Wellness is a dynamic process and it changes with age and circumstance. Understanding your current state of wellness improves your knowledge, helps you set goals and empowers you to make better choices for a healthier life. Stress can greatly affect your wellness. Understanding more about stress and how to limit your stress can help lead you to a path of wellness.
Common Symptoms of Stress:
- Headaches
- Backaches
- Rapid heartbeat
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
- Recurring nightmares
- Irritability
- Loss of concentration
Common Causes of Stress:
- Health problems
- Financial concerns
- Communication issues at work and home
- Social isolation
It is important to investigate symptoms of stress as prolonged stress poses a potential health threat. Chronic stress is believed to raise the risk of increased blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic back pain, depression and a reduced immune response.
Effective steps for dealing with stress:
- Discuss your symptoms and your feelings about them
- Keep a diary to gain insight into your concerns and emotional patterns
- Exercise regularly engaging in both aerobic and weight training
- Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation deep breathing exercises
- Maintain your immune system by eating well balanced meals, exercising regularly and getting sufficient sleep.
- Avoid destructive behaviors, including overindulgence of alcohol, caffeine or smoking
- Seek professional help if any of your symptoms persist, interfering with your sense of well-being and/or your personal/work relationships.
- Medications
- Recurrent acute anxiety (episodic anxiety): Diazepam (Valium), Lorazepam (Ativan), or Alprazolin (Xanax). These drugs work very rapidly to alleviate symptomatic anxiety and should not be taken for more than two weeks.
- Depression: When anxiety is part of an underlying depression or a more generalized anxiety disorder the following medications may be considered: Selective serotonin-uptake inhibitors: Fluoxetin (Prozac), or Paroxetine (Paxil) or other antidepressant medication. These drugs can take up to six weeks to achieve their full therapeutic effect.
- Insomnia: Zaleplon (Sonata), Zolpiden (Ambien) or Temazapan (Restoril), short term use.
Contact Gordon C. Gunn, M.D. in Fullerton, CA for more information on stress, women’s wellness or for any other gynecological or urology needs. Call 714-912-2211 or visit his website www.gordongunnmd.com.