5 Signs of an Unhealthy Heart that you Shouldn’t Ignore…

Healthy living requires a healthy heart! We reveal 5 unlikely indicators that your heart could use some help…

This blog reveals:

Why your chest isn’t the only location of heart-related pain
The relationship between gum problems and heart problems
How we help to keep healthy hearts feeling strong

It’s not always obvious that your heart needs some help.

After all… you can’t SEE your heart… and you can’t necessarily FEEL it either. Well, other than your pulse, of course. (If you can’t feel that… You need to call someone. Like, right now.)

However, this doesn’t mean our heart won’t send us messages when it needs a little TLC…

… It’s just that some of them aren’t quite as obvious as we’d like.

Here are 5 unusual warning signs of an unhealthy heart… And remember… If you have any suspicion that you could be experiencing heart trouble, immediately get in touch with your physician.

Pain in your left arm or shoulder

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Many of us would naturally expect chest pains to signify an unhealthy heart… and they certainly can.

However, perhaps less obviously related, are pains in your left arm and shoulder.

So, what does your left arm have to do with your heart?

Well, this is a sensation known as ‘referred pain’.

The nerves in your heart and the nerves located in your left arm send messages to the same pain center in your brain.

So, it’s actually pretty common for the brain to confuse problems with your heart as trouble with your left arm.

Make no mistake: if you are experiencing other common heart trouble symptoms (like shortness of breath or chest pain) accompanied by consistent discomfort in your left arm… You need to seek medical attention immediately.

Trouble “getting in the mood”

This is especially prevalent in males.

It’s easy to write off a disinterest in physical intimacy or trouble getting an erection as a consequence of emotional stressors… And that can certainly be the case.

But, research has also suggested it can be a sign of heart trouble.

An erection is achieved by extra blood surging toward the penis, causing the blood vessels to swell.

So, if the passageways the blood uses to get to the penis are starting to become obstructed or compromised, it can make it quite difficult to sustain an erection.

It’s also possible for females to experience a diminished libido due to obstructed blood flow toward their genital area.

In short: don’t write off a symptom like this as “just a sexual issue”.

Gum problems

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We all know the expression “a heart-in-mouth moment”... But what could gum problems possibly have to do with an unhealthy heart?

Well, according to Harvard Health:

People with gum disease (also known as periodontal disease) have two to three times the risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular event.

It’s possible that the inflammation of the gums can allow bacteria in our mouth to enter our bloodstream.

Once that happens, these bacteria can cause inflammation throughout our body… including the arteries.

Snoring and trouble sleeping

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That’s right!

Snoring can also be a potential indicator of an unhealthy heart.

You see, there’s a particular sleep condition called ‘sleep apnea’.

This is a condition that obstructs us from breathing properly during sleep. When our breathing is obscured… we can start to snore.

Often those suffering will wake up gasping for air.

We should note that snoring does not always mean you have sleep apnea, nor will sleep apnea always result in snoring.

What isn’t up for debate however is that inconsistent sleep patterns can put a lot of stress and pressure on our heart.

According to the American Heart Association, sleep apnea is associated with high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke, and even heart failure.

Swollen feet

Obviously the shape of our body naturally changes over time…

… But if you notice your feet are swelling, it could be cause for heart-related concern.

The swelling of the feet can be caused by a condition called edema.

Edema occurs when our capillaries start to leak fluid into surrounding muscle tissue, which leads to swelling.

While less serious cases can simply be the result of eating a bit too much salt, or sitting in one position for too long… others can be indicative of something much more serious.

According to the Mayo Clinic, these causes can include kidney disease, cirrhosis, and congestive heart failure.