Many people believe that if they were to have a serious health problem that they would know it immediately. This is a common misconception. Often, dangerous conditions may arise slowly with subtle symptoms. It’s not all doom and gloom out of the gate.
This is certainly true with conditions of the heart. Not all heart problems are partnered with clear warning signs. If you think you might have a heart condition, there are some subtle signposts you can look for.
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These different symptoms might not be surefire evidence for a heart condition, but their presence might be enough to consider seeing a doctor. Read on, and we’ll walk you through a few symptoms you should be aware of.
Nausea and Indigestion
There’s a lot of reasons why you may have an upset stomach, and many of them are not related to your heart. Maybe you ate some bad tuna at lunch, or maybe you’re feeling a little ill and your stomach is having trouble going through the normal motions.
In some rare instances, however, nausea and indigestion are indicative of a heart attack. Many people are hit by these queasy feelings before a heart attack comes on. Women, especially, tend to feel nauseous before experiencing some kind of heart failure.
So while you may not want to worry about your heart every time you feel sick, it’s worth remembering that queasiness might be indicative of problems elsewhere.
Exhaustion With Little Effort
Our heart is responsible for pumping blood through our body and ‘keeping us going.’ A strong healthy heart should result in a strong healthy person.
So if you’ve been getting fatigued far too easily recently, it might be because there’s a problem with your heart. Take note of if you feel tired after completing tasks that used to be no problem for you. This could be going up a flight of stairs or carrying shopping items from the car inside.
A big change in your level of exhaustion can really be one of the biggest telltale signs of heart trouble. Long-lasting exhaustion, fatigue that sets in for days at a time, could be a sign of heart disease.
If you’re experiencing this kind of change in energy in your life, it’s essential you see a doctor as soon as possible.
Pain In The Chest
One of the more common signs of heart trouble is a pain in the exact place you would expect it: your chest. Blocked arteries create a painful feeling near the heart which you are likely to feel in your chest.
Chest pain is often the first sign that a heart attack is occurring as well. The actual quality of the pain seems to vary from person to person. Some describe it as a big, heavy weight while others say it’s a burning sensation. Others say a pinching feeling, and so on.
If this feeling lasts more than a few minutes, it might be worth seeing a doctor right away. A doctor can recommend the best course of action, which might be testing for atrial fibrillation or another course of immediate action.
If the pain is very brief or fades quickly, it’s probably not an issue directly related to your heart. It’s more likely something to do with the muscles or nerves in that area instead.
You shouldn’t rely on the idea of chest pain as a telltale heart condition symptom. Plenty of heart conditions occur without pain in the chest ever arising.
Snoring
We like to think of snoring as an irritating nighttime habit, not a harbinger of bad health to come. But if your snoring has become aggressively worse, it may be a sign of serious heart trouble.
Very loud snoring or snoring that is gasp-y and ragged might be evidence of sleep apnea. This is a condition where you actually stop breathing for a few moments at a time during your sleep. This can put a huge amount of stress on your heart. Over time, this can lead to big heart problems and a serious risk to your health.
If you think you might experiencing sleep apnea, it’s important to have a doctor monitor your sleep. They’ll be able to come up with solutions to help fix your breathing cycles while unconscious.
Swelling In The Extremities
Have you experienced swelling in your legs, feet, wrists, or ankles? You might be wondering if you injured yourself doing some activity but don’t remember it. But more often, this swelling is a sign of problems with the heart.
When the heart isn’t pumping blood efficiently, it can create a backing up of blood in the veins. Often, this occurs in the extremities and causes swelling in the areas we mentioned previously.
You don’t want swollen wrists or a weak heart, so it’s important to call a doctor at the first signs of this kind of issue. It may also be a failure of your heart to remove extra water and sodium from your body, leading to thick blood. You want your blood to flow easily, so a doctor might need to step in.
Have A Heart: Keep An Eye On Your Heart Health
No one wants to have a heart attack. But if you really want to practice proper heart health, it’s important to take the time to understand and recognize the heart problem symptoms discussed above. Catching these issues early can help to prevent them from worsening.
Need more advice, tips, and tricks? Check out our health page for more.
