{"id":3335,"date":"2019-01-27T09:07:31","date_gmt":"2019-01-27T09:07:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=3335"},"modified":"2021-05-03T14:58:26","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T14:58:26","slug":"10-most-common-pre-heart-attack-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/10-most-common-pre-heart-attack-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Most Common Pre Heart Attack Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Heart attacks are very scary and something that no one really wants to experience. When the heart is not getting enough blood<\/a>, it can cause it to stop working properly. If the arteries to the heart become completely blocked, the heart can quit working altogether. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a person may survive this type of heart attack, it is a very dangerous condition and often referred to as a widowmakers heart attack because of the severity. It is important to understand how the heart works as well as what can cause a person to have a heart attack. Eating a proper diet and exercising regularly can reduce the risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are at risk for having a heart attack it is important to recognize the symptoms that may occur before an actual heart attack. Here are 8 of the most common symptoms a person may experience before a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Jaw Tightness
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When one thinks about having a heart attack, chances are they do not associate pain in their jaw with having a heart attack. However, one of the most common symptoms that occur before a heart attack, especially among women, is a pain <\/a>in the jaw and neck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you suddenly have any discomfort, pain, or tightness in the jaw and there is no reasonable explanation for it such as a hit to the face or a bad tooth, this could be the sign of a heart attack. Our bodies are very interconnected and while it may not seem like jaw pain should be indicative of a heart attack, it is actually a sign that should not be ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience jaw pain or tightness and notice some other things going on such as just not feeling well in general, it could be a sign that your heart is not functioning properly and you need to seek medical attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Abdominal Pain
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There are numerous reasons that a person may experience abdominal pain. Women may have abdominal cramps <\/a>when they are starting or on their menstrual cycle. A hit to the gut can cause a person to experience abdominal pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating food that is bad can also cause abdominal pain. In addition, abdominal pain may be caused by bacteria or a virus. With so many possible causes for abdominal pain, it can be a symptom that is easy to ignore or to just brush off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you are experiencing sudden pain in the abdominal area that is not common for you and it is accompanied by shortness of breath or dizziness, it is important to go see a doctor right away. Sudden and severe abdominal pain can be a sign of a heart attack and the sooner that you get medical attention the better your chances of recovering from it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Pain or Pressure in the Upper Back
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Almost every adult and even some children experience back pain<\/a> from time to time. Most often this back pain is felt throughout the lower back and is caused by a muscle strain or some other type of issue as a result of working the back too much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pain can occur in the upper back as well when there is too much pressure or strain put on this area. However, upper back pain can also be a pre heart attack symptom. A person who is about to have a heart attack may suddenly feel like there is an extreme pressure in the upper area of the back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may experience an extreme amount of pain with this as well. If this upper back pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, or excessive sweating, it is important to go to the doctor right away as this could be a sign of something quite serious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Extreme Fatigue
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Feeling quite tired seems to be relatively normal in this day and age. After all, everyone is busy doing something all the time. From work and extracurricular activities, everyone is always on the go. However, extreme fatigue<\/a> may occur for any number of reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person who is feeling extremely fatigued may not feel like they have enough energy to even make it through the day. This feeling of tiredness may last for one or several days and no matter how much they rest they simply feel tired and weak. Extreme fatigue is a common symptom of a pre heart attack. It can also occur after a person has a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people report that they become exhausted even while performing the simplest of tasks such as making their bed or walking the dog. If you are suddenly fatigued performing your everyday tasks, it is a good idea to go to your doctor to rule out any heart issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Nausea
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When a person is feeling emotional or physical stress<\/a>, it is common to feel sick to our stomachs. In fact, if you become extremely stressed you may even actually vomit. Nausea is often a sign of the body being under some type of trauma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it can also be caused by something milder. Since an issue with the heart can be a considerable trauma, it is no real surprise that nausea can be a symptom when something is wrong with the heart. Women are more likely to report being nauseous or having an upset stomach when they suffer from congestive heart failure or a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, an upset stomach can occur for numerous reasons that do not have anything to do with the heart. However, it is important to note that it is a symptom of heart failure or a heart attack, so if you are experiencing an upset stomach along with other symptoms, go to your doctor right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Dizziness
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Everyone feels dizzy or lightheaded on occasion. In fact, feeling lightheaded is quite common. Being lightheaded can result from many different things. Simply getting up to fast or not eating can cause a person to become dizzy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are times when becoming light-headed may be the sign of something that is not right in the body and when this occurs you should really go see a doctor. Feeling lightheaded is one of the symptoms of a heart attack. In addition, other causes for lightheadedness or dizziness <\/a>aside from a heart attack include angina, as well as many other illnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it is important to take this symptom seriously and to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you do not think it is something serious. If you are experiencing dizziness or becoming lightheaded for no reason, it is important to see your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Sweating
