Can Anxiety Cause Arm Pain?

Does Anxiety Cause Left Arm Pain?

When we think of anxiety, we often focus on the mental and emotional turmoil it causes racing thoughts, relentless worry, and overwhelming fear.
However, anxiety can manifest in a myriad of physical symptoms as well. One such symptom that might surprise you is arm pain. But can anxiety cause arm pain?
Let’s look into this question and explore the connection between anxiety and physical discomfort.
Do you feel anxiety and arm pain?
In addition to therapy, counselling, and managing your medications, Atlantis Wellness Centre offers full treatment for anxiety.

Can Anxiety Cause Arm Pain?

Anxiety can cause pain in several ways. For some people, this pain might appear in the left arm pain with anxiety.
People who have anxiety often have pain that will not go away, like headaches, muscle tension, or soreness. Because of this, the arms might feel tense or hurt.

Panic attacks can happen to anxious people. A panic attack, also called an anxiety attack, is a period of extreme anxiety. They can make you feel like you are having a heart attack by giving your chest pain, arm pain, a fast heartbeat, and shortness of breath.

People who already have conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia may find it harder to deal with the pain they cause when they are anxious or stressed.

The Link Between Anxiety and Arm Pain

• Muscle Tension

Muscles often get tight when people are anxious, especially in the arms, shoulders, and neck. If your muscles are tense for a long time, these places can hurt and be uncomfortable. When you are stressed, you might clench your muscles without realizing it, which can cause strain and pain over time.

• Hyperventilation

Anxiety can make you hyperventilate, which means you breathe quickly and shallowly. This can lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can cause symptoms like feeling dizzy and tingly and having muscle cramps that may include arm pain.

• Referred Pain

A problem in another can cause pain in one part of the body. Pain in the chest that may spread to the arms can be a sign of anxiety, which can make it look like a heart attack. This referred pain can be scary, but it is usually just muscle tension or hyperventilation caused by stress.

• Panic Attacks

Pain in the arms, chest pain, or shortness of breath are all serious physical symptoms that people may have during a panic attack. A panic attack can cause muscle pain and discomfort because it makes you feel so scared and tense.

What Does Anxiety Arm Pain feel like?

A lot of different physical symptoms can be caused by anxiety, such as arm pain. Sometimes, this pain feels like tingling or numbness, or it can be a dull ache, sharp pain, a throbbing feeling, burning, or even tiredness and weakness.
These feelings are often brought on by long-term muscle tension, hyperventilation, panic attacks, or nerves that are more sensitive because of stress.
For example, the rush of stress hormones during a panic attack can make you feel like you are having a heart attack, with pain in your chest and arms.

What to Do If You Experience Anxiety Attack Left Arm Pain?

• Use Relaxation Techniques: For example, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation can help lower stress and muscle tension.
• Regular Exercise: Working out can help you deal with stress and keep your muscles from tensing up.
• Get Professional Help: A mental health professional can help you deal with your anxiety by giving you advice and treatments.
• Monitor Symptoms: If arm pain lasts for a long time or is very bad, you should see a doctor to rule out other possible causes, like heart problems.

Let’s Wrap Up: Can Anxiety Cause Arm Pain?

Anxiety can indeed cause pain in the left arm through things like hyperventilation, muscle tension, referred pain, and panic attacks.
It is important to learn how to relax, work out regularly, get professional help, and keep an eye on your symptoms if you have them.
If the pain is not gone or is severe, you should see a doctor to rule out other possible causes.
Figuring out how anxiety affects your body can help you take better care of your health.

FAQs

What does anxiety arm pain feel like?

The pain could be a dull ache or a sharp feeling, coming and going or constant.
While this kind of arm pain is usually nothing serious, it can sometimes look like signs of something more serious, like heart disease, which can add to your worry and stress.

Can neck pain cause anxiety?

Having neck pain is a common sign of anxiety. Constant muscle tension from stress is a common cause of pain.

How do you get rid of left arm pain in anxiety?

People who have anxiety that makes their left arm muscles tense may benefit from short-term treatments that relax the muscles, such as:

• Stretching
• Massage
• Take warm baths
• Progressive muscle relaxation