Naperville Integrated Wellness
NAPERVILLE'S TOP RATED LOCAL® FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE FACILITY
Chronic Stress – Adrenal Fatigue and the Impact On The Body
Are you struggling with symptoms related to chronic stress or adrenal fatigue?
This article will discuss the causes of chronic stress, the impact on the body …and how we evaluate and treat this with functional medicine.
What is stress?
Simply stated, stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation (this can be due to a physical or emotional trigger). Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. There are basically 2 different categories of stress. The first is eustress. The term eustress means “beneficial stress”—either psychological, physical, or biochemical/radiological. This kind of stress is positive. It causes our bodies to release adrenaline, which helps us to accomplish assignments and projects, and can even enhance our performance and problem-solving ability. Acute stress, some of which can be eustress, is experienced as an immediate perceived threat, either physical, emotional or psychological. Our bodies are well equipped to handle acute stress in small doses, but when that stress becomes long-term or chronic, it can have serious effects on your body.
The 2nd category of stress is distress. This can be acute or chronic. When stress becomes prolonged, the body may develop chronic maladaptive responses. This is when the physiological response continues long after the stressful situation has been abated.
What happens to your body during stress?
The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more. Its built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response,” helps the body face stressful situations. This is a normal response to stress. Once the stressor is gone, the body should then resume normal body function.
However, if the stressful event persists for extended periods of time, the body will adapt to cope with the higher level of stress. In the beginning stages, the body will not exhibit symptoms. However, the body will continue to secrete stress hormones which keep the body’s physical response to stress elevated. Eventually the body becomes symptomatic and a person will experience adrenal fatigue.
How does chronic stress affect health?
Prolonged stress affects ALL systems of the body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems.
Chronic stress can lead to several physiological responses in the body. It is also important to recognize that many health conditions can also perpetuate a state of chronic stress.
Physical symptoms that may be related to chronic stress:
- Generalized aches and pains
- Stomach or digestive problems
- Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing
- Exhaustion or trouble sleeping
- Headaches, dizziness or shaking
- Elevated blood pressure
- Muscle tension or jaw clenching
Conditions connected to chronic stress:
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Blood sugar dysregulation
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Imbalance of gut bacteria
- HPA axis dysfunction
- Neurological disease
- Autoimmune disease
- Depression, anxiety, and mood disorders
How are these conditions treated with functional medicine?
Functional medicine utilizes clinical presentation, blood testing and other functional medicine testing (urine, stool, saliva tests) to evaluate and determine the underlying cause of symptoms. Once identified, the root cause is then treated to restore healthy functioning of the body. Chronic stress has a profound downstream impact on the body, and it is important that the body be evaluated as a whole to create a plan of action to reverse and correct the impacted systems of the body.
The purpose of functional medicine is:
Understanding how the body works, knowing how and where to investigate health issues, knowing what to look for, understanding the significance of what is found and creating a plan of action to reverse and correct the root cause the health problems.
My wish for you…health, happiness and a better quality of life!
If you would like more information about functional medicine and integrative medicine or Dr. Borkowski go to napervilleintegratedwellness.com
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This approach to healthcare is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. This article is for information purposes and is not a substitute for professional healthcare services. Contact our office for more information.