Chest pains and high blood pressure?

8 months ago I gave birth to my daughter. I had toximia. I never had high blood pressure prior to my pregnancy, but it went up. After having my daughter, it went down--But not all the way down. it is still not back to normal. I believe the highest the top number ever went was in the 140's



For the last two or three days, I have been experiencing chest pain. It is not severe, but it is annoying. It goes away and comes back.



The pain is not radiating down my arm or anything like that.



Should I go to the emergency room?



I have never had the chest pains before....



I have been reading online of ways to lower my blood pressure. I am going grocery shopping tomorrow and buying healthy foods! And no more french fires on my lunch break!!!!



I have been reading about herbs, I am already taking hawthorn, but want to add more to this regimen. I would really like a membership to the YMCA, but honestly cannot afford it.



What do you think?
Chest pains and high blood pressure?
DO NOT SELF-DIAGNOSE. This can never replace the advice and treatment of a licensed, trained doctor. Herbs are just as dangerous as taking unprescribed drugs and can have many, many side effects that most consumers are unaware of. For all you know the chest pains may be from the hawthorne you are taking. Like any other plant or food it is possible you are allergic. Please speak to your doctor about the lifestyle changes you are making and schedule an appointment about the chest pains, they should be taken seriously. Think of it this way, if your husband or daughter had chest pain, you'd be in the ER pronto, why should you treat yourself any different?



++Hawthorne Berry is considered to be among the safest herbal supplements. Some rare side effects may include nausea, rapid heartbeat or headache. There are some drug interactions possible with Hawthorne Berry, so people using the herb should consult a physician if they are taking any prescription medications. It can also counteract the effects of products, such as nasal decongestants, that contain phenylephrine. Phenylephrine constricts blood vessels, so the ability of Hawthrone berry to dilate blood vessels will decrease the effectiveness of medications that contain it. ++
Reply:Try the Natural Cures, you can definitely afford this, it helps bring your BP under control. High BP causes chest pains.



High blood pressure or hypertension - to give it the correct medical term - is regarded as the silent killer. It is a disease of the modern age. The fast pace of life and the mental and physical pressures caused by the industrial and metropolitan environments give rise to psychological tensions. Worry and mental tension increases the adrenaline in the blood stream and this, in turn, causes the pressure of the blood to rise.



The blood which circulates through the arteries within the body supplies every cell with nourishment and oxygen. The force exert by the heart as it pumps the blood into the large arteries creates a pressure within them and this is called blood pressure. A certain level of blood pressure is thus essential to keep the blood circulating in the body. But when the pressure becomes too high, it results in hypertension which is caused by spasm or narrowing of the small blood vessels, known as capillaries, throughout the body. This narrowing puts more stress on the heart to pump blood through the blood vessels. Hence, the pressure of the blood to get through rises in proportion to the pressure on the heart.



The blood pressure is measured with the instrument called sphygmomanometer in millimeters of mercury. The highest pressure reached during each heartbeat is called systolic pressure and the lowest between the two beats is known as diastolic pressure. The first gives the pressure of the contraction of the heart as it pushes the blood on its journey through the body and indicates the activity of the heart. The second represents the pressure present in the artery when the heart is relaxed and shows the condition of the blood vessels. The blood pressure level considered normal is 120/70, but may go up to 140 /90 and still be normal. Within this range, the lower the reading, the better. Blood pressure between 140/90 and 160/95 is considered borderline area. From 160/96 to 180/114, it is classed as moderate hypertension, while 180/115 and upward is considered severe. A raised diastolic pressure is considered more serious than the raised systolic pressure as it has a serious long-term effect. The higher the pressure the greater the danger it causes to the wall.



Symptoms: Mild and moderate hypertension may not produce any symptoms for years. The first symptoms may appear in the form of pain toward the back of the head and neck on waking in the morning, which soon disappears. Some of the other usual symptoms of hypertension are dizziness, aches and pains in the arms, shoulder region, leg, back, etc., palpitations, pain in the heart region, frequent urination, nervous tension and fatigue, crossness, emotional upset, tiredness, and wakefulness.



