The Center for Disease Control (CDC) claims over 70 million American suffer from high blood pressure, or hypertension. That’s one in every three. Even more ᴀʟᴀʀᴍɪɴɢ is about the same number are considered pre-hypertensive. Only 52% of people who have high blood pressure have the condition under control and it’s estimated that 20% of Americans are not even aware they have high blood pressure.
The greatest challenge for identifying high blood pressure is many of the symptoms can easily be attributed to something else. For instance, could that shortness of breath just mean you’re out of shape? Could that feeling of being tired simply mean you’ve been putting in more hours at the office than normal? In fact, the symptoms for high pressure can seem so mild even your doctor can miss them.
So what is blood pressure? Really, it’s just a number. It’s the measurement used by doctors to gauge the pressure of blood against the arterial walls as it travels from your heart to other parts of your body. When things are running smoothly, your blood pressure should be 120/80 (120 is the systolic number; 80 is the diastolic number).
High blood pressure becomes more than just a number when you realize that over 1000 people ᴅɪᴇ every day from it, or it’s by-products: cardiovascular disease and stroke.
It’s not uncommon to have an increase in those numbers when you are exercising, change posture, sleep or are experiencing some stress. The problem arises when that reading stays at above-normal ranges. A single high reading doesn’t mean automatic high blood pressure. However, if you experience a higher than normal reading your doctor may monitor the reading over time before making a health assessment.
Now you know what it is, what are the often ignored ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs sɪɢɴs?
Uncommon Signs of High Blood Pressure
1. Headaches: Headaches are pretty common and most of us ignore them and pop a pill to make them go away. No one thinks that headaches can occur due to rise or fall in blood pressure. But if you experience frequent headaches without the usual causes contributing to them, you need to keep a track of the headaches.
Jot down the frequency of the headaches and what you ate during the day or activities you performed that led to the occurrence of headaches. This will help your physician diagnose your problem in a better way.
2. Nosebleeds: A change in your blood pressure could spark a nosebleed. If you experience an increase in how often you get them or begin having them, consider a check of your blood pressure.
3. Dizziness: If you feel the room is spinning or experience dizziness, you can be having vertigo or your blood pressure drops when you stand. If you have low blood pressure, then it is very common to have dizziness, light headedness and feeling that you are going to pass out.
When the blood pressure is low, not enough amount of oxygen rich blood is getting in your brain and this severely affects the functions of the brain. If this happens for a long period of time, the person can also pass out. Symptoms can worsen when a person stands up or lies down.
4. Brain Fog: After a full day, it can be harder to process your thoughts. As you age, you may believe that slower brain function is just “normal.” However, this slowdown could be a sign of high blood pressure.
5. Housework Fatigue: It’s easy to blow off a day of housecleaning because you feel exhausted. However, if this once easy task suddenly makes you short of breath, take note.
6. Blue Feet: When your oxygen-rich blood becomes less oxygenated due to disruption to a healthy blood pressure, your feet make take on a blueish color.
7. Edema or Swollen Feet: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension or PAH is a serious and highly risky result of very high blood pressure. It means that you have very high blood pressure in your arteries that go from your heart to your lungs.
With PAH, the tiny arteries become blocked and it becomes harder for the blood to flow, which raises the blood pressure in the lungs. It also affects other body parts like kidneys and you can see the result of that in swollen legs, feet and ankles. Another byproduct of PAH is fluid retention for a longer period of time.
8. Depression: This is an easy one to miss because every now and then, we all get the blues. But when your depression lasts longer than what’s healthy, checking in with your blood pressure may be just as good, if not better, than checking in with your therapist.
9. Hostility: Do you find yourself getting agitated and hostile for even the smallest of things. This might be due to increase in your blood pressure and the stress levels that you experience. You should not ignore this symptom as it might not just be people related, but it might be heart related and if it continues to raise your blood pressure, it can even prove to be fatal someday.
What’s the Solution?
The good news is healthy blood pressure is in your control. While you should always work with your doctor for the best treatment for you, understand that you can use natural alternatives and delicious food to eat your way healthily.
1. Fish Oil: Omega 3 Fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, are known to reduce inflammation. We are learning more and more about whole body inflammation and its negative effects on the body. Many believe it’s a contributing factor for many chronic health conditions.
2. Massage Therapy: Studies reveal that massage therapy is effective in reducing diastolic pressure and the symptoms associated with hypertension. This ability to relieve stress is a healthy, drug-free way to keep your blood pressure in check.
3. DASH Diet: A “diet” is not only about losing weight; it’s a way of eating. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is a lifestyle approach to blood pressure. One study revealed that a combination of DASH, weight loss, and exercise resulted in the greatest improvement in blood pressure.
