Women Health guide: 6 key symptoms of Heart Health problems in early stages

Heart disease often shows up differently in women, making early detection a challenge. This guide highlights 6 subtle yet crucial symptoms that could signal early-stage heart health issues every woman should know. 

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6 key symptoms of Heart Health problems

Heart disease has long been considered a "man's problem," but in fact, it is the leading cause of death worldwide among women. Worse still, women often experience symptoms of heart issues that are different from men, and the signs when the condition is just starting are undetectable or mistaken for less serious ailments. Familiarity with these early warning signs can be the difference between life and death.

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1. Unusual Fatigue

One of the earliest and most common warning symptoms of women's heart disease is unexplained tiredness. If you wake up tired even after good sleep or experience fatigue after light exercise, your heart might be complaining. This type of exhaustion is different from ordinary exhaustion—it lingers and becomes more difficult to get rid of with activity.

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2. Shortness of Breath

Getting winded doing normal activities like climbing stairs, walking, or even when lying down may be a red flag. This can indicate the heart is not functioning properly, and water leaks into the lungs. It is often described by women more than men in the early stages of heart conditions.

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3. Chest Pain (Not Always)

Unlike the stereotypical "crushing chest pain" in men, pressure, squeezing, fullness, or burning in the chest is more common in women. It may be intermittent or feel like indigestion. Never brush off any unusual chest feeling, especially if accompanied by other symptoms.

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4. Pain in Neck, Jaw, or Back

Chest discomfort can be referred to areas such as the jaw, neck, upper back, or shoulders. This is usually confused with muscle pain, particularly in females. Sudden or chronic pain in these regions—particularly if it's not related to physical exertion—needs to be evaluated right away.

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5. Nausea and Lightheadedness

These signs may be an early warning sign if one feels nauseous, dizzy, or faint with no apparent reason. With sweating or chest pain, these signs may also appear as acid reflux or the flu. But when they occur together, they cannot be ignored.

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6. Irregular Heartbeat

An occasional missed beat is fine, but if there is a frequent skipped beat or an increased pulse rate—especially when resting—then it could be serious. Women sometimes experience this while going through perimenopause, but if it doesn't feel normal or is accompanied by other signs, one should investigate.