How To Know If You Have A Heart Disease
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Currently, it’s estimated that heart disease claims 17.3 million lives all over the globe every year and is the number one cause of death across the world (1). Seeing how alarming the statistics are, it’s become crucial to know if your heart is in trouble or not. And that’s despite your age as even young people are prone to heart diseases these days.
If you want to save your heart from fatal consequences, keep an eye out for these 8 signs, which can tell you if you have a heart disease.
1. Chest Pain
If you feel a piercing pain accompanied by suffocation that lasts for a short period of time but makes a comeback, your heart might not be in very good shape. In fact, the worsening of this symptom can lead to a heart attack (2)! So, if you feel very unwell and experience both tightness and heaviness in your chest, you need to dial the emergency number immediately.
2. Dry Cough And Suffocation
Although a dry cough is also a result of a cold, if you experience shortness of breath as well as rapid breathing along with it, it could be a signal of heart failure or another disease known as angina pectoris (3). In such a case, you would be able to hear a wheezing sound while coughing. It’s best to get yourself checked out for heart disease (such as cardiac dysrhythmia) if you suffer from a chronic cough for which allergy and cold have already been ruled out as probable causes.
3. Sweaty, Bluish Skin
Do NOT in any circumstances take the symptom of your skin turning blue lightly. This is quite an alarming sign that you have a heart disease, most probably cyanotic heart disease (4). The skin only turns blue either when your blood suffers from a lack of oxygen or due to problems with your hemoglobin. So, it’s best to get it checked out.
As for sweaty skin, it’s quite normal for it to happen when you’ve been working out or it’s exceptionally hot. However, if you feel sweaty and hot along with chest pains, you need to call an ambulance straight away as it could be a heart attack.
4. Fatigue
Fatigue is a common and highly complained about symptom of heart disease. The only problem with this one is that fatigue can also be caused by a host of other diseases. However, fatigue in the case of heart troubles is different. For example, if you feel exhausted all the time, lead a sedentary life, are obese, and suffer from continuous work pressure, long work hours, and stress, it could be a sign of heart failure (5). Hence, it’s vital to fix an appointment with your doctor and have your fatigue examined.
5. Dizziness And Headaches
Feel a dull ache in the backside of your head? This pain is quite common when you wake up in the morning and it gradually fades away as you adjust to the state of being awake. However, it’s not as innocent as it might seem. Headaches in the backside of your head can be a sign of arterial hypertension, sclerosis, and even heart failure (6), (7)! This is why ignoring them is not a good idea as you could possibly suffer from a stroke or a heart attack. As far as dizziness is concerned, it usually arises when you’re suffering from a stroke or heart attack.
6. Irregular Heartbeat
Medically known as dysrhythmia or arrhythmia, irregular heartbeats are something that even absolutely healthy people experience from time to time, particularly in situations of high stress or emotional trauma (8). However, the feeling usually subsides once the person relaxes and unwinds. But what about the cases in which an irregular heartbeat turns into a regular thing? Then it actually becomes a symptom of a deadly disease! Dysrhythmia is a symptom of diseases such as sclerosis, circulatory failure, and hypertension (9). So, if your heartbeat constantly feels erratic and rapid, you need to visit the doctor immediately.
7. Swelling In The Ankles
Believe it or not, swelling in the ankles can signal the onset of heart problems. As a result, you may feel some discomfort while walking or sitting down, which will fade away once you relax. Although this kind of swelling is also linked to water retention, if the size of the inflammation increases, you can consider it as a sign of heart failure.
8. Pain In The Legs And Arms
Cramps in your calves when you walk require an immediate visit to the doctor as they can be an early symptom of peripheral arterial disease (10). As for the radiating pain in your left arm, this is commonly associated with a heart attack and hence, demands immediate attention (11).
Watching out for these signs can help you prevent a major catastrophe. If you think you have any of the abovementioned signs right now, call up your doctor immediately and get yourself checked!
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