{"id":3596,"date":"2019-02-05T06:13:46","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T06:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=3596"},"modified":"2019-11-11T13:39:10","modified_gmt":"2019-11-11T13:39:10","slug":"8-angina-symptoms-and-how-to-deal-with-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/8-angina-symptoms-and-how-to-deal-with-them\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Angina Symptoms and How to Deal With Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Everyone knows that the heart is one of the most important organs in the body. Exercising and eating well are just some of the steps that you need to take in order to help keep your heart healthy. Angina is a condition that reduces the flow of blood to the muscles of the heart. This is typically caused by a narrowing of the arteries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angina is quite common in people over the age of 60, with as many as 1 out of every 5 individuals over 60 suffering from it. An angina attack should be a serious warning sign that you are at risk for a stroke or a heart attack. For this reason, it is important to know the symptoms and how to deal with them. Here are 8 angina symptoms that you should be aware of as well as what to do when you are experiencing them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Chest Pain
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Angina will typically cause discomfort in the chest. If you are having chest pain it is not something that you should ignore. With all of the vital blood vessels and organs found in this area of the body, chest pain could be a sign that there is something really wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all chest pain is caused by something that you should be overly concerned with. However, chest pain is something that can be quite alarming. Angina is the result of a reduction in the flow of blood to the heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While angina is often mistaken for a heart attack because of the symptoms of the condition, it does not always mean that there is a serious risk to your health if you suffer from it. No matter what, if you are experiencing any type of chest pain it is not something that you should take lightly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Chest Tightening
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If you experience a tightening in the chest it could be a sign of angina. When this tightening starts to occur it can be quite alarming and a person may begin to panic. The panic can cause further symptoms such as difficulty breathing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tightening of the chest can also be a sign of a heart attack, which is just one reason that a person experiencing this may become very frightened. When the tightening of the chest is a result of angina it is typically short-lived. This symptom will typically subside faster when a person tries to take deep breaths and relax as much as they can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to take some deep breaths and calm yourself down if this symptom starts to occur. If the tightening in the chest does not go away quickly, it is important to make sure that you seek medical attention right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Pain During Exertion
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A person who suffers from angina may experience pain during any type of exertion. Physical activity, even some light exercise can cause a person to experience pain in their chest and in other areas of their body. Stressful situations can also cause a person with angina to experience this type of pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This pain that is caused by exertion typically will not last very long. Usually, within just a few minutes, a person will get over the pain. This is referred to as an angina attack. The pain caused by exertion or stress is from stable angina. Typically, if this occurs resting will help and the pain will go away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a medication to take either before or after you exercise to help reduce the risk of an angina attack. It is important to discuss this pain with your doctor so the proper treatment can be provided. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Random Pain
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There are some people who will simply experience random pain when they have angina. When the pain occurs randomly it is possible that it is a sign of unstable angina. Unstable angina is more dangerous than stable angina and if you are suffering from this it is important to seek medical advice as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When most people think about chest pain they think about the severe pain that sends us straight to the emergency room. However, any pain in the chest can be quite serious. Pain that is caused by angina often will feel more like a cramp. It can also feel like a slight constriction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With angina, your heart is attempting to do more work and the pain is caused by this. Even if the pain does not feel too bad and may not last for long, it is still important that you take it seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Heartburn and Indigestion
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One symptom of angina that may not seem like it is related to the condition is heartburn. Heartburn feels like a burning sensation inside the chest. When the heart is doing extra work, it may feel like your food gets lodged in your chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heartburn can be caused by many different things including bending over, eating, working out, or at times when you lie down at night. Indigestion refers to having an upset stomach feeling. A person who has angina may experience indigestion. One of the issues with indigestion is that many people will simply treat it and do not realize that it is the sign of something more serious, such as angina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angina not only affects blood flow to the heart, but it can also affect blood flow in different areas of the body. An upset stomach can be a sign of angina. If you suffer from chronic indigestion it is important to discuss it with your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Sweating
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It can be quite awkward to sweat. Sweating can leave us smelly and may even cause stains on our clothing. Technically, sweating is an evolutionary advantage. It helps to regulate our body temperature and also can help to rid the body of toxins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that sweating excessively can be a sign that something is not right in the body. A person with angina is likely to have extreme stress when the pain in the chest and the tightness of the chest occurs. This can cause a person to start to sweat excessively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person experiencing a heart attack may also start to sweat excessively. The most important thing you can do if you are experiencing this is to try to remain calm. Keeping calm can help to reduce the symptoms, especially if they are a result of angina. However, it is also important to make sure that you seek medical attention right away to determine the cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Lightheadedness
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Everyone feels light headed 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 lightheaded. <\/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 angina. While being lightheaded is not necessarily a dangerous thing, it can be risky if you are driving or operating other heavy machinery. In addition, other causes for lightheadedness or dizziness aside from angina can be quite serious. <\/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. This is especially true if you are experiencing chest pain and some of the other symptoms of a heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Trouble Breathing
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The heart is responsible for helping to circulate oxygen through the body. When the circulation is affected, different areas of the body can become short on oxygen. This will result in the body trying to compensate. Angina can cause a decrease in oxygen flowing to the lungs and heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can cause a person to feel short of breath. The restriction of blood flow into the heart that is caused by angina is typically temporary. When we can relax the chest muscles the flow of blood can be restored and you will no longer feel short of breath. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you begin to feel short of breath the most important thing that you can do is to try and remain calm and take as deep as breaths as possible. However, if you have sustained shortness of breath it could be a sign of a heart attack and you need to seek medical attention right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Sense of Dread<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the less well-known symptoms of angina and many other cardiac events is that it can bring on a sense of \u2018dread\u2019. This is a somewhat vague description, but it\u2019s something that many people who have suffered from the condition described.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, angina can cause people to feel as though something terrible is happening, or that it is about to happen \u2013 and they aren\u2019t quite sure why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for this, as you might have guessed, is that your heart rate is very closely tied to your mood, and is particularly involved in feelings of stress and anxiety. When you are very stressed, your heart rate increases and your heart rate variability decreases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, when your heart rate increases and variability decreases, this can have the reverse effect and make you feel stressed<\/em>. Thus, when your heart is not performing as it normally would, this can cause a person to feel a sense of anxiety and stress even though they might not be able to pinpoint the exact reason why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best way to cope with this is to try and stay calm \u2013 the more stressed you become, the more it will actually exaggerate the symptoms and make your heart rate higher<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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

