Chances are you’re aware of the classic signs of a heart attack: the crushing chest pain, the shortness of breath. But what about heart disease? This k.i.l.l.e.r doesn’t always strike with a big bang; some indicators of ticker trouble are far less obvious than others. Here are 10 little-known signs that you may have a weakened heart
1. Pain That Radiates To The Arm
When your heart isn’t functioning properly, men report pain in their left arm whereas women report it in one or both arms. Women also claim to experience sudden pain in the right elbow before suffering from a heart attack. This phenomenon is caused by a misfiring in your neurons. Since the spine has millions of connections throughout the body, pain in the heart can often be misguided as pain in the arm.
2. Swollen Lower Body
Your extremities are the last places your heart will pump blood to, so when your heart isn’t as strong as it should be your lower body can swell due to a lack of oxygen-rich blood. If you notice severe swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet, you should get looked at by a doctor right away. Although this symptom doesn’t mean you have heart failure, it is also a w.a.r.n.i.n.g sign of many other serious health problems.
3. Chronic Coughing
When your heart isn’t pumping enough oxygen to your cells and your lungs, your body will constantly try to expel excess carbon dioxide through coughing. If your notice any pink fluids in your chronic coughing fits, your heart may be failing and you should see a doctor immediately.
4. Nausea And Lack Of Appetite
Heart failure can cause a buildup of fluids around your liver and intestines, which means any time you eat, you experience severe cramps, nausea, or vomiting. One important thing to note is that one common symptom reported by people about to suffer from a heart attack is painful, rapid jolts of pain in their abdomen.
5. Pale Or Bluish Skin
If you are naturally pale, this is no cause for concern. However, if your skin loses its color or if you notice a bluish tint, this means that your heart isn’t strong enough to deliver oxygen to your skin and elsewhere throughout the body. Since paled skin can be a symptom of other issues like anemia, be sure to get examined by your doctor to determine what’s wrong.
6. Chronic Or Sudden Tiredness
70% of women who have had a heart attack report feeling a sudden and intense wave of tiredness right before the event. Whether your fatigue is chronic or sudden, you should definitely pay attention to your body and seek outside professional help.
7. Skin Rashes Or Spots
Numerous studies published by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology have indicated a correlation between skin diseases like eczema and shingles increasing a person’s risk for heart disease. To put things into perspective, roughly 1 in 2 people with eczema will suffer from high blood pressure and 59% of people with shingles will suffer from a heart attack.
Source: apost.com
