High Blood Pressure Symptoms: Knowing the 'Silent Killer'

Living a busy life? Dealing with stress regularly? Eating out a lot? Not getting the chance to work out? Well, you must know about the silent killer then. No, we are not talking about a gangster here. The silent killer is your High Blood Pressure. The worrying misconception about High Blood Pressure is that it doesn't make you feel 'sick'.

High Blood pressure symptoms are not remarkably noticeable. In this article, we will give you comprehensive information about some common high blood pressure symptoms, causes, and treatments. We will also tell you how to control high blood pressure. But first, let's talk about what high blood pressure is.

High Blood Pressure Symptoms to watch out for

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) is one of the widest-spread conditions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about one billion people worldwide are affected by hypertension. In India, one in every fifth adult is suffering from this condition. There are no specific symptoms to identify high blood pressure. This is because the condition has silent symptoms.

 These symptoms take years to build up to become visible. They can only be detected through regular check-ups. But don't worry, we have compiled a list of some of the most common high blood pressure symptoms for you. Look out for the following signs:

1. Headaches

One of the most common signs of hypertension is a headache. We all experience some form of pain in our heads sometime in our lives. However, if the pain becomes unbearable, it should be considered a warning sign. The reason behind severe headaches could vary; from stress to weak eyesight, but a headache can lead to hypertension.

2. Fatigue

Do you feel extremely tired after walking up the stairs instead of taking an elevator? Do you feel weak at the end of a usual day? Do you think people your age walk faster? If you are nodding your head at these questions, that is a sign for you. Fatigue and excessive tiredness from daily activities is a high blood pressure symptoms. If you feel tired even after a full night's sleep, hypertension may be the reason.

3. Nausea

Nausea means the forced impulse to vomit. It is also identified by a feeling of loathing towards food. High blood pressure can sometimes make you feel nauseous and other factors could contribute to this sensation.

4. Vomiting

Vomiting is a sign of a hypertensive crisis. If you suddenly feel the need to vomit, you must go check your blood pressure. Chances are that it will be high and you need help. While vomiting is not a common symptom of high blood pressure, extremely high and uncontrolled blood pressure levels can lead to severe complications, which may include vomiting.

5. Dizziness

Difficulty in maintaining balance or sudden dizziness are signs of hypertension. They are also common symptoms of a stroke. High blood pressure is the leading cause of a stroke. If you feel sudden dizziness, you should see your doctor without delay.

6. Chest Pain

You may have chest pain for a variety of reasons. Chest Pains indicate a problem with your heart. You may suffer from massive chest pain as a sign of high blood pressure. It is a very common symptom noticed in patients with hypertension. You may rarely suffer from chest pain but it is not a sign to be ignored.

7. Irregular heartbeat

It is not necessary that your heart rate and your blood pressure increase proportionally. But an irregular heartbeat is a cause of concern. If after some physical exercise, your heartbeat returns to normal after a long time, consider it is a hypertension symptom.

8. Vision problems

High blood pressure is capable of damaging your eye blood vessel. If you are facing vision disturbances, you may be suffering from the condition of hypertension. Blurred vision is another sign of this condition.  You may think that your eyesight is affected by working on your laptop all day long. But it could be a different case altogether. Do not avoid your blurred vision or other vision disturbances because hypertension seeps in silently.

9. Nosebleeds

A nosebleed is a moderately common symptom of high blood pressure. Only in the cases of hypertensive crisis would you suffer from nosebleeds. Nosebleeds occur in hypertensive patients because of the vascular fragility from the condition. If you already have a condition that causes nosebleeds, it may be worsened due to hypertension.

10. Blood in the urine

It may sound uncommon but the health of your kidneys also affects your blood pressure. One of the severe symptoms of recognizing high blood pressure is blood in the urine. This also means that your kidneys are affected by hypertension. This symptom calls for urgent medical care. This is a very obvious symptom and can lead to other complications if not treated properly.

11. Pounding in the chest, neck, and ears

You would feel a throbbing sensation in your chest, neck, and ears. The sensation is similar to repeated striking in the above organs. If you are occasionally feeling this sensation, you should visit a medical expert and get your blood pressure checked.

 

Also, read about What You Should Know About Portal Hypertension

Causes Of High Blood Pressure

It is not always your fault to have high blood pressure. You may not be taking a balanced diet or exercising regularly. But some additional factors contribute to hypertension. Let us tell you about those factors, so you can partially blame them. Some High blood pressure causes are listed below:

• Too much salt and oil in your diet: A poor diet leads to a hypertensive condition. You should avoid ingesting meals high in salt and oil. They make you more prone to high blood pressure. So say goodbye to salted french fries and maintain a healthy blood pressure level.

• Physical inactivity: Elevators were made to carry us across several stories. But it may be a good idea to ditch the lift and walk up some stairs. It is suggested to have better time management and hit the gym or play your favorite sport.

Physical inactivity is one of the prime causes of hypertension. If you are leading a sedentary lifestyle, you may be at risk of developing this condition.

• Smoking: There are a thousand reasons why you shouldn't smoke or consume tobacco. High blood pressure is one of those reasons. Tobacco intake makes the blood vessels narrow and thus the blood pressure high.

• Family background: You did not inherit only your good-looking features from your parents. There is a high chance that you may have high blood pressure if your blood relative had it too. Hypertension runs in families and affects generations.

• Age: Growing old is not so much fun. On top of it, aging is also risky. Age is a primary factor for developing hypertension. As you grow old your blood vessels become less flexible and more prone to high blood pressure.

• Obesity: If you are obese, the odds of having hypertension increase. Overweight people tend to have higher blood pressure than people with moderate weight.

• Alcohol Intake: Heavy drinking may damage your heart eventually. You should control your drinking spree because more alcohol means higher blood pressure.

• Mental Stress: We all face stressful situations every day. Be it our work, our relationships, our hobbies, or traffic, stress is everywhere. But what we require is a better stress management technique.

Our mental health plays a big role in maintaining our blood pressure. You may be at a higher risk of developing hypertension if you remain stressed for longer periods.

High Blood Pressure Treatment

Now that you know whether you have high blood pressure or not, it is time to treat it. It is advised to not diagnose high blood pressure on your own. You should go to a doctor for regular check-ups. Blood pressure readings fall into four categories:

• Normal blood pressure

• Elevated blood pressure

• Stage 1 hypertension

• Stage 2 hypertension

Your doctor may prescribe medication to control your blood pressure if required. The type of medicine given depends on the severity of the condition.

How to control high blood pressure?

The most basic way to treat high blood pressure is to make mandatory changes in your lifestyle. Correcting your diet, working out regularly, and quitting smoking, and drinking among others are some common changes that should be adopted.

Conclusion

High Blood pressure or hypertension may be a very common condition but it can be dangerous for your heart health. If you are facing any high blood pressure symptoms mentioned above, it is advised to get medical help from the Best Familial Hypertension Doctors in India as early as possible. We have shared some tips on how to control high blood pressure. Primarily, the condition can be treated through basic lifestyle changes. The point of the article is to create awareness about high blood pressure symptoms, causes, and treatments.