Most people with high blood pressure have no noticeable symptoms, which is why it’s often called a “silent killer.” The only reliable way to know your blood pressure is to have it measured with a cuff.

Common symptoms (when they do appear)

When blood pressure is very high or suddenly spikes, some people notice symptoms such as:

  • Severe or persistent headaches
  • Blurred or changed vision
  • Shortness of breath or getting winded easily
  • Chest pain or a pressure-like discomfort
  • Nosebleeds
  • Fatigue, weakness, or feeling unusually tired
  • Confusion, trouble concentrating, or feeling “foggy”
  • Dizziness or feeling light‑headed
  • Irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Buzzing or ringing in the ears, or pounding in the neck/chest/ears

These symptoms are not specific to high blood pressure and can be caused by many other conditions, so numbers from a monitor matter more than symptoms alone.

Warning signs of an emergency

Extremely high blood pressure (often around or above 180/120) can be a medical emergency called a hypertensive crisis. Call emergency services immediately if you have blood pressure in that range and any of these:

  • Severe, sudden headache
  • Sudden vision changes (blurred, double, loss of vision)
  • Chest pain, pressure, or tightness
  • Severe shortness of breath
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or weakness on one side of the body
  • Seizure
  • Loss of consciousness

“Silent” high blood pressure

Many people feel entirely normal even when their blood pressure is damaging their heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes over time. That’s why regular checks at home, at a pharmacy, or with a clinician are so important, especially if you:

  • Are over 40
  • Have a family history of high blood pressure or heart disease
  • Have diabetes, kidney disease, or are overweight
  • Smoke, drink a lot of alcohol, or eat a very salty diet

What to do if you’re worried

  1. Check your blood pressure with a validated home monitor or at a clinic/pharmacy.
  2. Write down the readings, including date, time, and how you felt.
  3. Contact a health professional promptly if your readings are consistently high (for many adults, that’s around 140/90 or higher, but your personal target may differ).
  4. Seek emergency care if you see readings around or above 180/120 with serious symptoms like chest pain, severe headache, or vision changes.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.