I am sure you have heard that old hit song, “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” Well my ladies, whether you’re in love or not, when you have uncomfortable feelings in your chest that persist, those signs and symptoms can have a lot to do with your survival. The discomfort may be a symptom of coronary heart disease. Now, don’t panic. Chest discomfort may arise because of many factors. I’m just suggesting that you and your doctor shouldn’t take these symptoms lightly. Can you believe, a great deal of chest pain is caused by heavy shoulder bags that are worn daily.
Although the hearts of men and women have the same four chamber muscular pumps, the heart sends and receives signals that are not always the same when it becomes injured. Just remember, the male heart is a “testosterone” heart and the female heart is an “estrogen” heart. With just this fact, one has to consider how the heart reacts to certain stimuli, whether it be chemical, emotional or even to stress.
Until recently, the same symptoms that a man would experience suggesting he may be experiencing an early heart attack were overlooked in women. When a woman had symptoms that were related to her heart they were often ignored by the woman and her physician. She was therefore treated differently and often misdiagnosed.
Now let’s get to the chase. A woman’s heart attack may present with the following signs and symptoms:
Sudden, profound fatigue
Throat tightness
Shortness of breath
Pain or tingling of the jaw, elbow with pain radiating down the left arm
Back discomfort
Indigestion or a feeling that if you could burp, the feeling of fullness would go away
Nausea and vomiting
Lightheadedness with exertion
Dizziness and a feeling of spinning around
Profuse sweating with activity
Often, any combination of the above signs and symptoms may often be considered unimportant. However, a heart attack could be in the making. When presented with these signs and symptoms in a doctor’s office or in a hospital, even an EKG may not show any abnormalities. What am I saying? It is therefore lifesaving to have adequate blood and other diagnostic tests to detect early heart disease. These tests may include a stress test and other cardiac imagery.
As I mentioned before, not all chest pain is because of cardiac disease. Similar symptoms can present because of reflux acid (gas), upper respiratory tract infections, overexertion during exercise, viral infections, certain foods that contain caffeine such as chocolate, coffee, and cocoa, MSG, dietary overindulgences, alcohol, over-the-counter cold remedies and a host of other chemicals in the form of prescriptions that we take into our bodies.
Just remember ladies, I want you to have a long healthy life with daily exercise, low-cholesterol foods, reduced stress, enough sleep and then, laugh out loud even if it’s in the shower! Dance to your own music.
For great health tips and access to an online community of physicians and other healthcare professionals visit: DrDeas.com.