20 Warning Signs Your Heart Sends You

 Your heart gives life to everything you do, but many of us don’t pay attention to the potentially serious warning signs it’s giving us. Finding what it’s telling you might just save your life.

Our heart is the control center for virtually everything in our body, keeping us alive, alert, and ready to conquer each new day. However, for many people, our hearts are doing more than just keeping our blood pumping —they’re trying to send us a message.

Heart disease is the number one killer around the world, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths in the United States alone. What’s worse is that many people ignore the symptoms of heart trouble, mistaking them for other, more minor medical issues. Every second counts when your heart is concerned, so ignoring your symptoms can prove fatal fast. We’ve compiled a list of the 20 warning signs your heart is giving you, many of them so subtle you might think they’re nothing at all. If you’re experiencing any of them, it’s time to talk to your doctor and make sure that minor issue doesn’t turn into a life-threatening one.

                                                                 You Feel Queasy

That unsettled feeling in your stomach could be more than just a case of nerves. If your stomach is tied up in knots all of a sudden, or if you experience vomiting seemingly out of nowhere, it’s well worth mentioning to your doctor. Fortunately, nausea and vomiting are often early warning signs of a heart attack, so getting them attended to early may help you fight back before your life is at risk. 

                                                             You’re Out of Breath

Whether you’re changing altitudes or upping the intensity on your workout, it’s not exactly unheard of for even regular exercisers to find themselves winded. However, if you’re struggling to breathe as you go about your daily business, it could be a sign that your heart isn’t working properly. Many individuals with heart disease develop pulmonary edema, a condition in which the lungs fill with fluid. When the heart doesn’t effectively carry blood to and from your vital organs, your blood pressure increases, causing the transfer of fluid from your blood vessels to the alveoli, tiny air sacs inside the lungs. This makes it difficult to breathe and can often create a feeling of heaviness in the chest, similar to what some people experience during a panic attack. 

                                                                       You’re Dizzy

A little dizziness after a day at the amusement park is normal. When that feeling occurs seemingly out of nowhere, you might be in trouble. Dizziness is often a warning sign for heart disease, often accompanying pulmonary edema. When your brain isn’t receiving adequate blood flow, it can make you feel woozy, as can pulmonary edema, which can limit the amount of oxygenated blood being delivered to your organs.

                                                    Your Shoulder Aches or Is Numb

Numbness and pain in the left shoulder are among the most widely-reported heart attack symptoms, and definitely ones you shouldn’t ignore. While shoulder pain can also stem from everyday wear and tear, like tendonitis or a rotor cuff injury, if the pain is moving down your chest and into your fingertips, it’s important you call 911 right away. Often the pain isn’t just limited to your arm, however — many people experience it in their jaw and neck, too.

                                                           You’re Always Exhausted

We get it: there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done and get a good night’s rest, too. While there are tons of things in this world that can make you sleepy, from a lack of caffeine to poor sleep, sudden, unshakable fatigue can also be an indication your heart isn’t doing its job effectively. When your heart isn’t firing on all cylinders, it limits the amount of oxygen-rich blood to your organs, making everything you do both more difficult and more draining. Coupled with the fluid buildup in the lungs that often accompanies heart disease and you’ve got a recipe for serious exhaustion.

                                                               You’re Not Hungry

While it might be nice to imagine having our hunger for junk food disappear, when your appetite vanishes entirely, it can be cause for serious concern. Lack of hunger can often be an early warning sign of a heart attack, so if you find yourself turning up your nose at your favorite foods, it might be worth mentioning to a medical professional. Fortunately, just because you’re not hungry doesn’t mean you’re definitely dealing with something serious; everything from dietary changes to stress can cause your eating habits to change, too. Finding yourself full and sluggish after meals?