Please Help! Chest back and arm pains

[Skippy1]

I wonder if anyone can make me feel more at ease....I've suffered with anxiety and panic attacks for years....mostly linked to health anxiety. After a very difficult couple of weeks at work my anxiety is back with a vengeance! I've been getting some terrible upper back pains and pains in my chest and arms, I've managed to convince myself that I'm seriously Ill (again) and am almost at the point of giving up! HELP??!!!

[tinycritter]

Hi Skippy1,

Sorry you're having such a bad time. I don't know if this will help in any way but try to remember that when we get very anxious we tense up like mad, and musclar tension can cause a lot of discomfort and pain. One of my primary anxiety symptoms is chest and shoulder pain because when I'm stressed or scared I hunch up a lot, it has left me in agony before and all because I was stressed and anxious. Most of the time I don't even realise I'm tensing up and it takes a physical effort to relax. If you can, try and focus on relaxing, take deep breaths etc and see if you feel better (it can take a little while).

x

[Skippy1]

Thankyou!....it's good to know other people understand....I just don't get how my brain playing tricks can leave me in such physical discomfort. How long have you suffered for?

[tinycritter]

It's ridiculous the things our minds do to us, I could slap my brain sometimes! I've had health anxiety for about 6-7 years now, it goes away for a while then comes back with a vengeance. I've had shoulder/chest and and arm pains on and off for about 2 years. I didn't believe my GP at first when he told me it was because I was tense!

x

[Skippy1]

Yeah I've been fighting it for eight years now but I still need reassuring every so often that I'm not completely crazy!

[tinycritter]

Same here, I think we all need a bit of reassurance every so often just so we can get our bearings! I hope you feel better soon x

[Utility]

Hi

Do you ever do any swimming? I find it great for easing these sorts of tensions.