Prolonged stress: Manifestations and harms

The article was consulted with Dr. Phan Dinh Thuy Tien - General Internal Medicine - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Stress is a state of nervous tension caused by the body's response to trying to adapt to the environment. This is a disease that can occur in many subjects. Symptoms of prolonged stress include:
1.1 Headache, body aches Prolonged stress often leads to headaches, fatigue, the disease affects not only thoughts but also physical manifestations. The patient will feel the appearance of continuous, prolonged headache muscles, pain may occur on one or both sides of the head. Due to prolonged stress, it will release harmful substances to the brain, disrupt the hormones that bring a feeling of relaxation and happiness, leading to changes in the nervous system and blood vessels.
1.2 Loss of concentration, memory loss When under stress, patients often feel uninterested in working, always fall into a state of distraction, empty mind and memory decline. Leads to inefficiency and boredom. Repeat the vicious cycle and the stress persists. Therefore, patients need to monitor the early signs of stress to promptly handle and proactively prevent possible consequences.

1.3 Sleep disorders Patients tend to think, worry about negative things and fall into a state of no way out. Thinking too much will cause disturbances in the body and significantly affect sleep. The contradictions in their own thoughts will cause difficulty sleeping, insomnia for the patient. According to research, up to 80% of people with stress suffer from insomnia, do not sleep deeply or cannot fall asleep normally.
1.4 Emotional disorders Patients with prolonged stress will always be in an inhibited, emotional state. Even the smallest things may not please the patient. In addition, stress and fatigue significantly affect the patient's psychology. They often lose control of their behavior or are overly emotional and emotional.

Stress is not all bad, it helps the body to focus better and work more efficiently. However, if you fall into a state of stress regularly and for a long time, it will have a significant effect on the body. The harmful effects of long-term stress include:
2.1 Brain atrophy, memory loss When stressed, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and function less efficiently, possibly even dying. According to some studies, prolonged stress gray matter is at risk of being reduced, the brain will shrink, leading to memory loss, difficulty concentrating in study, work, poor memory and thinking ability.

In addition, prolonged stress damages brain activities, patients will be at risk of mood disorders, neurological disorders,...
2.2 Stomach pain, digestive disorders Intestinal Considered as the second brain of the body. There are hundreds of millions of nerve cells here, and are capable of producing nerve hormones, also known as enteric nerves. The enteric nervous system operates independently and is closely linked to the central nervous system.
Stress prolongs nerve conduction through the vagus nerve and affects the functioning of the stomach. Leads to gastroesophageal reflux, gastric ulcer, ... In addition, imbalance of microflora in the intestinal tract leads to a number of diseases such as enteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, diarrhea , constipation , indigestion,...
2.3 Risk of cardiovascular disease Stress often causes breathing disorders, increased heart rate, and at the same time reduces blood flow to the heart and leads to abnormalities in the heart. cardiovascular activity. Prolonged stress increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, myocardial infarction,...

2.4 Risk of stroke Prolonged stress can increase the risk of stroke. Stroke is more likely to occur when patients have excessive emotions, especially in cases where there is a pre-existing psychological illness in the person. According to some studies, people with long-term stress have a higher risk of stroke than the general population. If prolonged stress is not handled in time, a stroke can be life-threatening.
In a nutshell, stress is a tense state of the nervous system. Prolonged stress will cause a significant impact on the health of the patient, with a high risk of cardiovascular disease, digestive system disease. Therefore, when there are manifestations such as stress, insomnia, emotional disturbances, etc., it is necessary to change lifestyle, activities and arrange reasonable work. It is even necessary to visit a psychologist for timely intervention.
Vinmec International General Hospital with a system of modern facilities, medical equipment and a team of experts and doctors with many years of experience in medical examination and treatment, patients can rest assured to visit. examination and treatment at the Hospital.