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After reading this article you will learn about the negative effects of tension on different parts of the body:- 1. Effects on Heart 2. Effects on Digestive System 3. Effects on Reproductive System 4. Infection-Bearing Capacity Decreases 5. Other Effects of Tension.
1. Effects on Heart:
With every contraction and relaxation of heart, there is a certain degree of pressure on the walls of the blood vessels and this is called blood pressure. Tension directly affects the blood pressure in a person. Severity of hypertension is determined more by the diastolic pressure (lower) as compared to systolic pressure (upper) as greater fluctuation comes in upper pressure.
During stress thyrotropic hormone (T.T.H.) is released, it goes to thyroid gland and causes the release of thyroxine and other thyroid hormones. Hypothalamus activates the posterior pituitary gland resulting in release of Vasopressin hormone which acts on arteries causing them to contract. Thus raising the blood pressure.
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The symptoms that are developed due to hypertension leading to imbalance in blood pressure are as follows:
(a) Heaviness of head
(b) Breathlessness on mild physical exertion
(c) Lack of concentration at work
(d) Impaired vision
(e) Disturbed sleep
(f) Feeling of generalised heaviness of body
The various bad implications of tension which result due to severity of blood pressure, lead to various silent diseases and if the same is not cured, it results in:
(a) Strokes,
(b) Heart attacks,
(c) Angina,
(d) Blindness, and
(e) Kidney failure.
Most of the drugs prescribed for treatment of high blood pressure have side effects. Some of the drugs for curing high blood pressure result in increase in sugar in blood, uric acid, blood lipids. Some medicines lead the subject to fatigue, depression, and even impaired sex life.
2. Effects on Digestive System:
Tension affects the working of digestive system. Before one understands the negative effects, it is necessary to understand the role of digestive system in the body. The object of digestion is to convert the food into a fluid state that is capable of being absorbed by the blood.
The blood in turn supplies oxygen to various organs of the body, removes waste of the body and produces digestive juices. Digestive system basically consists of 31 feet long tube called Alimentary canal.
The six organs which absorb food and extract the waste are as follows:
(a) Stomach:
The digestion, ingestion and transportation of food and water (fluids) is done by the stomach.
(b) Small Intestine:
It separates the essence from the waste of food and transports the latter to the large intestine.
(c) Large Intestine:
It extracts the wastes.
(d) Gall Bladder:
It stores biles, controls mental activities, maintains integrity of all muscles.
(e) Urinary Bladder:
It is a part of body situated in the front part of the pelvic cavity, which acts as a reservoir of urine.
(f) Sandiod Bladder:
It controls the homeostasis of the body.
Under tension a person’s muscle tone quickly increases, making muscular action more immediate and more efficient. The liver immediately begins working to convert its stored glycogen into glucose, which the brain and muscles need in greater supply. The breathing becomes more rapid and intense, increasing the supply of oxygen into the blood.
The heart pumps more rapidly and intensively sending an abundant supply of blood to those portions of the body which need it. The distribution of the blood throughout the body is radically changed, according to a suddenly revised system of priority. The plentiful supply of blood into one’s stomach and intestines is quickly reduced in favour of higher priority needs. This is one reason why digestion suffers in prolonged stress.
3. Effects on Reproductive System:
The general effects of the tension are to diminish the overall functioning of the male sex apparatus. Prolonged stress sharply decreases the level of the primary male hormone, testosterone, which directly influences the sex drive.
Stress slows down, the production of sperm cells in the male. In females, during prolonged stress, progesterone, the principal female hormone, diminishes sharply. Reduction in progesterone can cause menstrual irregularities.
4. Infection-Bearing Capacity Decreases:
Cortisol and other similar hormones have many actions which allow the body to deal adaptively with stressors for long periods of time during the stage of resistance. It is harmful for the body to remain in high levels of tension which require more Cortisol hormones. Cortisol promotes the formation of glucose (blood sugar), by breaking down fats and proteins.
In short-run, this increased use of protein may be serious because proteins are needed in the manufacturing of new cells. White blood cells which are crucial for fighting infection have a short life and must be continuously replaced. If the proteins need to make new cells are used for fuel then the ability of the body to fight the infection decreases.
5. Other Effects of Tension:
Researchers have observed that following changes take place when a person is tense:
(a) Hearing becomes acute.
(b) Vision becomes more sensitive – pupils of eyes dilate which makes vision more sensitive.
(c) Blood Clotting – Clotting agent in blood streams increases which can lead to minor malfunctioning to total paralysis.
(d) Skin Resistance – It has been observed that during tension, there are changes in electrical resistance of the skin. During tension normally the skin’s surface temperature goes down.