The physical side effects of ptsd…

[The_One]

I lived with a ton of back pain and back tightness/spasms - near debilitating at times. Thought it was all from a cartilage problem in my SI from years ago.

Most of it - was muscle tension from PTSD. It near disappeared after I found my original trauma. Still has arthritis in it because its been injured for so long but it's not affecting my life like it did for 40 years now.

I’m going through it now. I’m having muscle spasms I can’t walk. I have to wfh tomorrow. I’m scared. I hope this goes away

 

[Freddyt]

I’m going through it now. I’m having muscle spasms I can’t walk. I have to wfh tomorrow. I’m scared. I hope this goes away

The part that makes me crazy is doctors who say"it can't all be in your head" but yes, yes it can,

Best thing to do is start here and build a toolbox of tools to reduce stress,

The ptsd cup explanation

Nearly a decade ago (2006) I wrote The PTSD Cup Explanation, a simple view of how PTSD causes symptoms in day-to-day life. This article is an update to that original piece. Regardless of the type of trauma endured, the PTSD Cup does not change, deviate or apply differently to your circumstance...

www.myptsd.com

 

[Paul007]

So much is discussed about the I guess psych symptoms of ptsd that the physical symptoms get missed out.

I’m in a flare at present and it’s reminding me how much more goes on. I’m not a Dr, I was a nurse and have done lots of reading and discussions with clinicians on a colleague level in symptom lulls, but so many in the medical model are so over-specialised they forget the basics and big picture.

In short we get an activation of the sympathetic nervous system that doesn’t subside, combined with increased and prolonged release of things like adrenaline and cortisol. It’s no wonder that I forget to eat or feel nauseous eating, or that my senses are alert to basically everything and muscle tension lingers, and staying so heightened is exhausting so fatigue or plummets/crashes happen (like panic attacks more like hyperarousal attacks that last hours and feel like ordeals, then I get home or somewhere ‘safe’ and fall asleep regardless of the time because I’m exhausted trying to function despite the panic). The whole system can be stuck in fight/flight mode, during which blood flow is decreased to areas like digestion so constipation then ‘letting loose’, struggling to remember to eat or keep food down. In my case before I understood any of this I tried to cope with my trauma and ptsd symptoms by using what became anorexia (I literally wanted to slip through the floorboard cracks to escape the perps), and later the starvation mindset helped cut off the flashbacks/hyperarousal/etc as I was focusing on eating disorder behaviours compulsively (like counting and excessive exercise which released the pent up flight/fight energy). I’m in recovery or recovered from anorexia now but my body remembers and the triggering of the body’s trauma response triggers all those physical symptoms and others, not just the ‘psych’ symptoms commonly talked about.

Have others noticed any of this? I have some techniques to try and manage them, but it’s such a challenge, sometimes even to have a drink during those more acute heightened episodes.

I understand the symptoms you have mentioned are vast and different to each person and trauma etc I have been through so much and been diagnosed with PTSD and flashbacks due to trauma and abuse and torture in the past and even though it's now in the past I'm still going through it in PTSD symptoms and overthinking my past and then the symptoms are vast and different and not just on mind but come through my body e.g shakes, tension,stress, depression, anxiety,pain and more and more I can remember all the horrific experiences I have been through and even though Im not going through the abuse now I feel like I am in my mind and body with PTSD symptoms delayed onset flashbacks even after this time I find it hard and I don't feel like a victim of abuse etc please give me advice thank you

 

[Paul007]

I’m going through it now. I’m having muscle spasms I can’t walk. I have to wfh tomorrow. I’m scared. I hope this goes away

I know exactly how you feel I am the same with the PTSD symptoms and flashbacks of trauma, abuse etc it feels like a huge amount of strain on me it's hard to live with every day and going threw it alone is breaking down my spine and joint spasms like u and flashbacks trauma all cause of this the PTSD

 

[Paul007]

So much is discussed about the I guess psych symptoms of ptsd that the physical symptoms get missed out.

I’m in a flare at present and it’s reminding me how much more goes on. I’m not a Dr, I was a nurse and have done lots of reading and discussions with clinicians on a colleague level in symptom lulls, but so many in the medical model are so over-specialised they forget the basics and big picture.

