Signs your BP is high
High blood pressure doesn't tend to generally show many symptoms, however, there still can be some warning signs in your body to spot. Some symptoms like headaches are commonly known as being red flags pointing to hypertension, but there are also some lesser known symptoms that people should also be aware of, especially those who are at a higher risk or are already experiencing these symptoms.
It is important to know and timely identify these signs so that you can seek immediate treatment and commit to any required lifestyle modification. Ignoring these signs of hypertension can worsen the condition, and even lead to life-threatening emergencies like strokes and heart attacks. Here are some lesser known tell-tale signs.
Ankle swellings
Due to high blood pressure your heart needs to work harder than before. Over the years, this extra effort can make your heart muscle thicker and therefore less effective at pushing the blood round. This can eventually lead to build up of fluid in your ankles, which causes them to swell up.
Sitting with your legs lifted up lets your blood flow more freely and should help reduce the swelling.
However, it is worth noting that the swelling is a sign of a bigger problem - hypertension - which cannot be just fixed by these temporary solutions for the swelling and therefore require proper treatment.
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Frequent urination
A recent study examined the link between nocturia - a condition in which you wake up during the night because you have to urinate - and hypertension in the general Japanese population.
They found that these trips to the toilet to urinate at night could be linked to excessive salt intake and high blood pressure. Getting up in the night to urinate was linked to a 40% greater chance of having hypertension, the authors noted.
They also found that the risk of hypertension rose significantly as the number of nocturia events per night increased.
Problems getting erections
High blood pressure can damage the lining of the blood vessels which makes the arteries hardened and narrow. This is called atherosclerosis, which reduces the flow of the blood circulated in the body. This also implies that there is a reduced flood flow to the penis, which can make it difficult for some men to achieve and maintain erections.
High blood pressure can also interfere with ejaculation and reduce one’s sexual desire. Men should discuss any such concerns of their sexual health with their doctors.
Doctors note that these problems can sometimes also be side effects due to the medicines needed to reduce high blood pressure.
Other hypertension symptoms
There are also other signs of high BP in your body to be aware of. These include:
- Pain in chest
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Blurry vision
- Nosebleeds
- Shortness of breath
How to reduce high blood pressure
Along with following the medicines prescribed by your doctor, there are several lifestyle changes you can undertake which may help in bringing down your BP levels. These include reducing weight if you are overweight or obese, especially if you are carrying excessive fat around your abdomen. Exercise regularly and stay active throughout the day. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and reduce your salt intake to the minimum requirement. Limit alcohol, stop smoking and avoid stressing out. Regularly monitor your blood pressure at home and also get regular checkups.
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