Tension and back pain

[jay28]

Hi everyone,

Been doing ok lately, but struggling the last 3 days or so.

My muscles in my neck, shoulders and upper back feel really hard and tight all the time, have also started to get some back pain the last few days.

Does anybody else get hard muscles or tension like i have and if so is there anything i can do to try and relax them, im sure it is all anxiety related, but as you all know there is always doubts that it might be something else.

[honeybee3939]

Hi Jason

Tension and aches and pains are such a common sympton with anixety hun, so try not to worry, have you ever tried one of those wheat bags that you heat up in the microwave they are great for neck and should tension, i geuss learning to relax is the best cure.:hugs:

Try this link too it may help..
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=7794

Love
:hugs:
Andrea
xxxx

[franklin2003]

The most common symptom is tension, that is what bodies do when they experience anxiety. The best way to treat it, relax, drink water, accept, exercise, and treat the underlying cause..the anxiety!...then it will go away.

[doglover]

Hi,
I have just found this website tonight and I am so glad I did.
I have had upper back pain for the last 1 1/2 years. The last couple of weeks have been unbearable and led to my second panic attack. From the moment I get up I feel as if I have a sack of potatoes weighing down on my shoulders and tightness in my chest. I also have jaw pain and arm numbness and keep feeling dizzy. I have sore spots on my spine and shoulder blade and also intermitently in my ribs and chest.
I have been to an Osteopath who says I have chronic muscle tension and has told me I need to start doing some exercise, especially swimming. I also use a heat pack on my back and try to do stretches throughout the day. The osteopath gives me deep tissue massage and acupunture which aleviates the pain for a short while.
Like you I worry that it is more than just muscle tension which only makes me feel worse. I have had an ECG (I called an ambulance when I had the panic attack as i was alone in the middle of the night and thought i was having a heart attack). Ive also had a chest xray which came back normal and blood tests. My doctor says its anxiety and I started taking Citalopram yesterday which has made me feel tired all day.
I have decided I am going to pay for an MRI scan privately to put my mind at rest I do not have a tumour or something.
Sorry I cant give you any more advice but you are not alone and its miserable.
Take care
Donna:yesyes:

[franklin2003]

it's good you are on medication but you need to do something about the underlying cause, the muscle tension. Have you seen someone to talk to about this and have you started an exercise program. I think 50% of people with anxiety would be cured if they just started a simple program of exercise and stuck to it. That means once you are in shape 30-60 minutes of a good cardio workout. It melts away all of your problems.

[jay28]

Thanks everyone for your comments, back pain seems alot better today, still quite tense, will try to relax, mind has been wondering again today, had quite a bit to drink last night which always seems to make my anxiety worse the next day.

[pete69]

Thanks everyone for your comments, back pain seems alot better today, still quite tense, will try to relax, mind has been wondering again today, had quite a bit to drink last night which always seems to make my anxiety worse the next day.

hi jason,
alcohol and anxiety dont go together as im sure your aware,u might feel great after the 3rd one and even more relaxed after the 4th! but it always comes back to kick us in the teeth:blush: ...next day is sooo much harder for us than people who dont suffer with anxiety/tension,what can we do give up drinking so we dont feel crap the next day?never an option as lifes to short,just grin n bear it like we always do.

ok the point about the tension..100% of it is anxiety and that wont go away
overnight,so you need to address it by deep relaxation,tenseing and releasing muscles,and as others have said exercise is good.
but the tension we are holding on to is emotional tension,so even if you are away from a stressfull situation and at home on your own you will still have the tension as its become a habit.

find a decent download and practice it everyday for 20mins,in 2 weeks you will notice those rock hard knots in your neck will be greatly reduced and you will feel a whole lot better.

good luck
pete