How tight are your clothes? Listen to these signs from your body

From digestive problems and headaches to numbness, various kinds of health problems can stem from the clothes that you’re wearing.

This happens when someone’s waist is at least 3 inches larger than the pants size they are wearing. While that might seem extreme, tightness in other body parts from clothes can also cause similar issues.

According to Dr John Michael Li, a neurologist at Rush University Medical Center, tight pants, for example, can lead to “Meralgia Paresthetica,” in which a nerve running from your abdomen to your thigh is compressed.

“The pain and discomfort, for some patients, it’s very uncomfortable, and so they require medication,” Li says.

Tight clothes-related health issues affect both genders. For example, about seven out of 10 men buy shirts that are too small, according to a study from Cornell University.

“You have your carotid vessels going up to the brain, and so sometimes people can have some restriction in blood flow,” Li says.

These health concerns may not be directly linked to your clothes but check to see if a change in tightness improves your health or if you experience these issues when you wear tight clothes.

Look out for heavy handbags worn on the shoulder that can throw your back out of line. The American Chiropractic Association recommends that women carry no more than 10 per cent of their body weight in a bag.