In case you didn’t know, high blood pressure often has no symptoms until a serious health problem occurs.
However, when blood pressure becomes extremely high commonly known as a Hypertensive Crisis—severe symptoms can appear. These may include frequent headaches, confusion, shortness of breath, chest pain, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, and nosebleeds.
If you experience any of these symptoms along with high blood pressure, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.
In this post, you will learn 10 symptoms linked to very high blood pressure and understand the reasons why they happen.
Read Also: The New High Blood Pressure Guideline
10 Common Symptoms of High Blood Pressure include:
1. Severe headaches
High blood pressure means the blood is pushing harder than normal against the walls of your blood vessels. In the brain, this extra force can make the tiny vessels tighten or stretch, and that sudden change often triggers pain signals. This is one of the main reasons why people with hypertension sometimes experience headaches.
When blood pressure is high, the brain also struggles to regulate blood flow smoothly. This can create a feeling of heaviness, pressure, or throbbing in the head, especially in the morning or after stress. Some people may feel the headache like a tight band around the head, while others describe it as a pounding sensation.
It’s important to remember that not every headache means your blood pressure is high, but strong or sudden headaches with dizziness, blurred vision, or chest pain can be warning signs of a dangerous rise in blood pressure.
2. Confusion or altered mental status
Sometimes, when blood pressure becomes very high, it can affect the brain. The strong pressure can make it hard for the brain to get the right blood flow and oxygen. When this happens, a person may not think clearly, may feel confused, or may act differently than usual.
This condition is more serious than just a headache. Confusion, trouble speaking, or not knowing where you are can be signs of a hypertensive emergency, which means the blood pressure is dangerously high and is already affecting the brain.
3. Visual disturbances, including blurred vision
High blood pressure can also affect the eyes. The tiny blood vessels in the eyes are very sensitive to changes in pressure. When blood pressure goes up, these vessels can become stiff, leak fluid, or even swell. This can cause blurred vision, double vision, or spots in front of the eyes. Some patients may notice sudden changes, especially if their blood pressure rises quickly.
When blood pressure stays high for a long time, it can lead to a condition called hypertensive retinopathy. This damages the retina (the light-sensitive part of the eye), which can cause ongoing vision problems if not treated. That’s why doctors often check the eyes of patients with hypertension during examinations.
If you notice sudden blurred vision, flashing lights, or even temporary loss of sight, it can be a warning of dangerously high blood pressure (hypertensive emergency).
4. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
High blood pressure does not only affect the brain and eyes, it also affects the heart and lungs. When the heart has to pump against very strong pressure, it becomes strained. This can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, leading to shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
Sometimes this happens gradually, but in very high blood pressure it can occur suddenly, especially if the patient develops heart failure or pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs). Patients may notice they cannot breathe well when lying flat, or they may wake up at night gasping for air.
If someone with hypertension suddenly experiences severe shortness of breath, chest tightness, or swelling in the legs, it can be a sign of a hypertensive emergency affecting the heart.
5. Chest pain or tightness
High blood pressure makes the heart work harder than normal to pump blood. Over time, this strain can damage the heart’s blood vessels. When the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood, it can cause chest pain or tightness (angina).
Sometimes this pain feels like pressure, heaviness, or squeezing in the chest. It may spread to the arm, neck, or back. If blood pressure rises very suddenly, it can also trigger a heart attack or cause the main blood vessel (aorta) to tear, both of which are life-threatening conditions.
If someone with hypertension experiences sudden chest pain, especially if it is severe, crushing, or comes with sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath, they should seek emergency care immediately. This could save their life.
6. Nausea and vomiting
High blood pressure can sometimes affect the brain in a condition called hypertensive encephalopathy. When this happens, the pressure inside the head increases, and this can cause nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are often seen together with headache, confusion, or blurred vision.
Vomiting caused by high blood pressure is not the same as a simple stomach upset. It usually comes suddenly, is strong, and does not bring relief. It is the body’s way of signaling that the brain is under stress from dangerously high blood pressure.
If you or someone with hypertension develops sudden nausea and vomiting along with severe headache, dizziness, or vision problems, it is important to seek medicall care immediately. These may be signs of a hypertensive emergency that requires urgent treatment.
7. Anxiety
When blood pressure becomes very high, the body reacts with “alarm signals.” One of these signals is anxiety — a sudden feeling of fear, restlessness, or uneasiness. This happens because high blood pressure can stimulate stress hormones (like adrenaline), making the heart beat faster and causing the person to feel tense or worried.
Anxiety from high blood pressure is not always due to emotional stress. Sometimes it is the body’s way of warning that the pressure inside the arteries is dangerously high. Patients may notice anxiety together with other symptoms such as headache, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.
If someone with hypertension experiences sudden intense anxiety, especially with physical symptoms like chest pain, pounding heartbeat, dizziness, or sweating, it may be a sign of a hypertensive crisis. This needs urgent medical care to avoid serious complications.
Read Also: 12 Medical Conditions Confused With Anxiety
8. Nosebleeds
High blood pressure can sometimes make the small blood vessels inside the nose more likely to break. This is because the extra force of blood against the vessel walls makes them weaker and more fragile. When a vessel bursts, it leads to a nosebleed.
Most nosebleeds are not caused by hypertension — they can also happen from dry air, allergies, or trauma. But in people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, frequent or sudden heavy nosebleeds may be a warning that the pressure is too high.
If someone with hypertension has repeated nosebleeds, or if a nosebleed comes together with headache, dizziness, chest pain, or blurred vision, they should get their blood pressure checked right away. Severe nosebleeds may also need urgent medical care.
9. Abnormal heart rhythm
High blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood. Over time, this strain can thicken or weaken the heart muscle. When that happens, the normal electrical signals that control the heartbeat may become disturbed, leading to an abnormal heart rhythm.
Patients may feel this as the heart beating too fast, too slow, skipping beats, or pounding in the chest. Sometimes it causes dizziness, fainting, or shortness of breath. In serious cases, abnormal rhythms can increase the risk of stroke or sudden heart problems.
If someone with hypertension suddenly feels strong palpitations, irregular heartbeat, or fainting spells, it may be a sign of a dangerous rhythm problem. This needs urgent medical care to protect the heart and prevent complications.
10. Buzzing in the ears
Some people with high blood pressure experience a buzzing, ringing, or whooshing sound in the ears. This happens because the increased pressure affects blood flow in the tiny vessels near the ears. When the blood is pushing harder than normal, the ear may “pick up” this movement as a sound, even when no external noise is present.
This buzzing may come and go or be constant. It is usually worse when blood pressure is uncontrolled. While tinnitus can also be caused by other problems such as earwax, loud noise exposure, or aging, in patients with hypertension it can be a sign that the pressure is too high.
If someone with high blood pressure notices new or worsening buzzing in the ears, especially together with headache, dizziness, or vision changes, they should have their blood pressure checked. Keeping blood pressure under control often helps reduce or stop this symptom.
Other Less Common Symptoms
The following symptoms are not very common, but they can sometimes appear. If you notice any of them together with high blood pressure, take caution and go to the hospital early:
- Fatigue or unexplained tiredness
- Dizziness
- Pounding sensations in the chest, neck, or ears
- Facial flushing
- Seizures
Take Regular Check-ups
Since high blood pressure usually does not cause clear symptoms, it is very important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. This helps detect and manage it before it causes serious health problems.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Help
If you have a high blood pressure reading and experience any of the severe symptoms of a hypertensive crisis mentioned above, you should seek emergency medical care right away. Quick action can save your life and prevent complications.