One symptom of angina that is perhaps easier to understand, is that it can cause breathlessness. In short, you have less oxygen available to you, and therefore you feel as though you need to gasp for air. This can again cause a lot of anxiety and is of course also a way to experience tiredness and lethargy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To overcome these symptoms, the best thing to do is to try and stay calm and to control your breathing. At this point, you need to try and reduce your activity and stay as calm as possible, so as not to exacerbate and exaggerate the symptoms you\u2019re already experiencing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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

If you experience any extreme stress, your body can respond by making you feel nauseous. Specifically, the reason for this is that your system will notice that your organs aren\u2019t functioning as normal and will, therefore, interpret this as a potential toxin or bacterial invasion. The response of your body is to try and purge: to drive it out of your system by making you feel sick and potentially vomit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there is also a more direct cause for this nausea: that being that your stress levels will force blood to move away from your stomach and digestive system and to your muscles and brain. This leaves you with butterflies which can develop into stomach pain and the feeling of needing to be sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience nausea with your angina, try to drink lots of water and sit down while you wait for it to subside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Passing Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In extreme cases, angina can cause you to pass out. This is due to the lack of oxygen making it around the body and to the brain, as well as potentially due to hyperventilation which can cause you to inhale large amounts of oxygen and exhale all your carbon dioxide. Because the body actually needs carbon dioxide in order to make use of oxygen, this is ironically the same as holding your breath for a long time. You might, therefore, feel dizzy, faint, and tired \u2013 and could eventually pass out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passing out in itself is not harmful, but the danger is that it might cause you to fall and hurt yourself. Make sure that you are with someone then if you think there is a chance you might fall over, and be careful not to overexert yourself. Stay sitting if you notice yourself feeling light-headed, and try to control your breathing as far as possible so as not to exacerbate the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Sense of Detachment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another interesting sense that you can get when you experience angina is that you are a little bit detached from evens. You might feel \u2018floaty\u2019 or indifferent. This is due once again to the lack of oxygen being used in the brain, which can cause you to feel spaced out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This actually works in the exact same way as using gas and air at the hospital. While gas and air do not work as pain killers in a direct sense, they instead work by helping you to feel a little more zoned out so that you are less aware of discomfort and less able to focus on it. That\u2019s exactly what happens if you aren\u2019t getting enough oxygen to your heart and if you\u2019re hyperventilating at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can again be a sign that you might be hyperventilating and at risk of fainting \u2013 so sit down and try to control your breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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

Finally, if you experience angina then you will likely notice your heart rate increasing and your blood pressure going up too. You might hear the heartrate increasing in your ears, or you might feel it as though it is pounding in your chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, the best thing you can do to manage this is to try and stay calm, save your energy, and breathe in a slow and controlled manner. This can have a feedback effect to reduce your heart rate and avoid you becoming more and more worked up thus making matters worse and potentially causing yourself to pass out or have a more serious attack.
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