Have you had your heart checked recently? Heart disease is sometimes referred to as a “silent killer.” It earns this grim reputation because it’s easy to ignore the signs of a problem until there’s permanent damage, or worse. By understanding the signs of potential trouble, you can head off heart problems in the past and potentially save your own life, or that of a loved one by getting your heart checked out.
Your Overall Health
If you are age 60 or older, are even slightly overweight, or are diabetic, regular heart checkups should be routine. Age, excess weight, and systemic malfunction can put a serious strain on your heart. Regular checkups can help pinpoint any problems early, so your doctor can help you decide upon an appropriate course of treatment. This means attending those yearly check-ups and getting questions answered when you have them. There is no reason to be doubting aspects of your health that you are not bringing up with a doctor.
Chest Pain
We have all heard of the importance of acknowledging chest pain in our bodies. If you’re experiencing chest pain, tightness, pressure, or experiencing shortness of breath not associated with vigorous exercise, it may be time to schedule an appointment with your cardiologist to get your heart checked out. Tingling, pressure, nausea, cold sweats, and chest pain may be signs of a heart attack. If you experience those symptoms, don’t hesitate; to call for medical help immediately. There is never any reason to delay when the symptoms line up with the feeling of a heart attack.
Pain Below the Chest
While people commonly associate chest pain with the heart, the pain is not always located in the chest area. Nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or stomach pain may also point to a problem with the heart. If you experience what feels like indigestion or nausea, especially if you haven’t recently eaten anything spicy or rich, you may need to have your heart checked out. While this may not always be related to the heart, it is caused by something internally. By pinpointing what that is, you can have a better idea of what areas of health need to be worked on.
Fatigue
Feeling tired all the time, run-down, dragging, waking up feeling as if you haven’t had enough sleep even though you slept for a full eight hours, or a nagging feeling of depression or dread may be signs of a heart problem. If your heart isn’t working correctly, it may not be circulating oxygen-rich blood to all the areas of the body. If your body isn’t getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs, it will let you know. Listen to your body and get checked. Feelings of fatigue can creep up when you least expect it.
Swollen Feet and Ankles
If your heart is unable to efficiently deliver blood to the body, it’s also unable to keep the blood flowing correctly through the veins. Blood can pool in the extremities, resulting in fluid retention and swelling. This can be a very noticeable sign of something else going on in the body. You may not think to get your heart checked at first. However, if your hands or feet are swelling, especially if you’re having accompanying pain, see your doctor.
If you have been debating getting your heart checked, now might be the time to do it. These symptoms can be very effective signs of knowing that something else is going on. Are you noticing changes in your day-to-day physical feeling? Call today or check out our website to discuss your symptoms and to begin building your treatment plan.
