Subtle sign in your neck could be symptom of silent killer, nurse warns

19 October 2023 , 10:48

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A nurse has issued a warning over a subtle symptom in your neck (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Now more than ever, people are focusing on their wellbeing, whether it's our physical fitness or our mental health. From eating better to getting regular exercise, we are all taking better care of ourselves and concentrating on really looking after our bodies.

But we are now being warned to keep an eye out for symptoms of a silent killer. Nurse practitioner Kristine Dutton has shared the telling sign in your neck that could actually be a symptom of a deadly disease.

"High blood pressure (or hypertension) is known as a silent disease, because you may not feel any symptoms at all," she told the Express, before revealing that one indicator is the feeling of pulsations in the neck.

High blood pressure is a life-threatening condition that affects around 14.4 million people in the UK, according to the British Heart Foundation, but around nine million of those people are unaware that they have it. Other signs of high blood pressure might include: moderate or severe headaches; anxiety; shortness of breath; nosebleeds, and palpitations.

High blood pressure puts excess strain on the blood vessels, heart, brain, kidneys and eyes, the NHS says. It does not usually have any symptoms, so the only way to find out if you have it is to get your blood pressure checked. Healthy adults aged over 40 should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years. But if you're at an increased risk of high blood pressure, you should have your blood pressure checked more often, ideally once a year.

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Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and is given as 2 figures:

• systolic pressure – which is the pressure when your heart pushes blood out around your body.

• diastolic pressure – which is the pressure when your heart rests between beats and blood is pushed around the heart.

For example, if your blood pressure is 140 over 90, or 140/90mmHg, it means you have a systolic pressure of 140mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 90mmHg. The ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for people over the age of 80 is below 150/90mmHg.

High blood pressure, meanwhile, is considered to be from 140/90mmHg or more, if your reading was taken at a pharmacy, GP surgery or clinic (or an average of 135/85mmHg if it was taken at home).

Gemma Strong