Not Dealing With Stress Can Impact Your Health

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Everyone feels stress sometimes. This is your body's way of dealing with change and new situations. Even positive changes, like having a baby or getting a new job, can cause stress. But stress can become a problem when it goes on for too long.

Over time, chronic stress can affect your health. This is when it's important to talk with your doctor. Of course, everyone experiences stress differently. For many people, stress causes an emotion response or physical symptoms in the body. In fact, experts suggest that as many as 60 to 80 percent of all visits to a primary care doctor are in some way related to stress.

Common signs of stress include: depression, aches and pains, diarrhea, forgetfulness, headaches and high blood pressure.

The bottom line is to work through stress and not let it linger. There is definitely a down side to your health for not dealing with stress.