Last Updated on June 22, 2024 by ClinicNearMe
Nowadays, constipation and blood pressure are among the most common problems people have. People must understand that if constipation and blood pressure are treated appropriately on time; otherwise they are hazardous to human health. One frequently asked question is, “Can constipation cause high blood pressure”? The fact is that both constipation and hypertension are interlinked with each other and co-exist. Constipation plays a vital role in raising blood pressure and like constipation, both low and high blood pressure cause constipation.
Blood pressure and constipation are usually standard in people of old age. However, young people also suffer from constipation and high blood pressure as a result of digestive disorders. These two can be treated with extensive care by consulting a good doctor on time.
This blog will provide an overview of the causes and symptoms of blood pressure and constipation. As well as describe the interrelationship between them.
Related Article: How Long Does CVS Hold Prescriptions
What is Hypertension?
When you measure your blood pressure daily and notice that your blood pressure is higher than the normal range (120/80 mmHg), you fall prey to hypertension. Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood as it presses against the walls of arteries.
High blood pressure or hypertension is a severe health risk and is also known as a silent killer since it leads to heart attacks and other life-threatening diseases. Surveys show that nearly 47% of adults in the United States suffer from high blood pressure, which can be both systolic and diastolic.
Causes Of Hypertension
You can get high blood pressure for a variety of reasons. Here are the most common causes of high blood pressure
- Age is one of the prime reasons for getting high blood pressure. If you are above 40, check your blood pressure twice a week.
- Obesity also causes hypertension, and you should consider losing some extra pounds if you’re overweight.
- Reduce the amount of salt in your routine diet, as salt raises the blood pressure
- Caffeine-based drinks like alcohol and coffee are also a reason for getting high blood pressure.
- Bad Sleep cycle (sleep more or less) that doesn’t suit your body’s needs.
Symptoms Of Hypertension
People have different symptoms of high blood pressure based on their body condition. Some people face mild symptoms, and on the other hand, some people face severe symptoms of high blood pressure. Here are some signs when a person’s blood pressure getting high
- Severe headache
- Nose bleeds
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Blurred Vision
- Dizziness
Constipation
Medical experts say when consecutively for three days, there is no bowel movement, and stool becomes hard. This condition is known as constipation. People who suffer from constipation feel like bowel movement is onerous and unfinished, and they sometimes feel pain in this process.
Every age group is susceptible to constipation, including children, young adults, and the elderly. In the United States, about 4 million people suffer from constipation, which is 2% of the population.
You need to consult the doctor if you have had constipation for a long time as it has different life-threatening effects like constipation can cause high blood pressure.
In the beginning, it’s not harmful, and one can have constipation due to more fast food intake and drinking less water. But if you have had constipation for a very long time, it requires a medical consultation.
Causes of Constipation
- Eating more food that is not rich in fibre.
- Poor eating habits (eating before sleep)
- The habit of drinking less water or fluids
- Having depression
- The side effects of a particular medicine
Symptoms of Constipation
- The feeling of blockage in your rectum
- Difficulty in bowel movement
- Having hard feces
- Pain during the bowel movement
- Not having the stool for consecutively three days
- Despite doing the poop, there is a feeling of incompleteness
Can Constipation cause high blood pressure: are they linked?
Blood Pressure and Constipation are interconnected in such a way that when we have constipation, it affects our cardiovascular activity. Constipation causes a strain on bowel movement that makes it difficult to function, causing an irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure due to the disturbance to the cardiovascular system.
The question we often hear is, How can constipation cause high blood pressure? Because it thought that the two conditions have no connection with each other. When you have constipation, straining during stools activates a nerve (vagus nerve) that sends signals to the brain about irregular activity, which changes your heartbeat and raises your blood pressure.
Now, you’re curious to know can high blood pressure cause constipation in some people.
Certain medications to control high blood pressure sometimes contribute to some people’s constipation. For example, Diuretics, also called water pills, are use to treat high blood pressure. As this medicine controls your body’s water level and reduces the amount of water in your blood to control your blood pressure, it will cause your stool to become dry and difficult to pass. As a result, it causes constipation.
Final Verdict
A balanced diet is essential to avoid high blood pressure and constipation. Make your sleep circle better, and do exercise daily. Eating a poor diet, such as overeating fast food and consuming less fiber-rich foods like fruit and vegetables, are not beneficial for your health.
Make a habit of checking your blood pressure twice a week if you’re above 40. If you have constipation, keep yourself hydrated, take more fluids, and eat more food that is a good source of fiber . Don’t hesitate to seek medical attention in case of severe symptoms related to constipation and blood pressure.
Related Article: Can Expired Medicine Kill?