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Heart Health
Heart attacks are devastating. Unfortunately, I've known too many people who did not listen to the classic signs of heart trouble and died because of it. Most of them were men. Things like pressure in their chest which they excused as heartburn and took some antacids; excessive sweating and exhaustion attributed to working a stressful job, or dizziness because maybe they skipped a meal or had too much coffee.
Knowing the early signs of heart attacks are vitally important in getting help and preventing severe damage to the heart.
What you don't know about heart attack symptoms might hurt you
I don't know why I went on a search for heart health except for the fact that I'm in my 40s, I do not exercise on a regular basis, and I've been smoking again.
I know. I know! BAD MEREDITH
Honestly, my family history dies from cancer but every once in a while my heart does a little flutter and that's concerning to me.
What I've found is that women do not feel heart attacks like a typical male heart attack.
Women do not get the “classic” left arm pain accompanied by the heavy chest pain. For the ladies, heart attacks are usually more subtle. Most women don't even know they're having a heart attack until it's too late!
5 signs of a woman having a heart attack
1. Chest pain
A survey of women who have had chest pain as a symptom will state how “uncomfortable” they felt.
Here's my take:
I describe my three experiences of childbirth as uncomfortable so this is quite subjective, don't you think?
I have not found one article where a woman described a heart attack as an elephant sitting on her chest.
So is it that ladies have a higher tolerance for body pain and discomfort?
Whatever the case - if you do not usually have discomfort in your heart and chest area get yourself checked.
2. Pain
I know I've addressed chest pain, but a woman having a heart attack may experience pain in the neck - or back - or arms – or jaw – or stomach.
The pains will come and go like ocean waves: Gradual feelings of tolerable pain to a sudden onslaught of moderate to severe pain.
Women are more prone to excusing their pain.
My neck hurts because I've been working at my computer all day.
I was rearranging my furniture - that's why my back and arms hurt.
Of course my jaw hurts! I grit my teeth all the time.
My stomach hurts. Maybe it was the tacos I ate yesterday.
It's so easy to come up with excuses for our pain. But if you don't get it checked when these pains seem to come out of nowhere, you may be at risk of a fatal mistake.
3. Trouble breathing
Shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded or simply having trouble breathing is also another subtle sign that a woman is having a heart attack.
I can't speak for the rest of you, but ever since I had kids, my equilibrium has been off, so when I sit down for long periods of time and rise quickly, I tend to get lightheaded. If I went to the doctor every time that happened, they'd probably stop seeing me after a while because I'd be the girl crying WOLF! all the time.
See how easy it is to create an excuse? But here's the key: If you are simply sitting around and breathing suddenly gets difficult, it's not because you've been transported to a planet with less oxygen. There may be something seriously wrong and you need to call the doctor.
4. Cold Sweats
Being in my 40s, I have been regularly suffering from perimenopausal symptoms. Hot flashes and breaking out into a cold sweat really sucks - but can you see why this may be an overlooked symptom of a heart attack?
Keep this in mind: If you normally do not sweat and you find that you're breaking into cold sweats for no apparent reason - make a phone call.
A little Q & A with the doctor or nurse practitioner should reveal whether further examination is required.
5. Fatigue
I don't know about your guys, but there are some days when I feel tired ALL THE TIME. I attribute my fatigue to my fight with insomnia, depression, bi-polarism, or just keeping myself busy. Fatigue is an every day occurrence for a lot of people and often overlooked as a symptom of a heart attack.
So, let's just say that you deal with a certain amount of fatigue every day. How is one to know if it's the heart in trouble?
Perhaps fatigue to the next level is what should trigger a warning. If simple chores like folding laundry, walking short distances, or climbing a couple of stairs makes you extremely tired or feeling deflated then you need to get yourself checked immediately.
Final thoughts
Being aware of your body and its mechanics is vital to your health. Ladies: We deal with a certain amount of anxiety, pain, and exhaustion all the time. But if you are feeling a little "off" then get a physical.
Because of my family history, I went to my doctors for a battery of baseline examinations to keep in my medical history. This helps ease my mind and allows the doctors to see if I'm maintaining my health or if something is wrong.
Listen to your intuition. Listen to your body.
Any one of these ailments might be contributed to every day life or your current circumstances - but the bottom line is this: Get a check-up.
Remove all doubt about your heart health. Early detection and being vigilant may save your life.
Information cited from WebMD; heart.org; mayoclinic.org
Note: I have previously published this article on my blog at ScribblingBandits and edited content and formatting for #Steemit
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Meredith Loughran blogs at ScribblingBandits.com | Follow her on Twitter & SnapChat or LinkedIn