A person suffering from high blood pressure cannot do any serious work, feels tired and out of sorts all the time. He may experience difficulty in breathing and suffer from dyspepsia. Hypertension, if not eliminated, may cause heart attacks or strokes or other disability conditions such as detachment of the retina.



Causes: The most important causes of hypertension are stress and a faulty style of living. People who are usually tense suffer from high blood pressure, especially when under stress. If the stress continues for a long period, the pressure may become permanently raised and may not become even after removal of the stress. An irregular life style, smoking and an excessive intake of intoxicants, tea, coffee, cola drinks, refined foods, destroy the natural pace of life. The expulsion of waste and poisonous matter from the body is prevented and the arteries and the veins become slack. hardening of the arteries, obesity, diabetes and severe constipation also lead to hypertension. Other causes of high blood pressure are excessive intake of painkillers, common table salt, food allergies, and eating a high fat, low fibre diet, processed foods deficient in essential nutrients.



The kidneys play an important role in controlling blood pressure through secretion of rennin, a natural chemical. If increased rennin is secreted by the kidneys, more salts are retained in the body, which leads to an increase in the volume of circulating blood and consequently to an increase in the blood pressure. Repeated infections and inflammation in the kidneys can also give rise to hypertension.



Cure: The modern medical treatment of high blood pressure is highly unscientific as it brings down the pressure by drugs without making any effort to remove the underlying causes. Drugs may temporarily reduce blood pressure, but they do not cure the condition and are harmful in the ultimate analysis. All drugs against hypertension without exception, are toxic and have distressing side effects. The safest way to cure hypertension is to remove the real cause. The natural way of dealing with it is to eliminate the poisons from the system which cause it. Persons with high blood pressure should always follow a well-balanced routine of proper diet, exercise and rest. Diet is of primary importance. Meat and eggs cause the blood pressure to rise more than any other food. The pressure is lowered and blood clotting diminished by partaking of a higher fruit content, lower protein and non-flesh diet. A natural diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of a traditional diet, is helpful in getting rid of the poisons from the body. A hypertension patient should start the process of healing by living on an exclusive fruit-diet for at least a week, and take fruits at five-hourly intervals thrice in the day. Oranges, apples, pears, mangoes, guava, pineapples, raspberry, and watermelon are the best diet in such cases. Bananas and jackfruit should not be taken. Milk may be taken after a week of ‘fruits only’ diet. The milk should be fresh and should be boiled only once. The patient can be permitted cereals in his food after two weeks.



Vegetables are also good for the patient of hypertension. They should preferably be taken raw. If they are cooked, it should be ensured that their natural juices are not burnt in the process of cooking. Vegetables like cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, onion, radish, cabbage and spinach are best taken in their raw form. They may be cut into small pieces and the juice of a lemon added to them so as to make them more palatable.



Garlic is regarded as one of the most effective remedies to lower blood pressure. The pressure and tension are reduced because it has the power to ease the spasms of the small arteries. Garlic also slows the pulse and modifies the heart rhythm besides relieving the symptoms of dizziness, numbness, shortness of breath and the formation of gas within the digestive tract. The average dosage should be two to three capsules a day to make a dent in the blood pressure. Indian gooseberry (amla) is another effective food remedy for high blood pressure. A tablespoonful each of fresh amla juice and honey mixed together should be taken every morning in this condition. Lemon is also regarded as a valuable food to control high blood pressure. It is a rich source of vitamin P which is found both in the juice and peel of the fruit. This vitamin is essential for preventing capillary fragility.



Watermelon is another valuable safeguard against high blood pressure. It was proved in recent experiments that a substance extracted from watermelon seeds has a definite action in dilating the blood vessels, which results in lowering the blood pressure.



