Here we are going to discuss high blood pressure and its Symptoms. High blood pressure or hypertension is a rise in blood pressure numbers, as we all know. So the first thing is to find out if you have high blood pressure, and do not depend on symptoms. I wouldn’t know without going to the doctor or using a blood pressure monitor. There are several unexpected ways for high blood pressure to rise or the numbers to go up. By checking often, you can know if you are in a healthy blood pressure range. If you do not have hypertension, take steps early for its prevention.
What are the Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Many people believe that they would know if they had high blood pressure symptoms. This is in fact not the case, as the common symptoms of high blood pressure are very difficult to diagnose. Most people with high blood pressure have no symptoms at all, so you can’t just assume that your blood pressure levels are normal if you haven’t had them tested.
People with high blood pressure often do not feel sick. In fact, long-term high blood pressure or ‘hypertension’ is often called ‘the silent killer because it may cause no symptoms at all for a long time.
If you have long-term high blood pressure, then you will have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical problems than people with normal blood pressure. Serious complications can be kept away by getting regular blood pressure checks and treating hypertension as soon as it is detected.
What are the Common Symptoms of High Blood Pressure?
Most people with long-term high blood pressure or ‘primary hypertension (see below) don’t have any obvious symptoms at all, also the possible symptoms of high blood pressure vary quite a lot from one person to another. Also, many of these symptoms could also be symptoms of other health problems, however here are a few of the more common symptoms of high blood pressure to keep an eye out for.
- One of the common symptoms of high blood pressure is chronic headaches. When you get chronic headaches that last for days (rather than just hours) you should immediately see a doctor to get your blood pressure checked.
- Dizziness or Vertigo
- Blurry or double vision.
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath. Usually when this occurs people start to get a little concerned. Often by this time though the blood pressure has probably reached high enough levels to be dangerous as this is one of the later symptoms of high blood pressure you’ll experience.
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue – general tiredness
- A flushed face
- Nosebleeds
- A strong need to urinate often (especially during the night)
- Tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in the ears)
If you have any combination of these types of symptoms, then you should check your blood pressure through a doctor.
Also, Read Normal Blood Pressure | Blood Pressure Normal Range
What Are The Main Causes Of High Blood Pressure?
When we are stressed, overweight, or are eating unhealthy foods, blood pressure is elevated. When the pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated, it results in a condition is known as high blood pressure or in medical terms, hypertension. Returning to our elephant, let’s imagine Jumbo walking along the full length of our hose pipe, squeezing it as he goes. The water in the hose pipe is forced along, and can’t flow as it should.
According to the American Heart Association, normal blood pressure ought to be below 120/80 (the pressure here is measured in millimeters of mercury, or mmHg for short). Blood pressure is measured using a device known as a sphygmomanometer (try saying that in a hurry !) or a blood pressure monitor (that sounds easier !).
The 120 figure represents systolic pressure – this is basically the highest pressure exerted on the walls of arteries when the heart contracts. You can imagine your heart is like a boxer, and here 120 is the biggest punch it can deliver! Meanwhile, 80 represents diastolic pressure – the lowest pressure of blood against the walls of the arteries when the heart relaxes. Getting back to our boxer, he can deliver a punch rated 80 even in his sleep (we hope no one is in the way, just the same !)
When your pressure is between 120/80 and 139/89, then you are said to be pre-hypertensive, or bordering on hypertension. If it is above 140/90, then you are certainly suffering from hypertension and should seek medical advice. In this stressful age, anyone can develop this condition, and we suggest first getting medical guidance and at the same time following the tips on this site.
High Blood Pressure Diet and Foods
Many scientific and clinical studies have repeatedly shown that your diet and how much you eat have a very large effect on your long-term blood pressure. The general diet of modern western or ‘civilized society has been shown to be a large contributing factor in the increasing number of people with high blood pressure problems.
The two main parts of a better high blood pressure diet are lower salt (sodium) intake and an increase of potassium-rich foods in your daily diet. Most government food and health agencies around the world are encouraging a reduction in dietary salt/sodium levels.
Long-term high blood pressure (or hypertension) is a very serious health problem. If left unchecked it can and often does lead to many very serious long-term problems. If you think you would know if you had high blood pressure, then you are WRONG. Most people with high BP have no symptoms. So you can’t think that your BP is normal if you have not had it checked.
To make a high blood pressure diet more effective it’s essential that you start to take regular exercise. This doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym, in fact, that’s often not the best form of exercise.
Lowering Sodium Intake is an important part of a high-blood-pressure diet
Research shows that lowering the consumption of sodium as part of a high blood pressure diet will help to lower blood pressure. This doesn’t just mean sprinkling less salt on your food from the salt shaker. A decrease in sodium assists lower with blooding tension in all individuals with hypertension.
The average intake in the United States is between 4,000 and 5,000 mg of sodium per day (similar for the UK). The current recommendation is to consume less than 2,400 mg (USA) of sodium per day (1600mg UK).
Most sodium (75%) in the western diet comes from the processed foods that we eat every day, salt is often added to these foods to make them taste ‘better’.
Fast foods, takeaways, and many ready meals (microwave meals) often contain very high salt levels, these should be avoided as part of a high blood pressure diet. Many companies are working to lower salt in their fast foods, but always try to check for sodium levels if you can.
You’ll also need to look out for any ingredient with the word sodium in it, like – disodium, monosodium, sodium hydroxide, sodium nitrite, sodium sulfate, plus many others – these all mean that it’s likely that the food has a high sodium content.
low sodium- It means the food has 140 milligrams.
very low sodium- It means the food has 35 milligrams.
salt-free- means the food has 5 milligrams.
light in sodium- means the food has at least 50% less sodium than the original food
reduced sodium- means the food has at least 25% less sodium than the original product.
Natural High Blood Pressure Treatment
Treating high blood pressure is not an option, it is mandatory if you want to keep living life. When you have high blood pressure you are at a higher risk of experiencing a stroke, heart attack, and even kidney problems. Regardless of age, you want to keep your blood pressure lower than 140/90 because when it stays at this level or higher you will be diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Natural High Blood Pressure Treatment
Living a healthy lifestyle will help you maintain or manage your blood pressure, even if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure already. Some of the things that you can do are really simple including:
- Following a healthy eating pattern
- Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
- Reducing salt and sodium in your diet
- Exercising and being active regularly
- Limit the consumption of alcohol
- Eliminating a smoking habit
Treating Your High Blood Pressure with Medications
There are many different kinds of medications to treat high blood pressure and your doctor will determine which class of drugs is suitable for your situation. Some of the classes of drugs include:
- Diuretics
- Beta-blockers
- ACE inhibitors
- Angiotensin antagonistics
- Calcium channel blockers
- Alpha-blockers
- Alpha-beta blockers
- Nervous system inhibitors
- Vasodilators
Each of these classes of drugs does something differently. You may need to take a combination of them to control your blood pressure. The goal should be to take these for a short period of time while making lifestyle changes that will allow you to control your blood pressure long term. There are some people who will not be able to control their blood pressure through lifestyle changes alone, and they will need to stay on medications long-term. Again, your doctor will help you determine which medications are best for your long-term high blood pressure regulation.