Can Blood Pressure Medicine Cause Tingling In Hands And Feet

Blood Pressure Pills Are Contributing To Nerve Damage And Dizziness

Q. I have high blood pressure for which I take metoprolol, hydrochlorothiazide , hydralazine and lisinopril.

I have developed pins and needles in my fingers and numbness in my hands that keeps me from picking up small things like a safety pin. I have trouble walking and often feel faint. I have fallen a few times.

I suspect the medication may be to blame, but my doctor has sent me for Doppler tests for my legs and arms. The results came back fine.

Couldnt my doctor prescribe different medication that wont cause these problems?

A. Dizziness is often perceived as a minor side effect of blood pressure medicine but a fall could be devastating. Broken bones can take a long time to heal, and in an older adult, falls that result in breaks sometimes lead to blood clots. This could trigger a pulmonary embolism, a very dangerous situation.

Unfortunately, every one of your medications might contribute to dizziness, and in combination they are even more likely to do so.

Medications Used To Treat High Blood Pressure

Diuretics

These high blood pressure medications flush extra water and sodium from your body. Diuretics may cause these side effects:

• Extra urination. Extra water out means more time in the bathroom. Take these medications earlier in the day and when you’re not far away from a bathroom.
• Erection problems in some men
• Weakness, leg cramps, or fatigue. Diuretics may decrease the body’s levels of the mineral potassium, which can lead to these side effects. Certain potassium-sparing diuretics do not have this effect, however.
• Intense and sudden foot pain, which is a symptom of gout this is rare.

Beta-Blockers

Beta-blockers make your heart beat less forcefully and more slowly. These medications may cause side effects such as:

• Insomnia and sleep problems

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

These high blood pressure medications block formation of a hormone that causes blood vessels to narrow, so vessels relax. ACE inhibitors may cause these side effects:

• A dry, hacking cough that doesn’t go away. If you have this side effect, the doctor may prescribe another type of medication.
• Skin rash and a loss of taste are two other possible side effects of ACE inhibitors.

Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers

These high blood pressure medications shield blood vessels from a hormone that causes blood vessels to narrow. This allows blood vessels to stay open. One of the more common side effects of ARBs is dizziness.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Alpha-Blockers

Alpha-2 Receptor Agonist

• Rash

Many Medications Linked To Neuropathy

A study from the Mayo clinic revealed that 70% of Americans take prescription medication. with the average elderly person taking more than 5 prescription medications .. This is a problem of epidemic proportions.

There is a rising number of medications that either cause peripheral nerve damage or worsen nerve damage. Whats worse is that the average doctor, including neurologists, are not aware of this.

Its extremely important for you to look at the full list of side effects to see if your medication could be contributing to your neuropathy. Remember.the side effects will not be listed as peripheral neuropathy but as burning, numbness, tingling, pins & needles, parasthesias , loss of balance and coordination.

This blog has been provided by Dr. John Coppola, D.C. and Dr. Valerie Monteiro, D.C. Dr. Coppola and Dr. Monteiro are the founders of the San Antonio Neuropathy Center, and Precision Sport & Spine. They are the leading experts in the field of neuropathy and specifically drug free nerve repair. They are the authors of the critically acclaimed book “Defeat Neuropathy Now …. In Spite of Your Doctor. The doctors have over 25 years of clinical experience.

If you would like to reach the doctors regarding a specific health problem, you may email them at .

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.mcvitamins.com

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Tips To Help You Cope With Nerve Changes

There are some things you can do to help ease discomfort and prevent injury:

• Keep your hands and feet warm.
• Take gentle exercise when possible.
• Wear well fitting, protective shoes and inspect your feet regularly for cuts or broken areas to the skin.
• Take care when using hot water you may not be able to feel how hot the water is and could burn yourself.
• Use oven gloves when cooking and protective gloves when gardening.
• Keep your skin moisturised and soft.
• Take care when cutting your nails.
• Keep floors clear from clutter to prevent falls.
• Make sure rooms are well lit and keep a light on during the night.
• Stand up slowly when feeling dizzy.
• Prevent constipation by eating enough fibre and drinking plenty of fluids.
• See an occupational therapist for specialist equipment, for example, a tool to help you fasten buttons.
• Talk to a counsellor or your specialist nurse if youre finding it hard to cope with the changes caused by peripheral neuropathy.

