• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Health Conditions / Anxiety / Can Stress Really Make Us Sick?

Can Stress Really Make Us Sick?

A businesswoman with a headache pressing her fingertips against her temples

What is health? A check-up with your doctor often focuses on making sure we are not sick – checking our blood pressure, cholesterol, pap smears and other general tests. These are all excellent things we must keep on top of, but they do not necessarily give a full picture of our “health”. You can have great check-up results but still be unhealthy. That is because health, or wholeness, is not just a physical concern. Health starts with something only we can do for ourselves – focusing on well-being, both mentally and emotionally. This in turn leads to promoting a healthy body.

Doctors, herbs and medicines do not heal us. These options give our bodies the right building blocks to work with in order for our body to heal itself. When you cut your finger, for example, your body sends special substances called platelets to form a seal at that spot to protect the body from germs and bacteria. The hole eventually closes up like nothing ever happened. This kind of repair is happening at every minute of every day in our bodies by our immune system. We have cancer cells popping up daily, we are constantly bombarded by toxins in our food/air/water, and we are always exposed to bacteria and viruses. Yet most of us do not get sick from these things at the same rate we are exposed to them. Why is that? Because of a healthy immune system. It works on a minute to minute basis to keep our bodies in a constant state of healing.

“Feeling stressed,” however, makes the immune system unhealthy. Feeling stressed sets off a set of hormones and messenger chemicals that get the body ready for the “fight or flight” – the same system that goes into action when the body is in danger. Your blood pressure goes up, the heart pumps faster and the immune system shuts off. This system works great when there is real physical danger because you want to be using all your energy to get away or defend yourself. But it does not work well when it is always “on” due to feeling stressed – from bills, traffic, arguing with family, the boss at work and deadlines. You know the drill. This constant state of being stressed often leads to the common ailments we experience.

Here are just five common ways this happens:

You May Also Like
13 Signs You Need to See a Dermatologist

1. Headaches

With stress, certain hormones set off a series of events in your brain that stimulates your nerves and causes your blood vessels to swell. In many people this is felt as tension headaches and migraines.

2. Stomach Upset/ Reflux/ Irritable Bowel Disease

Chronic stress, and its sister emotion anxiety, lead the body to make more stomach acid, which in turn leads to heartburn. The stomach also can take longer to empty food, which causes gas and bloating, and cause the intestines to contract more, leading to cramping and diarrhea.

3. Colds and Flu

Stress suppresses the immune system, making you susceptible to catching airborne illnesses. In a study at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, researchers surveyed volunteers about what was going on in their lives and then infected them with a cold virus. The men and women coping with stresses, ranging from a bad marriage to unemployment, were twice as likely to get sick as those with fewer problems.

4. Weight Gain

Under stress, the hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released. With chronic exposure, these stimulate hunger since your body assumes you will need energy to defend yourself. We often respond to this hunger by eating the items which will provide the quickest energy – fats and carbs. This of course leads to weight gain.

You May Also Like
7 Proven Ways to Cure an Upset Stomach

5. Neck and Back Pain

Stress triggers the nervous system to reduce blood flow to the muscles, which makes them prone to spasms. In addition, our posture when stressed tends to suffer since we tend to hunch over and tense the shoulder and neck muscles, making the muscle tension worse.

January 15, 2014 by ionemclarke

Read Next Article

The Latest In Anxiety

immune system

9 Habits That Hurt Your Immune System

The most surprisingly basic and everyday habits can influence how well your body fends off colds, flu, and other infections, from not getting enough sleep to not keeping a pen in your bag. Here's a list of little things you read more about 9 Habits That Hurt Your Immune System
signs you need a therapist

5 Signs You Need A Therapist

If you’re taking cues from reality TV, chances are you think therapy is a last resort effort to restore sanity. Only truth is, everyone experiences periods of stress, sadness, grief and conflict. In fact, one in five American adults suffer read more about 5 Signs You Need A Therapist
foods for anxiety

5 Foods That Can Ease Your Anxiety

A lot of people confuse anxiety with enthusiasm. When they really want to say, "I'm excited about..." but end up saying, "I'm anxious for..." It would seem that the moments of excitement in our life are shorter lived. Whereas worry might read more about 5 Foods That Can Ease Your Anxiety
de stress

De-Stress In 60 Minutes Or Less!

No matter how great (or not-so-great) your life is going, stress can always find a way to work its way into the mix. So what can you do to feel better...faster? Here are 5 of the top ways to give read more about De-Stress In 60 Minutes Or Less!
finals week

5 Tips For Surviving Finals Week

College can create strenuous amounts of stress on students. This is due to busy schedules, heavy course loads and balancing their social life. However, one of the most stress-bearing times for students is finals week. As the fall semester comes read more about 5 Tips For Surviving Finals Week
Megan Thee Stallion

Black History of Health: Megan Thee Stallion

Born in 1995, Megan Jovon Ruth Pete was first exposed to rapping when her mother used to take the young girl to the studio with her. Though she expressed an interest in music, Megan didn’t write her first rap until read more about Black History of Health: Megan Thee Stallion

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • 10 Signs You’re Living With Clogged Arteries 10 Signs You’re Living With Clogged Arteries
  • Tracee Ellis Ross at 50: Loving Her Body With No FilterTracee Ellis Ross at 50: Loving Her Body With No Filter
  • Like Father, Like Son: ‘Miami Vice’ Star’s Son Handsome Like his DaddyLike Father, Like Son: 'Miami Vice' Star's Son Handsome Like his Daddy
  • Mo’Nique at 55: Slimmer, Happier & Wiser: “I Love Us For Real”Mo'Nique at 55: Slimmer, Happier & Wiser: "I Love Us For Real"
  • The Cast of The Bernie Mac Show: 20+ Years LaterThe Cast of The Bernie Mac Show: 20+ Years Later

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.