Aa
anxiety problem
hi im 20 years old and dont feel i am anxius about anything, around 4 months ago i had an anxiety attack out of the blue. After that i never feel anxious but have a constant problem with my head where its ringing, low rumbling noices in my ear and an aching feeling in my head. I also ocasionally get my hands curling up and a dry mouth. Is this defionatley an anxiety problem even though i dont feel anxious about anything?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The nature of anxiey is that it is a signal of fear and worry, and when you successfully suppress the signal of anxiety( not feeling anxious) it shows up in your body in all sorts of ways, including what you are describing, so it is a good bet that you are experiencing anxiety in this form, but an exam by a doctor could help you be sure it is only that.
The ringing, etc in your ear is called tinnitus. It can be very aggravating.
I'm not sure about the aching feeling in your head. It could be a tension headache from stress, but I don't know.
Dry mouth can be a symptoms of anxiety.
It almost seems like you adopt the fight-flight response. Clenched fists remind me of someone preparing to fight. A curling of the hands is a slightly more socially acceptable adaptation.
The doctor is better qualified to make an interpretation of your symptoms.
You can be anxious without feeling stressed or anxious.
I have been stressed and anxious for a significant length of time and my anxiety is my baseline where I actually feel relaxed. When I see doctors or psychologists they all say I am severely anxious. I feel fine though -kind of.
I was wondering if a loud noise may have triggered your symptoms.
J
I'm not sure about the aching feeling in your head. It could be a tension headache from stress, but I don't know.
Dry mouth can be a symptoms of anxiety.
It almost seems like you adopt the fight-flight response. Clenched fists remind me of someone preparing to fight. A curling of the hands is a slightly more socially acceptable adaptation.
The doctor is better qualified to make an interpretation of your symptoms.
You can be anxious without feeling stressed or anxious.
I have been stressed and anxious for a significant length of time and my anxiety is my baseline where I actually feel relaxed. When I see doctors or psychologists they all say I am severely anxious. I feel fine though -kind of.
I was wondering if a loud noise may have triggered your symptoms.
J
And I too have other things to worry about. The issue comes and goes.
There are degrees of anxiety. Yours may be mild, you're lucky. Many of us started where you're at now. Perhaps if we were able to identify the issue at the time and resolve it we wouldn't be where we are today. Frankly, anxiety is the pits.
Another person a while back (? a week maybe I can't remember) also had similar issues. His fear was about Parkinson's, etc.
I think you're wrong. I think going to the doctor will help. Also if anything is found then you would have caught it early (just assuming there).
Avoidance is what many of us do too when we're stressed or anxious.
I think you should take the doctors advice and see your own doctor.
If they rule out mad cow disease and brain tumors, etc then perhaps you could ask about treating your anxiety. This can be serious and debilitating and is not a game. Our anxiety started some place too. Don't end up like us, or me.
I expect you'll expend energy on this until you resolve the issue(s). Or until it deteriorates to the point where you are forced to confront them. Or maybe it will just go away of its own accord.
It's your decision, your life.
J
There are degrees of anxiety. Yours may be mild, you're lucky. Many of us started where you're at now. Perhaps if we were able to identify the issue at the time and resolve it we wouldn't be where we are today. Frankly, anxiety is the pits.
Another person a while back (? a week maybe I can't remember) also had similar issues. His fear was about Parkinson's, etc.
I think you're wrong. I think going to the doctor will help. Also if anything is found then you would have caught it early (just assuming there).
Avoidance is what many of us do too when we're stressed or anxious.
I think you should take the doctors advice and see your own doctor.
If they rule out mad cow disease and brain tumors, etc then perhaps you could ask about treating your anxiety. This can be serious and debilitating and is not a game. Our anxiety started some place too. Don't end up like us, or me.
I expect you'll expend energy on this until you resolve the issue(s). Or until it deteriorates to the point where you are forced to confront them. Or maybe it will just go away of its own accord.
It's your decision, your life.
J
yeh i dont really worry to much to be honest, i have gradually controlled them like im not like you are there at all the only issue i seem to have is thinking about whats wrong with my head where as alot of people on here seem to get anxius about general life and something happening to them but that dosnt affect me.I just read something about mad cow disease the other day and i thought **** there my symptons but then looking at it was like maybe not but docter may a good idea but id rather not as its almost making yourself feel more paranoid by going the docter
It's somewhere in my head, just not sure where.
The issues I have with cognition concern me the most but my GP and psychologists I have seen in the past don't seem too concerned.
I do notice the symptoms more when I'm stressed and anxious. Being preoccupied about them and there relevance seems to magnify them.
I had this new symptom a few years ago where I was having trouble with my vision. It was kind of blurry all the time, or at least, what seemed like a lot of the time.
