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You typed “symptoms of high blood pressure” into your search bar and came up empty. And you won’t have much more luck here. That’s because high blood pressure — also called hypertension — has no symptoms to warn you that you have it. In fact, that sneaky characteristic led to its nickname: the silent killer.
Even though there’s no list of symptoms to watch for, you can still keep an eye on your blood pressure and take some very effective steps to manage it. At Redwood Family Health Center in McKinney and Farmers Ranch, Texas, Dr. Venkata Vallury and Dr. Visalakshi Vallury help you understand your blood pressure, so you can keep it — and your health — under control.
Here’s what you should know about high blood pressure.
The only way to know for sure if your blood pressure is too high is to measure it. You can come to our offices anytime for a quick blood pressure reading, visit a local pharmacy that offers the service, or even purchase an at-home blood pressure monitor.
A cuff wrapped around your upper arm tightens and then slowly releases, and it reveals two numbers. The first is your systolic number, which measures the force of your blood as it hits the walls of your arteries during a heartbeat. The second is your diastolic number, which measures the force of your blood between beats when the heart muscle relaxes.
You’ll hear medical professionals refer to these numbers as “X over Y,” with systolic being X and diastolic being Y. Here’s what your numbers mean:
It’s also possible to have blood pressure that’s too low, which would be less than 90 over 60 or lower. This is called hypotension, and unlike hypertension, it comes with symptoms, including dizziness, fatigue, nausea, blurred vision, fainting, and inability to concentrate.
If you come across an article or blog post that offers a list of high blood pressure symptoms, be wary. As we mentioned, hypertension is typically symptomless. However, some claim that certain signs are clear indicators, such as:
These may be signs of other health issues, and you should see us for a full examination. But there’s no evidence to prove these are symptoms of elevated blood pressure or even stage 1 or 2 hypertension.
However, these symptoms may be warning signs of severe hypertensive crisis, which constitutes a medical emergency, especially if you’re also experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness or tingling, problems speaking clearly, and/or blurry vision.
We can help you make healthy lifestyle changes that can have an immediate effect on your blood pressure, and if you need more help, we may recommend prescription medications to lower your blood pressure to a safe level.
Don’t wait for warning signs to take control of your blood pressure — the time to check it is now. Call us to schedule an appointment or request one online today.
