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Back pain can affect your health in many ways, but did you know that it can also affect your heart health? According to medical research, there is a link between chronic back pain and an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. So the question that arises is can back pain cause high blood pressure? 

Well, yes if you try to control your back pain, you may have high blood pressure problems.

As mentioned above, chronic back pain affects our health in many ways, but there are two main reasons why pain can be linked to high blood pressure. Pain works to increase a person’s blood pressure because pain produces two biological responses in our bodies.

What Is Back Pain?

It is a pain in any part of the back. Sometimes you can feel it in your lower back or legs. It can be because of injury or age factors and it can occur at any time of life due to different reasons. Sometimes people lift heavy weights which causes their back muscles to tear which can lead to a serious problem. 

The pain can also be the result of some disease a person is suffering from spine inflammation, tumors in the chest, osteoporosis, or disorders of the aorta. Our vertebrae help us to move. The back muscles, spinal cord, and disc support our body and any problem with these can cause back pain. However, dorsalgia may also be a cause of your back pain.

What are the Signs of Back Pain?

• Stiffness in the morning when awakening and lessened back pain with activity.

• Increasing pain with lifting and bending.

• Worsening pain when resting, sitting, or standing.

• Back pain that comes and goes.

• Pain that radiates away from the back into the buttocks, leg, or hip.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is your blood pressure as you push through your veins. If the blood pressure against the walls of the arteries is too high, it can lead to cardiovascular issues such as heart disease and stroke.

• High blood pressure is over 130/80 blood pressure.

• Fewer women (43%) have high blood pressure than men (47%)

• Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in the US

• About half of the adults in the US have hypertension

• Some 30 million adults may need blood pressure medication

• It is estimated that 1 adult in 5 does not know she has high blood pressure

Because high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems, it is important to get tested every year. If you know you have high blood pressure, you can always monitor your blood pressure at home.

Other Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure

• Very painful headache

• Confusion

• Dizziness

• Fatigue

• Breathing hard

• Chest pain

• Unusual heartbeat

• Copy nose

High blood pressure contributes to serious health issues such as cognitive impairment, heart disease, stroke, heart disease, aneurysm, heart failure, and dementia.

Most people ask if can dehydration cause back pain. Well, yes you may also suffer from high blood pressure due to less water in your body.

If you are experiencing chronic back pain treatment in fort worth, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor about the possible link between your injury and high blood pressure.

How are Back Pain and High Blood Pressure Interlinked?

Almost no living person has ever experienced back pain at some point. For some, it is the result of strenuous physical activity and will often go away on a regular basis. For some, it is a chronic problem that must be dealt with on a daily basis. That said, you may want to consider the possibility that your back pain may not be caused by simple exertion. It may be due to high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.

How do you know if your back pain is the result of hypertension? Yes, the best course you can take is to see your doctor and check your blood pressure regularly. If you have problems with hypertension, your pain specialist in Dallas can also teach you how to monitor your blood pressure at home.

As long as you can get an appointment right away with your doctor, you may want to know how to tell if your back pain is related to high blood pressure or something else. If you feel pain in your lower back, it is less likely that the pain is caused by high blood pressure. 

However, it may be due to a weak spot in your aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. These weak areas are called aneurysms. When it involves the aorta, it usually produces back pain. It is safe to say that this is a real health emergency, so you should never hesitate to call an ambulance if you have a slight suspicion that this may be your problem.

You should also be aware that having low back pain can cause high blood pressure, as blood pressure often rises when you are in pain. Unfortunately, constant pain may cause your blood pressure to drop and stay that way.

How Can We Treat It?

Controlling blood pressure is a lifelong challenge. High blood pressure can develop over the years, and treatments that have been effective in life may need to be adjusted over time. Controlling blood pressure may include gradually changing lifestyle habits such as diet, weight loss, exercise, and medication when needed. In some cases, medication may be recommended immediately. Like most illnesses, you and your pain doctor in Dallas should work together to find a treatment that works for you.

There is also a clever way to treat high blood pressure, and it includes the high blood pressure category and the calculated risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD, heart disease, or stroke). Some online calculators are available at the American Heart Association.

• If a person has normal blood pressure, the recommendation is to promote good living habits and check their blood pressure every year.

• If there is high blood pressure, lifestyle changes should be tried and blood pressure should be re-tested within 3-6 months.

• In stage 1 hypertension, if the risk of ASCVD is less than 10%, lifestyle changes are recommended for re-testing at 1-6 months.

• In stage 1 high blood pressure with an increased risk of ASCVD of more than 10%, medication should be added to lifestyle changes with a 1-month re-examination. If normal blood pressure levels are not met, additional medications may be added.

• With Stage 2 hypertension, medication, and lifestyle changes should begin immediately, with re-testing at 1 month and additional medication added if the goals are not met.

10 Damages High Blood Pressure Can Do to Your Body?

Here are some risks of high blood pressure:

• Artery Damage

Your arteries should be strong, moist, and smooth to move blood easily from the heart and lungs to your organs and other tissues. High blood pressure, or HBP, pushes heavily on the walls of your arteries. This damages the interior and causes the oil, or “plaque,” to accumulate. That layer makes your arteries stronger and thinner, so it can’t do its job.

• Aneurysm

This is when pressure pushes part of the artery wall and drains energy. If it breaks, it can end up in your body, and that can be very bad. It can occur in any artery, but the aneurysm is most common in your aorta, which runs down the center of your body. If you have a damaged artery, you can get an aneurysm even if you do not have high blood pressure.

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

CAD occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries near your heart. This reduces blood flow, which can cause chest pain or a strange heart rhythm (called arrhythmia). Complete closure can cause heart disease.

• Heart Attack

When enough plaque is formed, or the pile is cracked, to completely block the artery in your heart, it can cause heart disease. Inhibition kills the heart muscle for oxygen and nutrients. That can either hurt or destroy it.

You usually feel pressure or pain in your chest, but sometimes in your arm, neck, or jaw as well. It may be difficult to breathe, and you may feel dizzy or nauseous.

• Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

PAD is similar to CAD, but it affects the blood vessels far away from your heart, such as those in your arms, legs, head, or abdomen. You may have pain or cramps in your legs, often when walking or climbing stairs. It can also make you tired. The pain may go away when you relax and when you leave. Left untreated, PAD can cause serious problems such as stroke, ulcers, and loss of orientation of your legs, which can lead to amputation.

• Heart Failure

High blood pressure can cause your arteries to narrow. Over time, that can make your heart work harder and harder. Eventually, it becomes so weak that it cannot supply enough blood throughout the body. This is heart failure.

• Dementia

HBP can cause plaque to build up in the arteries that supply your brain. The clogging of those arteries can reduce blood flow throughout your body. When it changes the way your brain works, it is called “vascular dementia.”

It can affect the way you think, talk, see, remember – even the way you move. This usually happens slowly over time. But if you have a stroke, you can see the symptoms very quickly.

• Kidney Failure

High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure. It narrows and tightens the blood vessels used by your kidneys to help remove waste and excess fluid. That keeps special filters, called nephrons, from getting enough blood and nutrients. That can eventually close your kidneys permanently.

• Eye Problems

Over time, high blood pressure can slow down the flow of blood to the retina, a light-sensitive tissue that lies behind the retina. It can also slow blood flow to the optic nerve, which helps send signals to your brain. It may blur your vision or in some cases make it go away. HBP may also cause fluid to form beneath your retina. That can damage the tissues and impair your vision.

• Bone Loss

People with high blood pressure often have too much calcium in their urine. HBP may cause your body to release large amounts of this important mineral from strong bones. This can lead to fractures or fractures, especially in older women.