High blood pressure, given our current lifestyle, is a norm common among old people as well as adults. But many times, it so happens that due to some minor mistakes, your blood pressure is read as high even if it is really not so. This results in misdiagnosis of a high blood pressure value when you actually may be having normal blood pressure. Committing mistakes that can raise your blood pressure on a regular basis may cause your doctor to put you on medications which your body really doesn’t need.
This may lead to health complications in your body in the long run. Here are some of these mistakes that can raise your blood pressure which you need to be aware of if you wish to dodge the possibility of wrongly interpreting a high blood pressure.
Smoking:
Nicotine in cigarettes causes the blood flow in your body to increase on a temporary basis. Which is why there is an apparent spike in the heart rate soon after you smoke. But this happens only immediately after you smoke.Therefore, you need tobalance high blood pressure by avoiding smoking.
Your heart rate returns to normal after an hour or so when the effects of nicotine have stabilised. However, if you commit one of these mistakes that can raise your blood pressure and get your blood pressure checked immediately after it, you may get a wrong reading of a high one.
Not resting enough after a workout:
If you have just returned from a heavy workout session, walked or ran a long distance, or even climbed a fleet of stairs, it is best to allow your body enough time to relax. Lie down for a while to let your heart rate stabilise and your blood pressure to get back to normal.
Once a few minutes have passed, you can then carry on with your blood pressure check-up and not fall prey to one of the most common mistakes that can raise your blood pressure. This ensures that you get just the right reading and not wrongly diagnosed high blood pressure readings.
Not relaxing enough during a blood pressure test:
While on the topic of resting and relaxing, you need to calm yourself down before and while getting your blood pressure checked. Rid your body of any physical fatigue that you might be undergoing. Also, this includes keeping all emotional and mental stress on hold while the cuff is around your arm.
Even a slight movement can lead to high blood pressure readings. Avoid laughing or talking or overthinking or other mistakes that can raise your blood pressure while you are at it. Sit down comfortably or, better still, lie down – but never keep your legs crossed. In short, calm yourself down so that your blood pressure remains stabilised.
Not emptying your bladder:
It is always recommended to empty your bladder before having a blood pressure check-up. When your bladder is empty, you are most likely to get the correct blood pressure reading as opposed to when your bladder is heavy. If you are wondering how to normalise high blood pressure, empty your bladder right before your check-up.
There is a high likelihood of your blood pressure rising by 15 points if you have a full bladder in the first place. In case you are suffering from a frequent urination disorder like diabetes, you must always empty your bladder before getting your blood pressure checked.
Wrong posture of your arm:
Balance high blood pressure by keeping the blood pressure cuff on the same level as your heart. There is a possibility of a wrong blood pressure diagnosis if your arm is placed too above or below your heart level. Usually, your doctor is well aware of such precautions, but in casethey miss it, you can remind them of it.
You may lie down or sit down while getting your blood pressure checked, but keep your arm in the correct position. If not, your bloodpressurereading can rise by 10 points. Therefore, keep your arm in a comfortable and relaxed posture to normalise your blood pressure.
Slouching:
This is one of the most underrated and less known mistakes that can raise your blood pressure. Slouching puts undue pressure on your heart to ‘carry’ the weight of your entire body. Note that this takes up a lot more work than the heart is used to on a regular basis. This results in an increased blood pressure by around 6-10 points. When you sit up straight and get your blood pressure measured in that position, there are fewerchances of errors occurring and you are bound to get it measured correctly.
Blood pressure cuff:
Many times it so happens that a faulty blood pressure cuff results in a faulty reading. One may be overclothed or the cuff may be tied over the clothes, which might not give you the correct reading as it is.
Also, wearing a cuff that is too big or too small also falls under mistakes that can raise your blood pressure. So make sure that your blood pressure is being checked with the ideal cuff of your size. It must be wrapped around your bare arm and not over your sleeve for best results.
Conclusion:
High blood pressure is actually a life-threatening case. Many people deal with it on a daily basis with failed attempts at getting rid of it. However, situations where you actually do not have high blood pressure,but are wrongly diagnosed with the same, is just not fair. It is important to know and understand how to normalise high blood pressure.
If the sphygmomanometer displays a high reading, the doctor is most likely to put you on medications for high blood pressure.This, in turn, will have severe consequences on your health in the long run. In most cases, the attendant or doctor checking your blood pressure is well aware of such mistakes that can raise your blood pressure and will take extra care to dodge them. However, you must also be equally careful regarding the same.