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It is actually quite normal to sweat. The body sweats as a way to regulate body temperature. In addition, sweat can be used to rid the body of toxins. However, excessive sweating is not normal and if you break out into a cold sweat for no apparent reason it could be a sign of a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you start sweating<\/a> for no reason it is important to try to stay as calm as you can. This can be difficult as you are likely experiencing chest or arm pain during this time as well. Staying calm can help reduce the symptoms in some cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, excessive sweating is not normal and if you break out into a cold sweat for no apparent reason it could be a sign of a heart attack. If you start sweating for no reason it is important to try to stay as calm as you can. This can be difficult as you are likely experiencing chest or arm pain during this time as well. Staying calm can help reduce the symptoms in some cases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The excessive sweating combined with any of the symptoms listed above can be a sign of a heart attack and you need to seek medical attention right away. If you suddenly become weak, have chest pain, and break out into a cold sweat it is important to get to an emergency room as fast as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Unexplained Pain
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There are some people who will simply experience random pain when they are experiencing a heart attack. This pain can occur in the head, neck, arms, legs, shoulders, or any area of the body at all. The pain could be sharp and stabbing or dull and achy. This pain is often the result of not enough blood <\/a>getting to the area of the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Severe cramping may occur as well. If you are suffering from chest pain or feel like your chest is tightening and you become dizzy or lightheaded for no reason and you also have random areas in the body that are in pain, it could be a sign that you are having a heart attack and you should not ignore them. It is important to make sure that you seek medical attention right away in order to rule out a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Rapid Heartrate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most obvious symptoms that you might notice just before a heart attack is a suddenly elevated heart rate<\/a>. Your heart rate will increase as the heart tries hard to pump the blood around the body, which can result in a noticeable palpitation in your chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason this happens is that in most cases, a heart attack is caused because the body is struggling to pump blood around. This, In turn, this then causes the system to go into overdrive as it works hard to get the blood around \u2013 potentially leading in the eventual failure of the muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice your heart rate increases to a very rapid degree though, don\u2019t necessarily assume right away that this means you are having a heart attack. This could actually be a sign of a panic attack, which is a very similar feeling experience \u2013 caused by a flood of adrenaline and other anxiety-producing hormones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Breathlessness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Remember that the job of the heart is to pump blood around the body in order to deliver oxygen where it is needed. Blood carries red blood cells, which in turn contain oxygen <\/a>used in order to fuel different movements and burn fat stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, when the heart fails to work properly, this can result in the loss of oxygen supply to the body, and that can also be accompanied by the feeling that you are out of breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sign of a bad heart can be that you get out of breath when engaging in normal \u2018every day\u2019 tasks such as trying to climb the stairs. However, if that symptom should arrive suddenly and to a very strong degree, then this might point to a sudden change in your heart health \u2013 and that may well not be a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Nausea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nausea occurs in the body when your system thinks that it identifies something that could be a toxin or an otherwise unwanted invader. One way it does this is to monitor for things going wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have a heart attack, this can cause a loss of oxygen, dizziness, and the failure or reduced function of numerous important organs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when you take all that into account, it becomes not a huge surprise that the body can mistake this for a toxin or bad food with bacteria<\/a>. As a result, you might find yourself feeling sick to your stomach, as your body tries to help you throw up whatever it thinks is causing the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, nausea can be the result of your body driving energy away from the internal organs that it normally uses in order to digest food, etc. This can cause butterflies in the stomach in some cases or might be more exaggerated to the point where you feel as though you need to be physically sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Sweating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Along with nausea<\/a>, another response to your body going into overdrive trying to flush its systems is to sweat a lot. This is your body telling you that something isn\u2019t right and that it is doing it\u2019s best to get you back to normal quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, you should also keep in mind that in many ways, a heart attack is a little bit like extreme exercise for your body. Your heart will be racing just as it might do during a weight lifting session or in the long run. As a result, it is perhaps not surprising that you get hot and bothered and work up a bit of a sweat!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Anxiety or Sense of Dread<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An interesting and somewhat alarming symptom that many people report when they experience a heart attack is a sense of \u2018impending dread\u2019. The feeling that something extremely bad is going to happen is something that is easy to dismiss, but it can actually be useful insight into what\u2019s going on in your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing to remember here is that your bodily systems are all closely linked. In particular, your heart rate and your breathing are linked to your sympathetic nervous system<\/a> through a nerve called the vagus nerve. When your heart rate increases, this provides a kind of \u2018cue\u2019 to the body that things aren\u2019t going well, and the result is the production of hormones and neurotransmitters associated with stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same thing can happen when your heartrate simply loses its usual rhythm and you thereby lose your usual heart rate variability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, while you might not yet have noticed any change in your heart or the way your body is running, your body may <\/em>have noticed it in more subtle ways. And it can actually cue you in on that with the \u2018subtle sense of dread\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Deferred Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deferred pain occurs when you feel discomfort and pain in parts of the body not related to the part that is actually being affected. You have likely heard already that you can experience pain in one arm during a heart attack, and we\u2019ve already discussed how tightness <\/a>in the jaw can be a sign of something happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But did you know that pain elsewhere <\/em>could also be a sign? If you have pain in your back in particular or your neck, then this can be a sign that you might be having a heart attack or at least some kind of cardiac event. Either way, it\u2019s always a good idea to check!
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