Neck Pain Might Indicate An Impending Heart Attack: Symptoms You Should Be Aware Of

Silent heart attacks are very frequent but people may be unaware of it because it comes quietly and is difficult to diagnose and detect.

A lot of us might be unaware of silent heart attack. This can happen to anyone and is usually accompanied with mild symptoms which might not ideally indicate an impending heart attack. It can be hard to detect, the symptoms might seem casual and non-fatal, it might even not be diagnosed by medical experts. This is why it is called silent heart attack. And it is during that time when patients realize that they have had a cardiac event weeks, may be months, before. However, there are steps that people can take to mitigate future risks of a silent heart attack. this is particularly for people who have already experienced it. The step to mitigate risks is important because a heart attack can also lead to other complications like stroke and heart failure.

What Causes A Silent Heart Attack?

The most commonly known symptoms of a heart attack are pain at the center or left side of the chest or excessive sweating or restlessness or uneasiness or nausea or vomiting or problem breathing. These symptoms might persist for a long time and in that case, immediate medical attention is recommended. These are some of the usual symptoms. But, a silent heart attack hits differently. The most unusual symptom of it are neck pain ad discomfort int he area along with mild chest pain. This pain might go unnoticed and that is what is dangerous about it. People could think that is is happening due to indigestion, muscle pull or muscle pain or heartburn. But, it is also a symptom of a silent heart attack which the patient failed to recognize. Even doctors might fail to recognize it.

Symptoms To Be Aware Of

Given the high-risk profile of Indians, any discomfort and uneasiness of this nature lasting beyond 15 to 20 minutes, should be reported to a neighborhood hospital. Do not ignore sharp neck pains. An electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram can make a diagnosis of a silent heart attack.

At Risk People

A study conducted in 2018 states that, a person who has already suffered a silent heart attack has a much higher risk of heart failure of about 35 per cent more than someone without a history of heart attack. The same risk poses to people in their early 50s or even younger. Other than this, people who are obese, overweight, diabetic, hypertensive and smokers have high risk as well.