The Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

The physical symptoms of anxiety in acupuncture and Chinese medicine is not isolated to just physical (somatic) manifestations but also mental (cognitive), both of which can affect emotional wellbeing.

Physical symptoms are:

• Tremor
• Sweating
• Palpitations
• Chest pain
• Breathlessness
• Gastro-intestinal problems such as diarrhoea
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Poor concentration
• Insomnia
• And others such as Pacing back and forth

In contrast, the psychological or mental manifestations are:

• Apprehension
• Irritability
• Fear of impending disaster
• Depersonalisation
• And others such as worrying, intrusive thoughts

Defining Characteristics

The defining characteristics may be subjective or objective.

Subjective characteristics include increased tension, apprehension, persistent increased helplessness and feelings of uncertainly, inadequacy, fear, over-excitability, distress, worry, and impending doom.

Objective characteristics include increased heart rate, dilated pupils, restlessness, insomnia, glancing about, poor eye contact, trembling, facial tension, quivering voice, self focus, increased perspiration, and expressed concern regarding life events.

Note also that some people can hyperventilate when anxious. Hyperventilation can be episodic and can often be recurrent.

This hyperventilation is over-breathing - with resultant respiratory alkalosis and fall in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood. Breathing in and out of a paper or plastic bag sometimes helps.

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