In short we get an activation of the sympathetic nervous system that doesn’t subside, combined with increased and prolonged release of things like adrenaline and cortisol. It’s no wonder that I forget to eat or feel nauseous eating, or that my senses are alert to basically everything and muscle tension lingers, and staying so heightened is exhausting so fatigue or plummets/crashes happen (like panic attacks more like hyperarousal attacks that last hours and feel like ordeals, then I get home or somewhere ‘safe’ and fall asleep regardless of the time because I’m exhausted trying to function despite the panic). The whole system can be stuck in fight/flight mode, during which blood flow is decreased to areas like digestion so constipation then ‘letting loose’, struggling to remember to eat or keep food down. In my case before I understood any of this I tried to cope with my trauma and ptsd symptoms by using what became anorexia (I literally wanted to slip through the floorboard cracks to escape the perps), and later the starvation mindset helped cut off the flashbacks/hyperarousal/etc as I was focusing on eating disorder behaviours compulsively (like counting and excessive exercise which released the pent up flight/fight energy). I’m in recovery or recovered from anorexia now but my body remembers and the triggering of the body’s trauma response triggers all those physical symptoms and others, not just the ‘psych’ symptoms commonly talked about.

Have others noticed any of this? I have some techniques to try and manage them, but it’s such a challenge, sometimes even to have a drink during those more acute heightened episodes.

Yes it's the symptoms of the PTSD and the pressures and stress and strain on the brain follow down to the body and the same pressure on the brain is now the body etc and the PTSD and the mental strain are now acting together with the body which is more pressure to deal with,

It's a double strain on self and they are now working together doing there most to self I know it's a huge amount of strain etc to have on self and life etc but keep going.

 

[Paul007]

So much is discussed about the I guess psych symptoms of ptsd that the physical symptoms get missed out.

I’m in a flare at present and it’s reminding me how much more goes on. I’m not a Dr, I was a nurse and have done lots of reading and discussions with clinicians on a colleague level in symptom lulls, but so many in the medical model are so over-specialised they forget the basics and big picture.

In short we get an activation of the sympathetic nervous system that doesn’t subside, combined with increased and prolonged release of things like adrenaline and cortisol. It’s no wonder that I forget to eat or feel nauseous eating, or that my senses are alert to basically everything and muscle tension lingers, and staying so heightened is exhausting so fatigue or plummets/crashes happen (like panic attacks more like hyperarousal attacks that last hours and feel like ordeals, then I get home or somewhere ‘safe’ and fall asleep regardless of the time because I’m exhausted trying to function despite the panic). The whole system can be stuck in fight/flight mode, during which blood flow is decreased to areas like digestion so constipation then ‘letting loose’, struggling to remember to eat or keep food down. In my case before I understood any of this I tried to cope with my trauma and ptsd symptoms by using what became anorexia (I literally wanted to slip through the floorboard cracks to escape the perps), and later the starvation mindset helped cut off the flashbacks/hyperarousal/etc as I was focusing on eating disorder behaviours compulsively (like counting and excessive exercise which released the pent up flight/fight energy). I’m in recovery or recovered from anorexia now but my body remembers and the triggering of the body’s trauma response triggers all those physical symptoms and others, not just the ‘psych’ symptoms commonly talked about.

Have others noticed any of this? I have some techniques to try and manage them, but it’s such a challenge, sometimes even to have a drink during those more acute heightened episodes.

I understand your pain I am alone in this, PTSD process and it's really hard I recently have been dealing with a new symptom the flashbacks of the dark past come to me and now I have the fight or flight symptom of PTSD which is extremely hard to deal with and Its a real strain on both mind and body it's like my body having being turned into stone and the pressure of the muscles and joints and the neck and back are taught and tense up but the joints and muscles are alert with adrenaline so it's hard to sit in a position for too long and even then I have to change to another position it's really hard to relax especially at night when I'm alone in my room with own thoughts and feelings it's then when I get a memory come to me then that's it I can't stop thinking about other memories of horrific past I am alone in this process also which is even worse as it's hard to deal with alone

 

[looking for the road]

Hello I am new to the group and as I read though these posts. The number of things or pain that has been talk about I truly feel a number of them. For years I have dealt with anxiety. In the last couple of months now PTSD. Lost my job because my wife has cancer stress built to deal with it sat at model train layout for quite. A person came by who I asked to leave me alone and please walk away they didn't want to know why I was so troubled. After 3 try I left. In the 10 minute walk to home Lost job wife asked me to leave and I unable to stay together. Head, stomach, chest pain and breathing. I'm on drugs for all of these problems. It's more than 2 weeks still having the problem. How to start my healing.