If we had two hearts, we wouldn’t worry so much. But now that it’s only one and losing it means death, we can only try to ensure that it remains healthy.
Being an internal organ, it’s not easy to tell when your heart has problems unless your doctor examines you. But then, all is not lost. When your heart has problems, the symptoms may show in different ways and on different parts of the body.
And although these symptoms may result from other problems, a combination of them means that you should see a doctor just to rule out the possibility of a heart disease.
Check out some of the symptoms of heart disease:
1. Chest pain
A feeling of tightness, heaviness or straining especially on the left side of your heart has for a long time been linked to heart attacks. The pain results from the death of heart muscles and could also extend to the shoulder.
2. Extreme fatigue
If your working schedule has not changed, you should not be feeling too tired all the time. Although fatigue is a symptom of many other health conditions, it could also be due to a straining heart.
3. Sweating
It’s no issue when you get soaked in sweat after working out. However, if you feel so much heat and sweat even when it’s not hot accompanied with chest pains, visit a doctor as soon as possible.
4. Sleeping problems
If you have been snoring too loud and gasping for breath in your sleep, you could be having sleep apnea. Sleep apnea adds more stress to your heart and could lead to heart failure.
5. Dizziness
Feeling dizzy or too weak to stand can also be a sign that your blood pressure has dipped because the heart isn’t pumping right. However, dizziness could also occur if you didn’t eat enough or you stood up too fast. So don’t freak out first.
6. Swollen feet
When the heart can’t pump blood effectively, your feet, ankles and legs are likely to swell. Blood backs up in the veins leading to swelling while heart failure also prevents the kidney from removing excess water and toxins from the body.