10 Telling Symptoms of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure occurs when the blood in your body is flowing too fast through your veins and arteries. Your arteries can become hardened when you have high blood pressure, causing them to constrict and not allow enough blood to flow through.The best thing you can do is to have your blood pressure monitored by a physician to ensure a proper balance of blood flow throughout your body. Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80.

No Symptoms

Sometimes when you have high blood pressure, you may not experience any symptoms. This situation is the most dangerous way to experience high blood pressure. Approximately one-third of people who have high blood pressure don’t experience any symptoms whatsoever.Doctors usually check your blood pressure every time you have an appointment, and that is the only way that some people know that they have it. It is especially important to inform your medical provider if you have a family history of high blood pressure, so he or she knows to monitor it.

Headaches

Some symptoms like headaches are a telltale sign that something is wrong in your body. If you are experiencing a lot of headaches or migraines, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with your healthcare provider.Headaches may be a sign of high blood pressure, as well as other conditions. Headaches, when related to blood pressure, happen when your blood pressure is extremely high. So, it is important to monitor your blood pressure, especially after diagnosis.

Chest Pain

Chest pain is typically experienced concerning high blood pressure when it is a medical emergency. If you experience chest pain and have high blood pressure, please see a doctor immediately. It may be a sign of a more serious issue like a heart attack or stroke. There is a reason why high blood pressure is called the silent killer. Sometimes you may not experience symptoms until it is too late for proper treatment.

Vision Problems

High blood pressure can cause eye problems by damaging the blood vessels that bring blood into the retina of your eye. When this happens, it is called retinopathy. This condition can cause bleeding in the eye along with complete loss of vision. If you notice blurry vision, it is best to call your physician before it starts to damage your retina.

Difficulty Breathing

Difficulty breathing is another serious symptom. The blood vessels in your lungs and heart can constrict when you have high blood pressure. When this happens, you aren’t getting enough blood flow to your chest and heart, causing difficulty with breathing.This form of high blood pressure is called Pulmonary Hypertension. Your doctor can do testing to rule out other conditions that may cause difficulty breathing to give you a better diagnosis.

Facial Flushing

As a result of high blood pressure, you may have redness in your face, or feel warm. When this happens, the blood vessels in your face dilate. If you notice flushing or redness on your face, contact your doctor. It may be the result of something else; however, it is best to know the cause as soon as possible, especially if it is related to high blood pressure.

Dizziness

High blood pressure does not cause dizziness; however, the medications you take for high blood pressure may lead to this symptom. When you are dizzy, it may feel like the room is spinning.If you take prescriptions for high blood pressure and notice dizziness, contact your doctor. He or she may be able to change your dose or put you on a similar pill that doesn’t have the same side effects.

Irregular Heartbeat

An irregular heartbeat may feel like heart palpitations, which make your heart feel like it’s racing or skipping beats. After a high blood pressure diagnosis, you might have an irregular heartbeat and not even know it. Your medical provider will be able to look for other causes of an irregular heartbeat if it is unrelated to high blood pressure.

Fatigue

When you are fatigued, you may feel tired all of the time. The onset of fatigue is your body telling you that something is wrong. You may overlook high blood pressure because there are so many different conditions that can cause fatigue.Normally with high blood pressure, fatigue isn’t felt until it has been left untreated for a long time. When you feel fatigued from high blood pressure, it is because your organs are working so hard to operate properly.

Blood in Urine

If you notice blood in your urine when you use the restroom, there is cause for concern. The culprit might be renal hypertension, a form of high blood pressure caused by kidney disease. When your kidneys don’t have a high enough flow of blood, they react as though your body is dehydrated.All of the symptoms in this list are cause for concern. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure and notice any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.