Recent studies have revealed an important link between dietary calcium and potassium and hypertension. Researchers have found that people who take potassium-rich diets have a low incidence of hypertension even if they do not control their salt-intake. They have also found that people with hypertension do not seem to get much calcium in the form of dairy products. The two essential nutrients seem to help the body throw off excess sodium and are involved in important functions which control the working of the vascular system. Potassium is found in abundance in fruits and vegetables and calcium in dairy products.



Exercise plays an important role in curing hypertension. Walking is an excellent form of exercise. It helps to relieve tension, builds up the muscles and aids in the circulation of blood. As the blood pressure shows signs of abating, more exercise like bicycling, swimming, jogging should be taken. Yogic asanas such as surya namaskar, makrasana,matsyasana, vajrasana, ardhapadmasana, pavan-muktasana, shavasana, and simple pranayama like anuloma-viloma, and abdominal breathing are beneficial. All asanas should, however, be discontinued except shavasana if the blood pressure is above 200 mmHg.



Water Treatment: Prolonged neutral bath daily for an hour or so at 90 o to 95 o will be beneficial. Cold compress should be kept on the head during this bath. Other water treatments include hot foot or leg bath for 10 minutes, hot compress over the heart replacing it as bath cools down. Persons suffering from hypertension must ensure at least eight hours of restful sleep, because proper rest is an important aspect of the treatment. Most important of all, the patient must avoid over-straining, worries, tension, anger and haste. He must try to be cheerful and develop a contented mind. The natural treatment may take sometime but it is the safest and best way to get rid of this disease.



Hope this helps, Good Luck.
Reply:I would get into your doctor...these pains could be a sign of something wrong with your coronary arteries. If they are unbearable, go to the emergency room. Pain related to a heart attack will last longer than 15 minutes and there will be no relief with doing anything. High blood pressure is not good for the arteries of the heart, so get the problem taken care of before it's too late.
Reply:Ok, I have some questions for you:

Have you recently had a cold? Where exactly does your chest hurt? Do you notice this discomfort when you take a deep breath? Can you describe the discomfort? Is it a pressure or an ache? Do you feel short of breath, have sweating or nausea also?

Sorry for the questions, but I am a nurse, and the ER where I work is a certified chest pain center.

Regarding weight loss: Many studies are showing that if you:

(1)Exercise vigorously for 20 minutes, 3 times a week

(2)Make dietary changes and lose even just 10 pounds:

You can significantly reduce your blood pressure.

Do you have a family history of high blood pressure and/or heart problems?

Hawthorne is a good start but there are several products you might want ot look at:

Omega 3 fish oil , CoQ10, Vitamin -C, L-taurine and L-

arginine. Some companies have good combinations of these in 'heart health packs'. You might look at Rexall Sundown products which you can buy at almost every drug store ( I used to be a distributor for the parent, direct selling branch).

If you feel worse with this chest discomfort, OR it continues you need to go to an ER ASAP

Hope you feel better
Reply:Since you have had these pains for 2-3 days you should go to ER or Dr., ASAP.. Better safe then sorry... Do it for your daughter. I'm sure you want to see her grow up and she needs her momma... Good Luck..
Reply:Hi, after my blood pressure shot up after having my kids I couldnt find anything to help for ages until my physician told me abou something all natural called core complex. It helps blood circulation, cholesterol and generally keeps the blood and heart healthy. I have been using this now for about eight months and I feel great. My blood pressure doesny go up and down any more and my overall health has improved greatly. I hope this helps.
Reply:I used to get some pains like that, but they just turned out to be gas. :)



But really, it's probably safe to get it checked out.



I could be related to high blood pressure too.



There are some easy ways to reduce blood pressure naturally without drugs. ie) change your diet and excercise routine.



Here's a site with more information on how to reduce your blood pressure by changing the types of foods you eat.



http://hubpages.com/hub/Foods_That_Reduc...



Take care.