Can you feel high blood pressure?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Usually not. High blood pressure is called the silent killer precisely because most people feel nothing for years while it quietly works on the arteries, heart and kidneys.
Headaches, flushing and nosebleeds are blamed on pressure far more often than they are caused by it, though extremely high readings can produce symptoms and need urgent care.
The only way to know your number is to measure it. A cuff at home, used properly once in a while, replaces years of guessing.
Go deeper, free
If you are buying a monitor
Get an upper-arm cuff, not a wrist one, from a validated brand like Omron. Expect $30 to $60. Check the cuff size fits your arm; a too-small cuff reads high.
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Is this your situation right now?
General answers only go so far. A doctor can look at your numbers and history and give you a written answer about you.
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Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.