Understanding the Signs and Symptoms Of Afib
Someone can have atrial fibrillation yet show no signs. One of the common signs that actual fibrillation patients face is experiencing a fluttering feeling in the chest, which is also referred to as a palpitation. Other common symptoms of this condition are feeling tired, having short breath, chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, and sometimes losing consciousness. The reason why some patients experience symptoms while others do not is not established. The symptoms are related to having a speedier heartbeat in most patients. However, you can still get some patients experiencing symptoms even when their heart rate is not fast. Some patients experience symptoms when the heart beats too slowly during atrial fibrillation. The most common sign of atrial fibrillation is an irregular pulse, which is confirmed by listening to the heart using a stethoscope when a patient goes for physical examination.
You could be experiencing symptoms of virtual fibrillation during episodes that come and then go. It is vital to get immediate medical attention if you experience any or all the symptoms of atrial fibrillation at any point. The condition in itself cannot represent an immediate danger to one’s life, and many people have lived with the condition for many decades. That said, the condition can cause severe complications in one’s body. The serious complications include suffering a stroke or heart failure.
Stroke is one of the widely experienced complications of atrial fibrillation. 5% of patients with atrial fibrillation experience stroke every year. In comparison to people without atrial fibrillation, people with atrial fibrillation have five times increased risk of experiencing a stroke. A stroke usually occurs when a blood vessel in the brain either starts bleeding or gets blocked. The more common strokes are those caused by blockage as opposed to those as a result of bleeding. The level of symptoms that you will experience due to the stroke will depend on the particular brain part that is involved. Some of the signs you may experience if you have a stroke are experiencing strange sensations on one side of your body, numbness, especially on one side, having trouble understanding other people are communicating with them, severe headaches, severe dizziness, difficulty in swallowing, and having trouble walking or staying balanced. If you experience any of the signs, you should see a doctor immediately, even if the signs go away after a while.
A patient with long-standing atrial fibrillation may also experience heart failure when the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body organs and tissues.