7 Signs Suggesting You May Have High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a fairly common health concern 6among Americans. It’s estimated that 50 to 60 million Americans may have undiagnosed high blood pressure, according to the National Institutes of Health and other leading health organizations. It’s possible to have high blood pressure without knowing it. And if this is the case, you can have related issues such as heart irregularities or even diabetes. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is often called the silent killer because most people do not experience noticeable symptoms, even when blood pressure is dangerously high. Read on to learn more about seven signs suggesting you may have hypertension (they may appear if you have high blood pressure for a long period of time).

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1. Severe Headaches

High blood pressure may cause severe headaches that are primarily felt in the back of the head. You might feel a throbbing sensation — and pain from the headaches sometimes extends to your neck.

2. Shortness of Breath

Some people with high blood pressure may have difficulty breathing during minimal exertion. Shortness of breath due to hypertension sometimes occurs sporadically at first — and then it may eventually occur every time you do something that requires exertion or movement.

3. Blurred or Double Vision

Hypertension may cause your vision to become blurry — or you might have double vision. Either of these issues can happen due to pressure on blood vessels in the eyes.

4. Chest Pain or Tightness

In some instances, high blood pressure causes chest tightness or pain. This can happen because of how elevated blood pressure affects the heart over time. At the very least, hypertension that causes chest pain may indicate heart strain. Remember, the heart is a muscle that’s fed by blood — and if it comes in too fast, it can cause strain on soft tissues and blood vessels.

5. Numbness or Weakness

High blood pressure may cause inflammation. If this occurs, you may notice numbness or tingling sensations if nerves are irritated by inflammation. Hypertension can also increase the production of compounds in your blood and soft tissues that tent to trigger inflammation.

6. Difficulty Speaking

This particular sign of high blood pressure can signal a hypertensive emergency. It may indicate that elevated blood pressure has severely affected nerves or tissues in your brain.

7. Back Pain

Because of the inflammation discussed above, high blood pressure can cause back pain spikes This is especially true with lower back pain and neck (cervical spine) discomfort.