PTSD and Your Health

There is some evidence that PTSD and headaches commonly co-occur. Learn more about why this may be, as well as ways of coping with headaches.

Learn more about the benefits of exercise for people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

It is very common for people with PTSD to experience some type of sleep problem. Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve your sleep. The first step is to understand what kind of sleep problem you have and how it is connected to your PTSD. The next step is to learn ways of coping with your sleep problem. There are a number of...

Several studies have found that people with PTSD may be more likely to have irritable bowel syndrome. Learn more about the connection between these two conditions and what can be done.

PTSD can also have a major impact on your physical health. Many people with PTSD also experience a number of physical health problems, such as diabetes, pain, or obesity. What kind of physical health problems do you experience as a result of your PTSD and what have you found to be helpful in coping with these physical health problems? Share your experiences and learn from others here.

Learn more about the association between PTSD and poor physical health behaviors.

Learn more about the types and causes of sleep problems that people with PTSD often experience.

Sleep problems are very common among people with PTSD, and one reason for this may be due to sleep apnea. One study found that soldiers with combat-related PTSD exhibited high rates of sleep problems, including sleep apnea. Learn more about this study, as well as sleep apnea in general in this article.

People with PTSD may be at risk to experience a variety of psychological problems, such as depression, other anxiety disorders, and drug and alcohol use problems; however, PTSD can also have an impact on your physical health. In fact, people with PTSD have been found to be at greater risk for developing a number of physical health problems, including heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. You can …

Can PTSD influence your physical health? Learn the answer to this question here.

It is common for PTSD and pain to co-occur. Learn more about the connection between PTSD and the experience of pain.

People with PTSD are at greater risk for experiencing physical pain. The experience of frequent intense pain can have a tremendous impact on a person's life. Have you experienced problems with pain since being diagnosed with PTSD? How have you coped with your pain? Share your experiences with other readers here.

There is some emerging evidence that yoga may be beneficial for people with PTSD. Learn more about how yoga can help reduce PTSD symptoms in this article.

In addition to mental health problems, it has also been found that PTSD increases risk for heart disease and premature death. Learn more about the link between heart disease and PTSD.

Studies have shown that many Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are experiencing difficulties with PTSD, depression, alcohol use and anger. A recent study, though, also found that these veterans may also be at risk for a number of physical health problems.

People with PTSD have been found to also have a number of physical health problems. This may be due to the fact that there are high rates of obesity among people with PTSD. Learn more about the connection between PTD and obesity, as well as what you can do to build a healthier lifestyle.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, and there is evidence that the experience of traumatic life events may increase risk for breast cancer and its progression. Learn more about the relationship between trauma and breast cancer.

Having cancer can be considered a traumatic event and, therefore, not surprisingly, it has been found to be associated with the development of PTSD. Learn about the link between cancer and a PTSD diagnosis here.

Childhood cancer and its treatment may have long-lasting effects on the mental health of the child and his or her parents. Childhood cancer survivors and their parents have been found to exhibit heightened rates of PTSD. Learn about childhood cancer and PTSD, as well as how to cope with the illness.

There is some evidence that people with PTSD may be more likely to suffer from headaches. Do you have PTSD and headaches? What relaxation skills have you found to be helpful for your headaches?

People with PTSD have been found to have higher rates of diabetes. Read about a study that examined different health-related problems among people with both PTSD and diabetes.

In addition to mental and physical health problems, sexual problems in veterans with PTSD are also common. Learn more about sexual problems in Vietnam and Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans with PTSD.

People with PTSD may be at risk for a number of physical health problems such as diabetes, arthritis, migraines, and pain. Learn more about the relationship between PTSD and physical health problems.

Medical advances in the treatment and management of HIV/AIDS in the last decade has considerably improved the health and quality of life of people living with this illness. Increased attention is now also being paid to how PTSD may impact the course of a person’s illness. Learn about the relationship between trauma, PTSD, and HIV/AIDS.

Approximately 45 million adults in the United States currently smoke, and it has been found that individuals with PTSD may be more likely to smoke. Learn about the rates of smoking in PTSD, why individuals with PTSD may be more likely to smoke, and treatments that are available for smoking and PTSD.

It is very common for people with PTSD to experience difficulties with pain. Learn more about the relationship between the experience of a traumatic event, PTSD and pain, as well as healthy ways of managing your pain.

Numerous studies have found that individuals with PTSD are at greater risk for developing substance use problems. Rates of alcohol and drug use among people with PTSD are reviewed, along with reasons why people with PTSD may be at greater risk for these problems.

Military veterans with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been found to be at high risk for the experience of physical health problems. This article provides an overview of specific physical health problems experienced by veterans.

Learn more about the relationship between cancer and PTSD in this article.