I spoke to my GP who said it was stress related. I didn't trust him. Mainly I think because the symptom felt very real to me and I felt I was being fobbed off. Once you have a psych history it seems to stick to you. It seems a convenient diagnosis at times. I've given up asking about many things as the general response is that it is stress related. Medical school must be very interesting. Everything is stress-related. And in most cases they would be correct. What illness isn't created by stress of some sort or other?
Anyway, about the visual stuff. What was happening is that I was hyperventilating without realizing it and that was causing the visual disturbance.
Yesterday I had an oncology appointment at a tertiary hospital. It was very humid and this started to trigger my asthma. A rescue helicopter then flew over and landed on their helipad. The noise of planes freaks me out quick a lot. We live on a hill and comments have been made about planes crashing into it (especially after all the United crashes in the 80's I think it was). Then just the noise and the volume of people caused me to get quite stressed and anxious and short of breath.
It took some effort to get everything back under control. It's interesting how stress can impact on your symptoms though.
Maybe this is similar for some who end up home alone at night and hear all the noises and fear the worst.
If we fear something and concentrate on it enough it is more likely to become a reality.
The brain is an amazing and complex organ.
If you still have concerns about brain tumors, etc talk to your doctor about them, it may help relieve your fears.
J
The issues I have with cognition concern me the most but my GP and psychologists I have seen in the past don't seem too concerned.
I do notice the symptoms more when I'm stressed and anxious. Being preoccupied about them and there relevance seems to magnify them.
I had this new symptom a few years ago where I was having trouble with my vision. It was kind of blurry all the time, or at least, what seemed like a lot of the time.
I spoke to my GP who said it was stress related. I didn't trust him. Mainly I think because the symptom felt very real to me and I felt I was being fobbed off. Once you have a psych history it seems to stick to you. It seems a convenient diagnosis at times. I've given up asking about many things as the general response is that it is stress related. Medical school must be very interesting. Everything is stress-related. And in most cases they would be correct. What illness isn't created by stress of some sort or other?
Anyway, about the visual stuff. What was happening is that I was hyperventilating without realizing it and that was causing the visual disturbance.
Yesterday I had an oncology appointment at a tertiary hospital. It was very humid and this started to trigger my asthma. A rescue helicopter then flew over and landed on their helipad. The noise of planes freaks me out quick a lot. We live on a hill and comments have been made about planes crashing into it (especially after all the United crashes in the 80's I think it was). Then just the noise and the volume of people caused me to get quite stressed and anxious and short of breath.
It took some effort to get everything back under control. It's interesting how stress can impact on your symptoms though.
Maybe this is similar for some who end up home alone at night and hear all the noises and fear the worst.
If we fear something and concentrate on it enough it is more likely to become a reality.
The brain is an amazing and complex organ.
If you still have concerns about brain tumors, etc talk to your doctor about them, it may help relieve your fears.
J
cheers for the advise so you have a simler problem where you think your symptons could be a sign of a neuro-degenerative disease but is all in your head? Its just abit bewildering why it happens!
Our advice/ opinions should never supersede those of your doctor or his/ her input.
If you have concerns then ask your doctor. It is highly likely they are anxiety related but you just never know. I've had similar fears at times but nothing has ever come of them. My fears mainly relate to neuro-degenerative conditions.
When I'm participating or distracted I too feel less anxious.
Panic would probably have caused you to hyperventilate which would have made your symptoms worse.
Upsetwoman had some good advice. Relaxation techniques are really important.
Are you able to discuss that incident with anybody? That may help you process it.
Also, a lot of transitions take place around your age. These can potentially be very stressful and anxiety-provoking.
Take care.
J
If you have concerns then ask your doctor. It is highly likely they are anxiety related but you just never know. I've had similar fears at times but nothing has ever come of them. My fears mainly relate to neuro-degenerative conditions.
When I'm participating or distracted I too feel less anxious.
Panic would probably have caused you to hyperventilate which would have made your symptoms worse.
Upsetwoman had some good advice. Relaxation techniques are really important.
Are you able to discuss that incident with anybody? That may help you process it.
Also, a lot of transitions take place around your age. These can potentially be very stressful and anxiety-provoking.
Take care.
J
no i dont no what it was. its seems to worsen by not doing anything and dwelling over it if you get me. good idea to see a docter but i was just wondering if there was anyone on here who could realise from symptons. cheers for the advise
You're 20 years old. Don't guess. See a good doctor. Practice ways to relax more often. Relaxing is different for everyone. It will vary with your lifestyle. You can't go on like this without doing something about it. Was there a head injury?
it was triggerd after a night out where i couldnt breath and head felt weird and panicked at the time not knowing what happend. the ache may be tension as its less of an ache but more of a weight on my head. It tends to go away when pre occupied and gets worse with lack off sleep or while trying to sleep. I am just wondering cause when you read symptons of brain tumours and cjd etc.. But i always doubt it but cant help but think.
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