6 Signs Of Heart Problems That Have Nothing To Do With Chest Pain

Although chest pain is the most commonly associated symptom of heart problems, there are a number of unusual symptoms that may indicate that something is wrong with the heart.

High blood pressure, blood clots, arrhythmias and valve issues can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and jaw pain. Because these symptoms are not clearly linked to the heart — and are associated with other health conditions — they are often dismissed, causing people to delay immediate, life-saving care.

“The common thing we’re concerned about is chest discomfort, but the truth is that heart problems can actually be indicated by other symptoms,” Dr. Rigveda Tadwalkaria board-certified cardiologist at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told HuffPost.

Here are some symptoms that may indicate a heart problem:

Tadwalkar, pain in the calves or lower legs — especially when it is accompanied by swelling — can be caused by a blood clot in the deep veins of the body. If the heart has problems pumping blood throughout the body, swelling of the legs can also occur, causing low blood flow to the feet.

Tadwalkar said, “Pain in the legs, even if it feels like it is far away from the heart, could actually indicate that something is happening with the cardiovascular system.”

Doctor. Joyce On-Hsiao, cardiologist and associate professor of clinical medicine at Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut, Have treated many patients suffering from dizziness and vertigo. But it often takes a little detective work to determine what exactly is causing these symptoms.

Abnormalities in blood pressure — including blood pressure that is either too high or too low — can cause dizziness. Some people will experience heart palpitations, or extra heartbeats, which can trigger lightheadedness, On-Hiao said.

Although many arrhythmias are benign and are triggered by factors such as caffeine or menopause, some irregular heartbeats — including those occurring down the heart chambers — can be a sign of heart disease or blockage in the heart arteries, according to On-Hsiao.

A severe headache can be a marker that something is wrong with the heart. According to On-Hsiao, a frontal headache accompanied by pain in the forehead and behind the eyes may indicate that the person has high blood pressure.

“Some people don’t feel their blood pressure, but at one point, it becomes a little too high blood pressure for their brain to handle and then they will have a headache in the front and pain behind the eyes,” On-Hsiao said.

Tadwalkar said headache due to high blood pressure can be an urgent issue. If the pressure is high enough and persists for a long time, it may be bursting of blood vessels.

“It’s helpful to connect with a doctor, because you want to know if your blood pressure is running high so that it can be addressed before something like this happens,” Tadwalkar said.

Shortness of breath is a symptom associated with many heart conditions.

Tadwalkar said, “There are many conditions that we evaluate and treat that have shortness of breath as a primary feature, from our point of view — as cardiologists — it’s a very non-specific symptom, but It’s an important one.”

Shortness of breath, especially with exertion, may be a sign that a person has high blood pressure. On-Hsiao said she sees many older women who experience shortness of breath while exercising.

“As soon as they start exercising, their blood pressure jumps from the normal baseline to really high” and they start to become breathless, On-Hiao said.

Sudden shortness of breath that gets worse with exertion can also be a sign of a clot forming in the lungs. There could be a problem with one of these heart valveHeart rhythm disturbance or even stop beating, Tadwalkar said that if the shortness of breath is sudden and severe or if it is getting progressively worse, you may want to see a heart doctor.

Nausea and loss of appetite can be signs of heart failure. When the heart begins to fail, fluid can build up in the legs and abdomen. When the intestine fills with fluid, it doesn’t absorb nutrients as well, causing people to lose their appetite and feel full all the time, On-Hiao said.

Sometimes, nausea and upset stomach are the only symptoms that patients with a blockage in the back artery of the heart will feel.

“Many patients who have a heart attack with an artery in the back of the heart won’t really have chest pain or shortness of breath, they’ll feel really nauseous and feel sick to their stomach,” On-Hsiao he said.

Some people with cardiovascular problems will experience pain and heaviness in the jaw that radiates down the neck, into the jaw, and down the left arm. This is more common when patients are exerting themselves.

On-Hsiao said these symptoms could be a sign of a heart attack, but they could also be a sign of angina (significant blockage). People experiencing neck and jaw pain should see a doctor immediately.

Tadwalkar said, “The constellation of jaw discomfort and nausea—particularly with undefined chest discomfort—even if it is not initially of a cardiac nature, would be something that should bring someone to the emergency department more urgently, Tadwalkar said.