What Are The Signs Of Low Blood Pressure

• Treatment

We hear a lot about high blood pressure and what can happen if it isn’t controlled, but having abnormally low blood pressure can be just as harmful if it not properly treated.

Unlike high blood pressure symptoms, which are poorly defined and often totally absent, low blood pressure symptoms tend to be more upfront and easily recognizable. The development of symptoms is often a warning sign of a potentially serious underlying disorder. Generally speaking, your blood pressure would need to fall pretty dramatically before symptoms develop.

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Besides Having Cold Hands What Other Symptoms Indicate I Should See A Doctor

Symptoms that indicate a doctor visit may be needed include:

• Pain in the hands and fingers that occurs many times a day, for several days.
• Changes in skin color. The fingers may appear white, blue or purplish.
• Thickening or tightening of the skin.
• Tingling, throbbing, numbing, or burning sensations when the blood flow resumes. The skin may appear red.
• Changes in nail appearance.

Other Drugs That Can Often Cause This Complication:

• Flagyl

• Thalidomide
• INH

If you are taking any of these medications, and you have neuropathy, you need to speak to your doctor about getting off of them and replacing them with a natural supplement.

Minimally, your doctor you on a medication that does not cause neuropathy.

If you doctor is not willing to work with you on this, you should find a doctor who will.

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What Causes Low Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is one of the vital signs that are calculated to determine individual health, along with pulse rate, rate of respiration, and body temperature. It is the pressure generated as the heart contracts and expands while purifying the blood and exchanging the gases it carries.

A network of blood vessels carries the blood to and from the heart to the rest of the body, and if the volume of blood being pumped becomes low due to certain reasons, it causes hypotension resulting in a lack of adequate oxygen and nutrition. Even as the signs of low blood pressure are not always obvious, many otherwise healthy people can have hypotension because of this. There are several medical reasons that lead to low blood pressure including:

Alcohol Use Disorder And Alcoholic Neuropathy

Drinking heavily on a regular basis can cause alcoholic neuropathy, which is damage to the peripheral nerves due to excessive alcohol consumption. Its estimated that 46.3 percent of people who chronically misuse alcohol experience peripheral neuropathy.

People who develop alcoholic neuropathy may experience tingling in their feet, hands, or limbs that lasts anywhere from a few months to several years.

Additional symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy include:

• pain

• an upper GI and small bowel series
• blood tests to look for vitamin deficiencies

The most important steps in treating alcoholic neuropathy are considering stopping drinking and seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder. You may also be encouraged to take vitamin supplements.

A healthcare professional may prescribe physical therapy or pain medication to manage the tingling and pain in your feet.

However, even if a person quits drinking, their symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy may be permanent.

Short-term conditions can also cause tingling in the feet.

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What Diseases And Conditions Can Cause The Development Of Cold Hands

Aside from exposure to cold temperatures or handling cold objects, some diseases or conditions can cause your hands to feel cold. Symptoms may range from mild or moderate to severe. If your symptoms are mild or occur occasionally, you might ignore them. If symptoms become more frequent or severe, your condition may require treatment.

Raynauds –This is a fairly common disorder that affects the arteries that supply blood from the heart to other parts of the body. It results in temporary constriction or narrowing of the blood vessels, called a vasospasm. Usually, the fingers and hands are affected. In about 40 percent of cases, the toes are also affected. Raynauds may only affect one or two fingers or toes. It may affect different parts of the body at different times. During an attack or episode, blood flow to the hands and/or the feet is restricted. Attacks can last from a few minutes to an hour. An attack can be triggered by stress or a sudden or brief exposure to cold temperatures.

There are two forms of Raynauds syndrome: primary and secondary.

Primary Raynauds disorder has no known cause. It occurs more frequently than the secondary type and is usually less serious.

Secondary Raynauds disorder is associated with a more serious underlying condition, disease, or factor. Some of these underlying causes include connective tissue diseases or immune system disorders.

Some of the more common causes of secondary Raynauds include:

Cold hands may also be a symptom of:

What Is Limb Numbness

Numbness, sometimes called paresthesia, means you lose some or all sensation in the affected part of your body. You wont feel a light touch, pain or temperature. Numbness is due to a problem with the nerves sending signals to the brain.

