Signs That Your Heart Isn’t Working Properly

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It is a very sneaky illness that can arrive suddenly. It comes without any warnings. This is why heart attacks come as a huge surprise to people, even individuals that appear to be at the peak of their health and age. Though, heart disease may be hard to identify early on due to the lack of symptoms. There are tip-offs that our body gives us that we often ignore.

Disregarding your age and gender, knowing what signs to look out for is vital. Getting regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks are the best ways to find irregularities. Besides getting these tests, here are some other signs that you need to look out for. These can help potential heart problems.

Shortness of breath

If you start to experience shortness of breath just by walking from your kitchen to your bedroom, you should be worried. Especially if you are someone that is able to endure intense physical activities without heaving. It is no surprise for people that have the limited endurance or undergo little physical activity to experience shortness of breath with light activity (though this is still very unhealthy). For people that are used to be physically fit and suddenly experience problems with their endurance, this can be a huge sign that something is wrong. Doctors will ask you what major changes have you experience in your breathing pattern or endurance from this year to a two years ago. If you were someone that can run a marathon two years back and now can’t walk up a flight of stairs with huffing and puffing, then something may be affecting your heart. Also, if you experience breathing problems while you lie down, then this can be a sign of problems with the valves. So, bring this up to your doctor on your next check-up to get tested for possible health problems.

Stomach Pain

Some women that had heart attacks mentioned experiencing severe stomach upset or pain a few days before their attack. Research showed that some women can experience indigestion, as a sign of heart problems. This is often ignored since it does not directly relate to heart trouble. If you suddenly experience indigestion without possible causes, get a checkup.

Chest Pain

People often miss the simple signs of possible heart attacks. We often imagine heart attacks to be dramatic. Clutching the heart and dramatically falling down. There are times that this can happen. But more often people that experienced heart attacks feel an intense pressure in their chest. As if there is a big weight pressing on your chest. When you start to experience this type of pressure call for help immediately. If you are someone that often feels like you’ve pulled a muscle in your chest. Then this can be a sign that is telling you that you are prone to heart attacks. Chest pains or soreness can be a sign of cardiovascular problems. So, if you tend to experience chest pains often inform your doctor. The pain doesn’t have to be intense or sharp. It can appear subtle or like it radiates from different directions, such as your neck, jaw or shoulder. Though, there are other possible causes of chest pains such as stress and strained muscles in the chest area. If you experience sudden chest pains during or after working out, be aware. This can be a sign of poor blood flow.

Flu Symptoms

People experience flu differently, but there are common symptoms such as fatigue, susceptible to cold, clammy sweat and nausea. All of these symptoms can indicate a possible flu or a signal of insufficient blood flow. We can get these symptoms for different reasons. But if they start to appear after undergoing any type of physical activity go see your doctor.

Fatigue

Women that are prone to heart attacks experience sleeplessness and fatigue a few weeks before a heart attack. Sleep disturbance or changes in sleeping patterns can also be signs of heart troubles.

Lightheadedness

Constantly feeling woozy and lightheaded can be a sign of valve disease or blockage. It is a huge warning sign if your lightheadedness is accompanied by palpitations. Suddenly feeling lightheaded or disease when standing up suddenly can be a sign of possible heart problems.

There are a lot of things that can affect heart function. From lifestyle choices, environmental factors, stress, underlying illnesses, unhealthy diet and so on. If you notice any of these signs, talk to your doctor. They can help you identify the cause or give you options on what test or procedures you need to do to identify any possible health problems.

To schedule an appointment with one of our medical professionals, contact 03 5229 5192 (Myers Street Family Medical Practice); 03 5241 6129 (The Cottage Medical Centre); 03 5264 8838 (Torquay Medical Health & Wellness); or book online.

Sourced from HealthDigezt.