High blood pressure is known by the medical term hypertension. Hypertension is when the body pumps blood through the body harder than normal. The normal blood pressure range is 120/80 mm Hg. High blood pressure will often present no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, the condition may be too far progressed to prevent damage to the body. It is common for individuals to have no symptoms even when their blood pressure is at a dangerous level, states the Mayo Clinic.
Dizziness
Dizziness is classified as the feeling of being off-balance. It can make a person feel as if the room is spinning. This symptom can also create visual disturbances. Dizziness occurs with hypertension because of the rate that blood is being pushed through the veins of the body.
Nosebleeds
The American Heart Association states that roughly 17 percent of people experiencing high blood pressure will have nosebleeds. Nosebleeds occur during the hypertensive stage, which is when a person's blood pressure reaches 180/110 mm Hg or above. The reason nosebleeds occur during a hypertension episode is due to the fragile blood vessels within the nose bursting. The increased pressure of blood flowing through these vessels causes the walls to expand and eventually rupture.
Headache
Another symptom of hypertension is a dull, achy headache. This type of headache often occurs suddenly and may last up to several weeks. Medscape states that there is no researched link between these headaches and hypertension, but research is still being conducted.
Ringing in the Ears
Ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus, can be constant or last for a few minutes at a time. As pressure builds in the ears when someone is experiencing hypertension, tinnitus can greatly worsen. The outside of the ears can also become hot due to the buildup of pressure.
Flushing
When a person's blood pressure is high, they generally have an overall red appearance to their face, neck and upper chest. This is called flushing and is due to blood being pushed against the vessel walls so that the color is visible through the skin. During an episode of flushing, the skin will feel hot.
