By Kac Young ND, PhD, DCH
The short answer is: Yes. Obvious heart disease symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, pain radiating down the arms, and sharp pain in the chest.
There are also other warning signs, that you can feel and observe that may point to heart disease. The sooner you get these checked out, the sooner you can rule out a heart attack that may take your life.
1. Swelling of the Feet and Lower Legs
Retention of fluid in the feet and legs is known as peripheral edema. You may notice “sock marks” on your lower legs at the end of the day. Edema may be a warning sign for heart failure. When your heart is not pumping well, fluid from inside your blood vessels can leak out into surrounding tissues. The legs and ankles are common locations for edema due to the power of gravity.
“Peripheral edema may be caused by a host of issues,” says Dr. Orringer. “The bottom line is that most people with peripheral edema do not have heart disease, but it could be an important sign if there are other warning signs or symptoms.” (1)
2. Male Pattern Baldness
Several large studies have confirmed the link between baldness and heart disease. Compared to men with a full head of hair, men with crown loss have an increased risk of heart disease of about 23 percent. Men with complete loss of hair on the top of their head have an increased risk of 36 percent.
Combine hair loss, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and you push the risk even higher.
3. Yellow Bumps on the Skin
Xanthomas are deposits of fat that build up under the skin. They may appear as small yellow bumps or as flat, wide plaques on your elbows, knees, hands, feet, or buttocks. A type of xanthoma called “xanthelasma palpebra” appears on the eyelids. These yellow, fat deposits can potentially be signs of heart disease because they may indicate high levels of fats in the blood.
4. Gum Disease
Swollen, sore, or bleeding gums are usually a sign of poor oral hygiene, but may also be an indication of heart disease.
Gum disease and heart disease are linked because they are both signs of poor circulation. Common bacteria can be involved in both gum disease and plaque build-up inside coronary arteries. The link may also have something to do with the body’s response to prolonged inflammation.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this article shortly…..
Reference:
(1) http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/surprising-physical-signs-of-heart-disease.aspx?xid=tw_everydayhealth_sf
(2) Chris Iliades, MD
(3) http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/surprising-physical-signs-of-heart-disease.aspx?xid=tw_everydayhealth_sf
– Kac Young, a former television director and producer, has earned a PhD in Natural Health and is a Doctor of both Clinical Hypnotherapy and Naturopathy. She is the author of 10 books. Heart Easy is a system of nutritionally sound, delicious meals that promote heart health, long life and taste great. In the Heart Easy Cook Book sound nutritional advice is followed by family favorites that have been turned into heart healthy meals anyone can make and everyone will love.