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Stress and Functional Illness

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Functional Illness of the Head and Neck

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Abstract

Stressors, broadly defined as any real or perceived challenges to homeostasis, trigger adaptive responses, leading to a cascade of physiologic changes. Once activated, the sympathetic nervous system prepares the body to take action by speeding up the heart, dilating airways, increasing blood flow to skeletal muscles, and slowing gastrointestinal and urinary functions. Acutely, these responses can be lifesaving, but they become harmful when chronically activated. Chronic stress can result in a range of symptoms such as anxiety, muscle aches and pains, GI distress, and headaches, and is linked to the development of diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and depression. When it comes to functional head and neck illnesses, it is important to consider the role stress may play in both pathogenesis and symptom exacerbation. By offering support and stress management strategies, providers can significantly reduce both symptom severity and mental stress for their patients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Avni A. Shah

  2. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Ashley D. Agan

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  1. Avni A. Shah
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  2. Ashley D. Agan
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Correspondence to Ashley D. Agan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Otolaryngology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Brian W. Blakley

  2. Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Joan E. Blakley

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Shah, A.A., Agan, A.D. (2023). Stress and Functional Illness. In: Blakley, B.W., Blakley, J.E. (eds) Functional Illness of the Head and Neck. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12998-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12998-8_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-12997-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-12998-8

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