I have a lot of stomach problems including persistent nausea. Can anxiety cause persistent nausea and stomach problems?

Yes, anxiety can cause a number of acute or chronic stomach and digestive system problems including persistent nausea.

Common stomach and digestive system-related anxiety symptoms include:
• nausea
• bloating
• gas, or being gaseous
• feeling like there is a lump or knot in your stomach
• stomach discomfort or distress
• an uncomfortable fullness in your stomach
• feeling like you have butterflies in your stomach
• a tightness in your stomach
• an “anxiety” stomach
• an excess of acidity
• a “heavy” stomach
• an uneasiness in your stomach
• acid reflux
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• loose stool
• constipation
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

To name a few.

Stomach distress may also cause erratic and sharp pains to radiate throughout the chest, neck, throat, and shoulder blades.

A person may have one, two, or all of the symptoms. They can come and go erratically, or persist indefinitely. All are common when anxiety is present.

Because there are many medical conditions that can cause anxiety-like symptoms, it’s wise to see your doctor about any new or changing symptoms to rule out anything more serious.

Most doctors today are well trained and can tell the difference between symptoms caused by anxiety and those caused by more serious health conditions.

If you have been diagnosed with anxiety, you can feel confident that your doctor’s diagnosis is correct. If you have doubts or concerns, you may want to seek a second and even third opinion. Being sure is a great way to reduce unnecessary worry. It will also help you to calm down, which will in turn help to reduce your symptoms.

That said, stomach and digestive symptoms are very common symptoms of anxiety. They are caused by how the stomach and digestive tract react when the body is under stress (anxiety stresses the body).

If you experience these kinds of symptoms, it would be wise to learn about anxiety and what you can do to reduce and eliminate them. There are a number of natural and practical things you can do to help your body get rid of these types of symptoms.

While these symptoms may be bothersome and even frightening, they aren’t harmful. But they are letting you know that your body needs attention. Symptoms are your body’s way of letting you know that you are harming it in some way, and that you need to take action to stop the harm you are causing it.

If you ignore the body’s symptoms, it generally sends more dramatic symptoms until you pay attention and take action. The more dramatic the symptoms are, the longer they take to go away. Prompt action is the best approach.

For more information about stomach and digestive symptoms, members can read the “Stomach Problems” symptom profile in the Symptoms Listing section of the member's area. The Symptoms Listing section lists the majority of common symptoms associated with anxiety including their sensations (how they feel), what causes them (the actual biological causes), and what you can do to reduce and eliminate them.

Understanding anxiety is a vital key to long-term recovery and living anxiety symptom-free. Knowledge is power! Especially when it pertains to anxiety. The more you know, the better off you’ll be.

Have a great week.

For more information about anxiety symptoms, see our Anxiety Symptoms section.

NOTE: The Member's area of our website contains a more comprehensive section on anxiety symptoms, including completed descriptions, why they occur, and tips on how to get rid of them.