Signs of High Blood Pressure in Men

High blood pressure is a common condition affecting large percentages of the male population. Although symptoms of high blood pressure in men can often be mild or even non-existent in many cases, there are certain physical symptoms that are often indicative of high blood pressure levels in men. What follows is a brief list of the most common signs of high blood pressure in men.

Headache

• A throbbing or pulsating headache is often times associated with high blood pressure in men, especially blood pressure that is elevated to extremes. The blood vessels in the head and face area, which are normally the vessels that produce throbbing, pulsating headaches, are very sensitive to blood pressure fluctuations and can often lead to moderate to severe headaches when blood pressure levels are raised significantly. Headaches related to blood pressure normally subside as soon as blood pressure levels drop to normal levels. In men with chronic high blood pressure, ongoing headaches are a common occurrence and are often the only obvious physical symptom of elevated blood pressure levels.

Nausea

• Nausea often develops in men with high blood pressure. When blood pressure levels are elevated, especially for long periods of time, numerous internal bodily systems tend to be irritated and/or excessively stimulated, including the body's natural elimination and secretion centers. In the stomach and intestinal areas, high blood pressure may cause disruptions of normal digestive processes, which often translates into feelings of nausea. Although many men with high blood pressure experience few if any physical symptoms, nausea is a fairly common symptom of high blood pressure.

Dizziness

• Dizziness is another sign of high blood pressure in men. Although dizziness can occur in men who have stable high blood pressure levels that rarely fluctuate, symptoms of dizziness are more commonly experienced by men who have rapidly fluctuating high blood pressure levels, especially in men who have blood pressure levels that fluctuate wildly within a short period of time. These types of drastic blood pressure changes, which can happen when an individual is experimenting with different types of blood pressure medications, are notorious for producing dizziness.

Light Headedness

• Feelings of light headedness, or instability, can be signs of high blood pressure levels in men. These types of symptoms, which are usually more pronounced when an individual first stands up after being seated for lengthy periods, typically involve significantly elevated blood pressure levels, but they can also be symptoms of low blood pressure levels as well. Light headedness usually presents itself as a feeling of being unsteady or shaky on one's feet, as opposed to dizziness that makes an individual feel as if the room is spinning. Both types of symptoms commonly result from the effects that elevated blood pressure levels have on sensitive areas in the body's neurological and limbic systems, two key areas that regulate balance and coordination.

Blurred Vision

• Although a less common symptom than dizziness or nausea, blurred vision can be a symptom of high blood pressure in certain men. Although very rare, blurred vision normally presents itself in men with dangerously high blood pressure levels. Also, it is very common for blurred vision to be accompanied by feelings of extreme nausea and dizziness in extreme high blood pressure cases. As elevated blood pressure levels affect the body as a whole, vision centers in the eye and in the optic nerve can be negatively affected and stimulated by significantly elevated blood pressure levels.