Friday, 3 March 2017

10 Unexpected Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Think you know exactly what a heart attack looks like? Think again. Heart attacks may not be as obvious as you’d expect — subtle symptoms may be brushed off as something less serious, and it’s possible the hallmark sign of severe pain or pressure in your chest may not come at all. In fact, you may be surprised to hear some heart attacks can even go undetected, only to be diagnosed after the fact. So, we’re delivering you the lesser known signs of a heart attack — here are 10 you don’t want to ignore.

1.      Discomfort in the back, neck and jaw

Heart attack symptoms in men and women can vary, and in women especially, the signs may not be so apparent. According to the American Heart Association, when a woman has a heart attack, it may not be all that dramatic. In particular, a sign of a heart attack could be pain or discomfort in the back, neck, or jaw. Pain in any of these areas could certainly make you think something else is going on, or maybe even nothing at all, which is why it’s an important sign to pay attention to.

2.      Shortness of breath

Exerting physical energy will likely leave most people out of breath, but it shouldn’t be common form to experience it on a regular basis. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a Go Red For Women cardiologist, reported that symptoms such as pain in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach “are often accompanied by shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.” If you often find yourself short of breath during odd times, talk to you doctor to see if something more is going on.

3.       Nausea

No one likes the feeling of nausea, but it doesn’t just indicate a possible flu or bug onset, either. Of course, nausea can be a sign of a wide array of issues, but you shouldn’t discount it if you experience nausea along with any of these other symptoms. It could be far more sinister than you would expect.

4.       Lightheadedness

More often than not, people tend to ignore times when they’re not feeling 100%. But as Steinbaum says, lightheadedness can be part of a larger scale problem. Don’t ignore this symptom when you’re also experiencing it with any of the other symptoms on our list.

5.       A feeling that something is wrong

Intuition should never be ignored, as it typically signals an actual problem, or at least something that warrants further investigation. Cardiologist Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., told Reader’s Digest, “Heart attack patients have told me they have a feeling of doom — like something’s just not right.” Naturally, a person who has suffered, or is about to suffer a heart attack probably won’t be feeling their best. So, never ignore that gut feeling of yours, no matter what.

6.       Unusual fatigue

Feeling tired from time to time is a part of life. However, Cleveland Clinic warns women should pay special attention if they’re dealing with unusual, sudden, and dramatic fatigue. More specifically, red flags related to fatigue as a sign of heart attack include being suddenly worn out after your usual workout, feeling excessively tired after simple tasks, such as making the bed, and struggling with sleep disturbances even though you’re overly tired.

7.       Cold sweats

Triggered by the body’s fight-or-flight response, cold sweats can be attributed to factors other than just a change in temperature. Cold sweats can be the body’s response to stress or a sign of injury or illness. Furthermore, MD-health says, “One of the most severe causes of cold sweats is heart attack, where the blood flow is reduced to the heart by a blockage of the blood vessels.”

8.       Indigestion

Feelings of discomfort in the upper abdomen could be caused by many factors, but might also be a possible symptom of something else. Though it seems common, don’t ignore this discomfort if you experience it often. Mayo Clinic says indigestion could signal a heart attack.

9.       Heartburn

While heartburn is pretty recognizable, this kind of pain in your chest could be a symptom of something quite serious. According to the same Mayo Clinic story, heartburn or abdominal pain could be a sign of a heart attack. While there are several medications and even over-the-counter drugs available to deal with such discomfort, be sure to discuss this with your doctor.

10.   Sudden onset of weakness

Once again, this subtle symptom is more common in women than in men. According to SecondsCount, a sudden feeling of weakness can signal a heart attack, so don’t be too quick to ignore it.

Article courtesy of yahoo news

No comments: