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Anxiety / anxiety
contents
- definition
- symptoms
- Causes of anxiety
- Diagnosis in case of anxiety
- therapy
- Naturopathy in case of anxiety
definition
Anxiety describes an inner feeling of tightness, which can occur in connection with mental as well as physical impairments. The Latin name for anxiety is angina, but the term also generally describes a narrowing or tightness in the organism. This is expressed in the medical name of various diseases, such as in tonsillitis (angina tonsillaris), which is characterized by a swelling of the palatine tonsils and a corresponding tightness in the throat (see thick neck). An tonsillitis is not associated with the feeling of anxiety. This is different with angina pectoris, which describes a feeling of tightness in the chest and is actually perceived as oppressive by those affected.
Suffering feelings come over people in the most subversive situations and often seem unfounded to outsiders. (Image: pathdoc / fotolia.com) symptoms
Although the anxiety itself describes a sense of inner narrowness or constriction, so in principle a purely mental symptoms. However, the feeling of tightness is usually accompanied by physical symptoms, which can be the result (for example, of a classic attack or flight reaction in the case of an onset of anxiety) as well as causes of anxiety (for example in angina pectoris). For example, respiratory distress, palpitations, heart stumbling, sweating, tremors, nausea, and vomiting are commonly associated with anxiety disorders. Also cramps of the muscles are not uncommon in cases of anxiety.
Beklemmungsgeühle may also be accompanied by massive physical discomfort in those affected. (Image: alphaspirit / fotolia.com) Causes of anxiety
The psychological causes of anxiety are as complex as the possible triggers of anxiety and can be extremely different. They are increasingly under extreme emotional stress when people feel that they are no longer able to cope. Also, most phobias, such as the fear of tight spaces or fear of heights, can cause anxiety. In depression, feelings of tightness are also possible complaints.
In addition to mental factors, various heart conditions such as coronary heart disease, myocarditis, or heart attack cause feelings of tightness in the chest. In general, the transient tightness in the chest is summarized with accompanying symptoms such as heart pain, prickling in the chest and radiating pain in the back or upper abdomen under the name angina pectoris, which, despite similar symptoms in the medical sense against heart disease such as a heart attack or myocarditis is to be distinguished. The angina pectoris is caused by a temporary lack of circulation in the heart. Even functional heart complaints can cause anxiety, but they are not due to any organic impairment of the heart. Together, the chest compresses have affected patients often experiencing severe panic attacks and dread.
A chest tightness and associated tightness are also occasionally seen in respiratory diseases such as pulmonary embolism or pleurisy.
Diagnosis in case of anxiety
When diagnosing, the possible physical cause of the feelings of tightness should be ruled out. If the patient suffers from the above-mentioned concomitant cardiac symptoms and if there is a suspicion of a heart attack or a chronic disease of the heart, a physical examination is required in which the cardiac function is checked by means of a so-called electrocardiogram (ECG). Also, in acute emergencies, an initial examination by means of ultrasound can be performed. Blood tests often reveal specific biomarkers that provide evidence of possible heart disease. In case of doubt, there is the possibility of a so-called angiography of the coronary arteries (X-ray examination with prior injection of a contrast agent), which, however, represents a significant burden on the body and should therefore only be used in case of failure of other diagnostic procedures.
As other possible physical causes of anxiety, pulmonary embolism and pleurisy should be considered if chest pain is present. A pulmonary embolism is often already visible when creating an ECG. In case of doubt, the final proof is provided by contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the lungs. A pleurisy can be found in the best case by listening to the chest, the typical pain symptoms and a blood test in the laboratory, but their diagnosis can also be considerably more difficult. An ultrasound examination often provides important additional diagnostic information in such cases.
If all possible physical triggers of anxiety are excluded, a mental cause of the complaints is assumed and it is advisable to have a thorough specialist examination in order to uncover any previously unknown phobias, depression, heart neurosis or other mental health problems of those affected and then be able to target them.
therapy
If the oppressions are caused by an airway or heart condition, therapy is initially focused on the physical discomfort. Here, not infrequently, fast action is required, as, for example, both a pulmonary embolism and a heart attack are potentially life-threatening events that should urgently be treated as an emergency.
If the distress is due to a chronic heart condition such as coronary heart disease, long-term treatment based on the prescription of drugs to inhibit blood coagulation and to lower cholesterol and blood pressure is usually envisaged. Further arteriosclerosis in the area of the coronary vessels and acute heart complaints should be avoided in this way. In case of doubt, a surgical procedure, for example in the form of a bypass operation or the placement of a stent may be required. With the extensive normalization of the heart function is usually a shrinking of the feelings of anxiety to achieve.
In cases of anxiety based on a psychological cause such as a phobia, a psychotherapeutic treatment is recommended, which may include not only remedying the direct causes of anxiety, but also learning strategies for dealing with anxiety. For example, special breathing techniques and autogenic training are known for their positive effects in acute anxiety. In addition, a promising treatment option is available against phobias with the so-called cognitive behavioral therapy. If the anxiety is due to a depression, the psychotherapeutic treatment is sometimes more difficult. Psychotropic drugs are increasingly being used to successfully overcome depression.
Naturopathy in case of anxiety
Naturopathy offers promising approaches, in particular for the alleviation of mental discomfort, but also in connection with functional cardiac complaints. From the field of herbal medicine, for example, monkshood, mistletoe, melissa, valerian and St. John's wort are used against the acute feelings of anxiety. A further naturopathic treatment approach in case of anxiety offers the use of Bach flowers. On the basis of homeopathy, Aconitum is used against the mental symptoms. Tabacum has proved its worth against angina pectoris. From the area of the Schüssler salt therapy especially the Schüssler salts No. 6 (potassium sulfuricum) and No. 7 (magnesium phosphoricum) are used against the oppressions in the context of functional cardiac complaints. Medical massages and acupuncture should also have a positive effect here.
The various naturopathic procedures offer altogether good possibilities of an accompanying use in the context of psychotherapy or the treatment of the physical causes of anxiety. But in many cases they can not replace these, but rather are a helpful supplement. (Fp)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor) 