What Does High Blood Pressure Feel Like (Symptoms)?

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High blood pressure or hypertension may signal that your heart is working harder than usual – and if left untreated, it can take a serious toll on the health of your cardiovascular system. But does it cause signs and symptoms? And what does it feel like?

What does hypertension feel like?

There is usually no sign and symptom of high blood pressure. But if the level goes up significantly, there may be certain signs and symptoms to occur.

Hypertension is also called as a ‘silent killer’. Many times it doesn’t cause any symptoms until your blood pressure level is extremely high. In fact, many people with hypertension don’t realize when they have it.

The most effective way to keep monitoring the fluctuation is by taking regular checkups. Taking a test for hypertension is simple and practical.

You don’t need a blood test like in checking the levels of your cholesterol and blood sugar. Even you can take the test on your own at home.

There are now available many home blood pressure monitor kits that you can use practically. And you don’t need to get prescription from your doctor to purchase one.

Although there is no specific sign and symptom of hypertension, people may experience one or some of the following symptoms when their blood pressure is extremely high [reference]:

  1. Confusion.
  2. Fatigue (feeling of tired or weakness).
  3. Sudden, severe headache without clearly reason.
  4. Pain of your chest.
  5. Vision problems.
  6. Difficulty breathing.
  7. Heartbeat problem, irregular heartbeats.
  8. Blood found in the urine.
  9. Poundings in the ears, neck, or chest.

Most of these symptoms are vogue (debatable). While they may have to do with an extreme spike in blood pressure, they may also be triggered by something else!

If you in-doubt to your symptoms, consult more with your GP /doctor for more advice and clearly diagnosis.

High blood pressure and fatigue

It’s normal to feel tired after doing certain activity that make you move a lot physically. The same goes when you are being hunted with a tight schedule or deadline.

In general, anything that makes your heart works harder can be potential to cause fatigue. But with hypertension, this could be more challenging!

In case of hypertension, the high pressure inside the arteries is the signal of when the heart works harder. When you have high systolic pressure (the pressure inside arteries when your heart beats), it’s harder for your heart in pumping the blood, making fatigue more likely!.

How does hypertension cause headache?

The issue of headache due to hypertension is still debatable. There may be a link between hypertension and headache, but there is still no scientific evidence on this.

However, anecdotal reports about headache with hypertension are also ample. It’s unknown what causes headache with hypertension. But lack of blood flow to the brain is probably the answer.

The more interesting result comes from a study in Norway that showed the contradictive result. According to this study, hypertensive people may be less likely to develop headache.

Baroreceptor-mediated hypoalgesia that is induced when the systolic pressure rises may have contribution to reduce headache prevalence in people with high blood pressure.

How about chest pain?

Chest pain is associated with many health problems, the main ones are heart attack (especially in men) and other cardiovascular diseases. It may also be present when your hypertension level is extremely high.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol in the bloodstream can be a great combination to cause atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is dangerous for your cardiovascular system. It can narrow blood vessels.

If an atherosclerosis develops in the blood vessels close to the heart, you’re likely to have chest pain. And this is a warning sign, seek medical help to keep safe!

Hypertension and difficulty breathing

According to an article published on the official site of the U.S National Library of Medicine, pulmonary hypertension is one of common causes for difficulty breathing.

The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs through blood vessels called pulmonary artery to pick up oxygen. Then the blood will return back to the left of the heart through pulmonary veins. If these blood vessels are getting narrowed (due certain factor, atherosclerosis for example), that mechanism is affected! And you may develop a condition called pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension can make your heart work harder. As a result, you’re likely to have difficulty breathing, which is a warning sign that usually requires immediate medical help.

What’s more?

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2 Comments
  1. Wayne Howell
    October 26, 2018 | Reply
  2. Sharon Tracy
    April 20, 2021 | Reply

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