At our own risk, too many of us buy into the Hollywood notion of a heart attack: sudden, severe, unmistakably serious pain. While some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most are not. Generally, heart attacks start slowly, with pain or discomfort so mild that people aren’t really sure if something is actually wrong … with pain that goes away … with pain nowhere near the chest region … and with symptoms that are just plain weird. Consequently, many of us ignore heart warning signs and wait too long to get help.
What are some signs that a heart attack might be happening?
· Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
· Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, across the shoulders or stomach.
· Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.
· Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.
If you or someone you love is experiencing these symptoms, take action. Don’t ignore them, minimize them, or rationalize them away. Better to overly cautious than too late.
No comments:
Post a Comment