Medics are warning that symptoms of anxiety can often be very similar to those of coronavirus.
With the Covid-19 crisis continuing to grip the country, doctors say it is unsurprising if we feel particularly anxious at the moment.
However, some signs of anxiety are physical - unlike psychological symptoms which largely affect the mind, reports MirrorOnline.
Chest tightness and shortness of breath are common signs of anxiety - but these can also indicate coronavirus.
Clinical director of Patientaccess.com, Dr Sarah Jarvis, said: "Some of the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks – feeling short of breath, palpitations, dizziness etc – are sometimes also seen in coronavirus."
She suggested indicators that a patient is suffering from anxiety and not coronavirus.
1. Shortness of breath
Dr Jarvis recommended people should take a few minutes to steady themselves and try to steady their breathing.
"The symptoms of panic attacks tend to settle if you concentrate on your breathing and take very slow breaths," she added.
"Try tummy breathing - put one hand on your chest and the other on your tummy.
"You should aim to breathe quietly by moving your tummy with your chest moving very little."
If you were able to calm yourself down and find a steady breathing pattern within those few minutes, you may not be dealing with coronavirus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says coronavirus sufferers may feel their chest getting tight or start to feel they cannot breathe deeply enough to get a good breath.
Shortness of breath associated with the Covid-19 infection is progressive in nature and can become life-threatening over a period of hours to days without medical care.
2. Problems with digestion
Stomach pains, constipation and diarrhoea are signs of anxiety largely because the communication system between the brain and the enteric nervous system, which governs your digestion, is affected by stress.
Eating foods that don’t agree with you or not exercising can also affect your digestion.
Researchers recently studied data from 204 patients with Covid-19 in China’s Hubei province and discovered that 48.5 per cent of these patients arrived at the hospital with digestive symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting or abdominal pain.
These were usually accompanied by more typical signs such as a dry cough and high temperature.
Therefore, if someone is only experiencing digestive issues it is unlikely to be coronavirus.
3. Increased heart rate
An increased heart rate is a classic sign of anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Adrenal glands produce hormones during stressful situations, so receptors speed up the heart rate.
This allows more blood to your big muscles so you could theoretically flee or combat a threat.
However, a racing heart rate can also signal coronavirus, doctors suggest.
Dr Asif Munaf, an NHS consultant, said an elevated heart and breathing rates could indicate “you’ve potentially got signs of an infection, which in this climate could be Covid-19”.
If it's an anxiety attack, the heart rate should settle if you concentrate on your breathing and take very slow breaths. However, if it's coronavirus your heart rate is likely to remain fast - especially during any form of exercise or movement.
4. Muscle pain
Muscles tense as part of the body's stress response during a bout of anxiety.
Many people report feeling tight in their neck, back, or shoulders.
But, likewise, some coronavirus patients report muscle soreness across their body. According to WHO, about 15 per cent of all Covid-19 patients experienced body aches or joint pain.
These are triggered by chemicals called cytokines - which the body releases while responding to the infection. Muscle pains in coronavirus patients, though, are usually accompanied by other more well-known symptoms.
5. Hot flashes
Adrenaline is released through the body and increases blood flow when the body experiences stress or anxiety. This causes a rise in body temperature.
But this could be confused with coronavirus because having a high temperature is one of the key signs of the virus.
Doctors suggest finding a cool place and trying relaxation techniques, like meditation or deep breathing to help manage your stress, and therefore relieve the hot flash.
If relaxation techniques fail, try taking your temperature and if it reaches at least 100F or 37.7C, it could indeed be a sign of coronavirus.
The NHS says you can also tell if you have a fever when you feel hot to touch on your chest or back.
"Panic attacks don’t come with fever and virtually never with a persistent cough – these are the classic symptoms of coronavirus," Dr Jarvis said.
