Signs You Might Have Heart Disease

Your heart health is important. A heart that isn't functioning properly can significantly impact your quality of life and jeopardize your health.

However, for the most part, people can overlook the more subtle signs you might have heart disease or indicators your heart isn't as healthy as it should be. Often, people push through until symptoms get too severe to cope with. 

Understanding the signs that something might be amiss with your heart is crucial. It empowers you to take control of your health and get things checked out promptly.

Chest Pain

It is obvious to identify heart attack pain, you might think, however, many people experience heart pain, especially related to a heart attack, differently. The classic symptoms often touted are the main symptoms noticed by men, and medical experts widely acknowledge that women experience different symptoms that might not initially track with the standard ones you're used to seeing. Any type of pain that is out of the ordinary, especially alongside feelings of dread, nausea, or pain in the arms or shoulder, needs to be checked out.

Indigestion Type Pains

Do you have reflux symptoms, or have they increased in severity? It might not be your diet that's causing these problems; it could be that the issue is actually coming from your heart. Often, the two are indistinguishable, and it's best to call for medical advice to help you understand which part of the body is causing the pain. Even if it turns out to be a bad case of indigestion, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Swollen Ankles

There are many causes for swollen ankles and heart failure is one of them. It means that your heart isn't pumping blood around your body as well as it should, and the result is fluid collecting in the lower limbs. Always get swollen ankles checked out to rule out any heart issues.

Excessive Tiredness

Feeling tired all the time is a symptom of many health issues, not just those related to your heart. And it can be difficult to diagnose. If you've been working late or had a busy day and walked a lot, then these are legitimate reasons to be tired. However, if you are getting tired faster than usual or are not exerting yourself and yet still becoming tired, consult your doctor, who can run tests to identify the underlying causes. Extreme tiredness is a sign of heart failure, so it is better to investigate this than leave it and hope it resolves itself.

Palpitations

Feeling like your heart is skipping a beat or your pulse is racing for no reason? It could be anxiety, or it could be hormonal changes causing these flutter-like feelings in your chest. 

However, a racing pulse without exercising, especially if you are losing consciousness, indicates that something serious is going on. An abnormal heart rhythm isn't something to dismiss as extremely serious, as any cardiologist or electrophysical like dr david odonnell will tell you, and it needs treatment and further monitoring to identify additional conditions or to help you stabilize your pulse and get the treatment you need. Always get a racing pulse checked out if only for peace of mind.