Your heart is one of the hardest-working organs in your body. Every minute of every day, it pumps blood that carries oxygen and nutrients to your brain, muscles, and every other part of your body.
Without a healthy heart, your body cannot work properly. Although the heart is strong, it can become damaged over time because of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, poor diet, or simply getting older.
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death around the world. The good news is that many heart problems can be treated successfully when they are found early.
Unfortunately, many people ignore the first warning signs because they seem mild or they think the symptoms will go away on their own. Learning to recognize these signs can help you seek medical care sooner and may even save your life.
One of the best-known warning signs is chest pain or discomfort. Many people expect heart problems to cause sudden, severe pain, but that is not always the case. Chest discomfort may feel like pressure, squeezing, tightness, heaviness, or burning in the middle of the chest.
It may appear during exercise, climbing stairs, or emotional stress and improve after resting. This can happen when the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. If chest pain is severe, lasts more than a few minutes, or spreads to the arm, jaw, back, or shoulder, call emergency services immediately.
Another common warning sign is shortness of breath. If your heart cannot pump blood effectively, fluid may build up in the lungs, making breathing more difficult.
You may notice that you become breathless while walking, climbing stairs, doing simple household tasks, or even while resting or lying flat in bed. Shortness of breath together with chest pain or swelling should always be checked by a healthcare professional.
Feeling unusually tired is another symptom that people often overlook. Everyone feels tired after a busy day, but ongoing exhaustion without a clear reason may signal that your heart is not delivering enough oxygen to your body.
This symptom can be especially common in women with heart disease. If you feel unusually weak or tired for days or weeks, it is worth discussing with your doctor.
Swelling in your feet, ankles, legs, or lower legs can also be a sign that your heart is struggling. When the heart becomes weaker, blood and fluid can collect in the lower parts of the body.
Shoes or socks may suddenly feel tighter than usual, or you may notice puffiness around your ankles. This type of swelling is common in people with heart failure and should not be ignored, particularly if it appears together with breathing problems or fatigue.
Some people notice that their heartbeat feels different. Your heart may seem to race, flutter, pound, or skip beats. An occasional skipped beat is usually harmless, but frequent or new irregular heartbeats may be caused by an abnormal heart rhythm. If they happen with dizziness, fainting, chest pain, or shortness of breath, medical attention is important.
Dizziness or feeling lightheaded can also be a warning sign. This may happen if the heart is not pumping enough blood to the brain because of an abnormal heart rhythm, blocked arteries, or problems with the heart valves. Sudden dizziness together with chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or fainting should be treated as a medical emergency.
These symptoms do not always mean you have heart disease because other health conditions can cause similar problems. However, they should never be ignored. Regular health check-ups, blood pressure checks, healthy eating, regular exercise, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and getting enough sleep all help protect your heart.
Pay attention to your body’s warning signs and seeking medical advice early can greatly improve your chances of preventing serious heart problems and living a longer, healthier life.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer, and results showing strawberries could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
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