Heart problems can be hereditary, so you know what to expect by looking at your family history. But they can also be a result of a certain lifestyle – even people who don’t look unhealthy can be at risk for heart disease or heart problems throughout their lives. Our bodies will generally try to tell us when something isn’t right. That’s why there are warning signs for when something isn’t going right with our hearts, and that heart disease or heart problems are on the horizon. Here are some of the warning signs that you never want to ignore when it comes to cardiac problems.
“You can’t afford to get sick, and you can’t depend on the present health care system to keep you well. It’s up to you to protect and maintain your body’s innate capacity for health and healing by making the right choices in how you live.” – Andrew Weil
Here Are 5 Warning Signs Of Heart Trouble Never To Ignore
1. Easily fatigued doing physical activities
If your are fairly sedentary, then you might get fatigued quickly. But if you’re an active person who can easily go on jobs, but finds that you’re suddenly unable to finish them due to fatigue, you might want to get checked out. This usually means that your organ isn’t pumping your blood fast enough to get oxygen to all of the parts of your body that need it during a job, or any other physical activity.
According to the American Heart Association,
“The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of body tissues. The body diverts blood away from less vital organs, particularly muscles in the limbs, and sends it to the heart and brain.”
Even if you get winded climbing a set of stairs, it’s probably a sign that something isn’t right with your heart.
2. Problems in the bedroom
Especially when it comes to men, erectile dysfunction might be a warning sign – especially for men who are younger, or older men who all of a sudden have problems with maintaining their erections in the bedroom. Unfortunately, this is a classic warning sign when it comes to cardiac illness, or being at risk of heart disease. That’s because your body needs the heart to pump blood down to fuel an erection. When the heart isn’t able to do its job correctly, it manifests in men being unable to get or maintain erections.
3. High blood pressure
This one is pretty well-known, and a lot of people who have high blood pressure already know that they’re at risk for some kind of cardiac trouble. When you get diagnosed with high blood pressure, it’s an immediate warning sign to high-risk issues like heart attacks, strokes, and even heart disease.
According to Blood Pressure UK, “If you have high blood pressure, this means that your heart has to work harder to push blood around your body. To cope with this extra effort, your heart becomes thicker and stiffer, which makes it less able to do its job.”
High blood pressure isn’t always noticeable without doctor intervention until it becomes extremely high, which can make it even more dangerous. It’s important to keep blood pressure levels in the healthy range to avoid heart issues.
4. Sudden, persistent cough
Coughing can be a sign of a cold, but if it doesn’t go away within a week, then it might be something a little more serious. If you get sudden and persistent coughs, then you might want to check in with your doctor. Congestive heart failure can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, which means that our bodies are coughing as a way to try and get it out.
Persistent coughing can be a sign that not all is right in the lungs and in the heart. Thus, it’s a huge warning sign for you to call your doctor, asap. The coughing can often mimic asthma or even lung disease, which can make it dangerous as it masks the real problem in the heart.
5. Swollen feet and legs
For some people, swelling in the legs and feet can be common. But it’s important to be aware of what exactly is causing the swelling. If there’s no recent injury to the limb, unaccounted for swelling can be a warning sign of cardiac conditions.
According to Heart Failure Matters,
“Swelling in the legs and ankles is caused by fluid accumulation in the body, which can be a sign of worsening heart failure. The fluid build-up is due to reduced blood flow out of the heart, causing blood returning to the heart through the veins to back up. This leads to fluid accumulation in the abdomen and lower limbs and congestion.”
Therefore, when our hearts can’t pump our blood the way they’re supposed to, fluid can get backed up in the veins, which makes our feet and legs start to swell up. When this happens, you may notice that you have trouble fitting your feet into your shoes, or your socks are squeezing too tightly.
Final thoughts
Cardiac conditions are dangerous if you don’t take care of them. And, since it’s such an internal issue, a lot of people don’t notice the problem until it’s far too late, or until the problem is far-progressed. Know the early warning signs of heart disease or heart attack. Indeed, it can be the difference between turning it around or having major complications.
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