As per WHO estimates, heart diseases claim close to 18 million lives every year
Heart disease is a silent killer. The signs and symptoms associated with this disease are so mild in the initial stages that it is impossible for a healthy individual to spot these.
There are several common signs of heart diseases which do not seem alarming but can snowball and lead to serious conditions like heart disease.
Read: Understanding cholesterol-How it can stay undetected, silently damaging heart
Ankles can be an indicator of heart disease
A swollen ankle can be an indication that your heart needs way more attention than you are giving it currently.
How do you spot it? Unexplained swelling in ankles, and ankles appearing swollen without any external injury or bruises should not be taken lightly.
Another potential indicator is that the swollen area appears warm and when pressed it leaves a dent which remains a bit longer; in such conditions the skin does not return back to normal.
For example, when you wear socks you see dent or the impressions of the socks on your legs. Normally these impressions go away once you get rid of the socks, however if these impressions stay for a longer duration you should consult a doctor.
Peripheral oedema
This condition mostly occurs due to peripheral oedema. It occurs mostly when fluid gathers in the tissue. It is mostly seen in arms and legs. In this condition, the arms and legs feel heavy.
Peripheral oedema can indicate a mild water retention problem, or can also be a potential indicator of a serious disease like heart disease. It can even occur in response to an allergic reaction.
Signs of peripheral oedema
Apart from swelling in the ankles, other signs of peripheral oedema are puffiness of hands and face, swelling mostly after standing for a long time and also after sitting for a long time, stretched skin, change in skin color, discomfort, stiffness in the joint areas.
Sometimes the patient can also experience neck pain, can lose consciousness, may experience dizziness, and nausea.
Heart diseases peripheral oedema can indicate
Peripheral oedema can indicate congestive heart failure. When the heart weakens the amount of blood it pumps is affected drastically. This can lead to fluid build up leading to leg oedema.
The common signs of heart disease are:
- Cough, which does not go away on its own
- Wheezing
- Bloating
- Unexplained weight change
- Mood swings and confusion
- Palpitations
Other diseases associated with peripheral oedema
Apart from heart disease, the other ailments associated with peripheral oedema are varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, kidney disease, less protein in blood, and liver disease.
It can also lead to severe lung conditions called emphysema.
The most common cause of peripheral edema in patients is venous insufficiency and is related to old age, but apart from this many other underlying conditions like heart failure, renal failure, liver failure, and trauma can cause this condition and can occur to an individual of any age group.
How to maintain good heart health?
Apart from living a healthy life and having a clean diet, which are too obvious to follow, one should also keep an eye on minor changes in the body. Signs which seem simple and non-serious to the eyes might just be the tip of the iceberg.
Heart diseases do not happen at once. The symptoms linger within the body and slowly and steadily affect the normal functioning of the heart. By the time an individual experiences the issues, it's already too late.
Regular medical checkups, proper diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle are very essential to keep the human heart function properly.