What are the symptoms for very high blood pressure? High blood pressure can occur without any abnormal symptoms. However, there are symptoms for very high blood pressure, around and above 180/120. Seeking medical assistance is recommended, if you see this reading at your blood pressure monitor, especially if in combination with any of the symptoms listed below.
Symptoms of extremely high blood pressure
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), there are certain symptoms to look for if your blood pressure is extremely high, including:
Severe headaches
These headaches are referred to as cluster headaches. There are several types of headaches, but these are the most severe. There may be intense burning or piercing pain behind or around one eye. The pain can be throbbing or constant. Cluster headaches can cause so much pain that sufferers cannot sit still and pace during an attack.
Nosebleed
Epistaxis is the medical term for a nosebleed. Blood flows from one or both nostrils during a nosebleed. From a few seconds to 15 minutes or longer, it can be heavy or light. However, a nosebleed may be as sign of a hypertensive crises.
Fatigue or confusion
Generally, fatigue is defined as feeling very tired, weary or sleepy due to insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or prolonged periods of stress or anxiety. Feelings of fatigue can be exacerbated by boring or repetitive tasks.
Confusion occurs when you are not able to think clearly or quickly as you normally do. Having trouble paying attention, remembering, and making decisions may result in you feeling disoriented.
Vision problems
Most vision impairments are caused by errors of refraction, or how light rays are focused inside the eye so images can be transmitted to the brain. Myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism are examples of refractive disorders.
Chest pain
Any area of your chest can experience chest pain. Other areas may be affected, including your arms, neck, and jaw. There are two types of chest pain: sharp and dull. Your chest may feel tight, aching, or squeezed. It is possible for chest pain to last for a few minutes or for several hours.
Difficulty breathing
Breathing difficulty, noisy breathing, very fast, shallow breaths, wheezing, according to WebMD.
Irregular heartbeat
When the electrical signals that coordinate the heart’s beats don’t work properly, heart rhythm problems (heart arrhythmias) occur. The faulty signaling leads to tachycardia, bradycardia, or irregular heartbeats.
Blood in the urine
Hematuria occurs when your kidneys – or other parts of your urinary tract – leak blood cells into your urine. This leakage can be caused by a variety of factors, including: Urinary tract infections. Your bladder becomes infected with these bacteria when they enter your body through your urethra.
Pounding in your chest, neck, or ears
When a person feels their heart pounding in their chest area, they are experiencing palpitations, or fast, fluttering or pounding feelings. The triggers can be stress, exercise, medication, or, rarely, a medical condition.
The pounding in the neck area is often caused by a forceful heartbeat. The carotid arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the brain. You can feel the carotid pulse just below the angle of the jaw on either side of the front of the neck, notes The Riverside.
‘Pulsatile tinnitus’ is the term doctors use to describe pounding in the ears. Those suffering from pulsatile tinnitus often hear rhythmic thumping, whooshing, or throbbing in one or both ears. It is reported that some patients find the sounds annoying. Some people are unable to concentrate or sleep because of the intense and debilitating sounds.
