When it comes to heart problems, a common question often arises: How can we know if something is going wrong with our hearts?

The fact is that not all heart trouble comes with clear warning signs. The alarming chest clutch that they show in movies doesn’t always happen in reality. In fact, some symptoms of heart problems don’t even occur in your chest. So it’s not always easy to be sure about what’s happening.

You experience many symptoms every day, but you often brush it off or neglect to get it checked, which is a very risky move. If you experience any out-of-the-blue symptoms undiagnosed, you should instantly get a medical checkup since it might be related to your heart. This especially applies to those above the age of 60, overweight, or those who have high cholesterol, diabetes, or hypertension. The more risk factors you notice, the more you need to be concerned that it might be heart-related.

Here are some ignored signs of heart trouble that you should watch out for.

Chest Discomfort

Chest discomfort is the most common and obvious indicator of heart problems. Whether you’re having a heart attack or have a blocked artery, you will experience pain, pressure, or tightness in the chest area. However, this feeling may vary from person to person. While some people may feel extreme heaviness in their chest, others may experience slight pinching or burning.

This feeling typically lasts no longer than a few minutes and can happen at any time – whether you’re resting or indulging in some physical activity. If you experience this brief pain in a particular spot or area – that hurts more when you touch it or push it – it’s probably not your heart.

However, you should still visit your doctor for a checkup, and if the symptoms keep worsening, you should call for an emergency. Additionally, you need to remember that heart problems such as a heart attack can occur – even without chest pain.

Nausea, Heartburn, Indigestion, or Stomachache

Some common problems such as nausea, heartburn, indigestion, or stomachache are also indicators of a heart attack. Anyone experiencing a heart attack, especially women, may experience all these symptoms and even vomit.

Even though these symptoms are consistent with a stomachache that might be occurring due to something you ate. However, it is important to note that it can also happen during a heart attack.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, and at any point, you feel like it’s not just a stomachache, then you should immediately visit a doctor. This is even more critical if you’re already at risk for heart problems and are experiencing other symptoms as well.

Pain Extending to Your Arm

Another classic symptom of a heart attack is pain that extends all the way through the left side of your body, especially your arm. This pain often starts from the chest and extends all the way to the end of your arm outwards. So if you’re experiencing severe pain in your arm that originated in your chest, there’s a chance that it may be a heart attack.

Dizzy or Lightheadedness

Many things can make you feel faint or dizzy for a moment. Maybe you stood up too fast, didn’t eat or drink for too long, or are exhausted. Feeling dizzy or lightheaded is usually a sign of weakness. However, if you feel dizzy and unsteady, followed by chest discomfort and shortness of breath, you need to call a doctor right away. This could mean that your blood pressure has dropped or is dropped because your heart isn’t pumping blood as it should.

Constant Exhaustion and Lethargy

If you have a feeling of constant fatigue and exhaustion after doing something you didn’t have a problem doing in the past – like going for a run, climbing the stairs, or carrying groceries – you need to make an appointment with a doctor immediately. These chances are critical and should never go unnoticed – as they might be an indicator of something bigger going on. Unexplained weakness or constant extreme exhaustion, sometimes for days at a time, can be an indicator of undiagnosed heart problems.

Jaw or Throat Pain

Experiencing jaw or throat pain by itself isn’t anything heart-related. These are common symptoms of a cold or a sinus problem. However, if you begin to experience any pain or pressure in the center of your chest that extends all the way to your throat or jaw, then it might be a sign of a heart attack. This is an issue that requires medical attention immediately.

Snoring

Snoring is a normal sleeping behavior. While many people generally snore very loudly, others snore when they are exhausted. But, if someone snores unusually loud that sounds like choking or gasping – then this is a sign of sleep apnea. A majority of the time, a person with sleep apnea isn’t aware of their condition.

Sleep apnea is a medical condition in which a person stops breathing for brief moments several times throughout the night when they are sleeping. Since this condition stops your breathing, it exerts extra stress and pressure on your heart.

If your partner has complained about you snoring too loudly at night, then you should get checked by a doctor to undergo a sleep study. It is important to seek treatment for sleep apnea as it can cause heart problems or worsen existing ones.

Sweating

Breaking out in a cold sweat followed by dizziness and lightheadedness is a symptom of dropping blood pressure. However, if you begin to experience cold sweat along with the above-mentioned symptoms, then this could signal a heart attack.

We often tend to ignore signals that serve as an indicator of what actually may be going on. You need to pay attention to what your body is telling you and visit your doctor when you begin to experience any of the above-mentioned ignored signs of heart trouble.