Stress is a body response that enables you to react to physical and psychological problems that come your way. The Mayo Clinic reports that when you run into stress, the brain and the body rush into action for self-protection. This causes a rise in certain hormones within the body. However, when you run into stress continually, the body's stress response can begin to take its toll on your health.
Gastrointestinal Distress
Stress is a major cause of stomach upset, due to the amount of stomach acid that is produced during times of stress. A report in the November/December 2007 issue of "Nursing Research" states that daily stress makes stomach trouble worse, especially for those who deal with intestinal issues such as irritable bowl syndrome already. The British Medical Journal, in the February 14, 1998 edition, explains that stress can cause peptic ulcers by working together with "Helicobacter pylori," which is a bacteria found to be responsible for many ulcers.
Headaches
Stress can be a major contributor to headaches. The Mayo Clinic reports that stress is the most common cause of a headache. Stress causes hormone changes which affect chemical levels in the brain, which is also said to be a headache contributor.
Chest Pain
Chest pain can be directly related to stress, even in children. According to Cincinnati Children's Heart Institute, something as big as the loss of a family member, or as small as a test at school, can cause chest pain. The chest pain can start small and dull, and get worse as the stress continues.
Heart Disease
The American Institute of Stress states that there is a correlation between stress and heart disease. In fact, it reports that stress is as much of a risk factor for coronary heart disease as smoking is. The August 26, 2009 edition of the "Journal of Women's Health" lists stress as one of the top three factors for heart disease, along with obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Stress can also raise blood pressure, which is another heart disease risk factor.
Cancer
There are conflicting reports on whether or not stress causes cancer, but medical researchers will agree that it does contribute to cancer. A study in the January 2005 issues of "Cancer Biology and Therapy" shows that mice that had been exposed to stress developed skin cancer in less than half the time it took other mice to develop it. The reason for this is believed to be that stress weakens the immune system, so it is unable to recognize and destroy foreign cells in the body.
