damage our muscles.

It's very common with anxiety and some of the anti depressants even cause it.

Have you tried Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)? That will help to loosen your muscles.

Have you ever got up in the morning and felt stiff? Get some exercise and it will go off because you need to warm your muscles up and get the blood flowing...which transports oxygen & nutrients to repair any damage.

From a muscular point of view, damage is just how it works. If you lift weights you are trying to cause micro tears because thats what makes the body respond by growing bigger & stronger to take the extra workload you are putting on it.

Depression tends to have an affect of making us more achey and lethargic. This can mean we wake up feeling worse.

Keep drinking water, look at PMR and perhaps consider exercise that is aimed at stretching & lengthening your muscles such as yoga or pilates. These also help because stretching causes your body to react by transporting more of the nutrients around.

It could even be your sleep position or lack of support.