You can experience numbness anywhere in your body, but its most commonly felt in the fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs. You might also feel a tingling, prickling, or pins and needles.

Having a numb limb can lead to other problems, such as falling or not noticing an injury, infection or sore.

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How Are Cold Hands Treated

The treatment will depend on the underlying disease or condition. There is no way to prevent or cure primary Raynauds. However, the number or severity of the attacks can be reduced by adopting certain lifestyle changes or taking various medications.

In the case of secondary Raynauds, the underlying cause needs to be determined so it can be treated.

Lifestyle changes that may help to reduce the number of episodes or their severity include:

• Limit or avoid use of tobacco products. The use of cigarettes or other products that contain nicotine should be avoided. Limit exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Wear mittens , hats, and other protective clothing when spending time outdoors. Gloves or mittens may be worn when handling cold objects, such as items stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Use hand warmers, such as battery-operated devices or heat packs. Foot warmers may be helpful.
• Avoid abrupt changes in temperature. Sudden changes in temperature may trigger an attack, such as entering an air-conditioned room. Set air-conditioners to a higher temperature, wear warm clothing, or move to a warmer area.
• Avoid stress. Practice stress reduction techniques.
• Protect hands and feet from injuries, including cuts and bruises.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages.

Medications – Certain drugs may be helpful in increasing blood flow to the hands and fingers. They include some drugs used to treat hypertension, such as

• Calcium channel blockers
• Alpha blockers
• Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

What Causes Numbness And Pins And Needles

Numbness and pins and needles occur when you lose normal sensation in an area of the body. This happens because pressure cuts off the blood supply to nerves that carry messages about sensation to the brain. This can affect any part of the body – eg, hands, feet, face.

This list does not include all the possible causes of numbness/pins and needles but lists some of the more common causes, including:

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Diet And Nutrition For Low Blood Pressure

A balanced meal with complex carbohydrates, fish, lean meat, fruits and cooked vegetables goes a long way in preventing hypotension. Changing meal patterns to make them more frequent and less heavy prevent as well as address postprandial fatigue and hypotension.

On diagnosis of a dip in BP, a low blood pressure diet that supplies adequate sodium, and potassium while maintaining blood sugar levels is generally recommended for patients.Increased consumption of non-alcoholic beverages helps maintain adequate hydration and is recommended. Increasing salt quantities or addition of soy sauce in everyday cooking is a simple change that combats effects of low blood pressure and may be suggested by your doctor.

Numbness Or Tingling And High Blood Pressure

• Medical Author: Carol DerSarkissian, MD

Reviewed on 6/15/2020

Your symptoms match a wide variety of different medical conditions, including high blood pressure or nerve damage. If you have had an emotionally traumatic experience, an acute stress reaction is another possibility. Call your doctor if you don’t get better after a day or two. In some instances, these symptoms can point to something more serious. If these symptoms concern you, it’s best to give your doctor a call right away.

While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:

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Diagnosis Of Tingling Hands And Feet

If you seek care for your tingling hands or feet, your health care provider will do a physical exam and take an extensive medical history addressing your symptoms, work environment, social habits , toxic exposure, risk of HIV or other infectious diseases, and family history of neurological disease.

They also may perform other tests, such as:

• Blood tests. These can include tests to detect diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, liver or kidney dysfunction, other metabolic disorders, and signs of abnormal immune system activity.
• An examination of cerebrospinal fluid. This can identify antibodies associated with peripheral neuropathy.
• An electromyogram , a test of the electrical activity of muscle
• Nerve conduction velocity

Regular Blood Pressure Checks If Diagnosed With High Blood Pressure

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your blood pressure will need to be closely monitored until it is brought under control.

After your blood pressure has been controlled, your GP or practice nurse will measure your blood pressure at agreed regular intervals .

It is important you attend these appointments to ensure your blood pressure is being maintained within an acceptable range.

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Medication Used To Treat Low Blood Pressure

In cases of more severe or recurrent symptoms of low blood pressure, doctors may prescribe drugs to stabilize the system. These may include:

Fludrocortisone: It is a steroid that is prescribed when the body is unable to produce enough by itself, and is often prescribed in conjunction with other steroids such as hydrocortisone. It reduces inflammation in the body and causes the body to retain more sodium. It may cause some water retention, but this is not a cause for concern since it is necessary to build blood pressure. To maintain the sodium-potassium balance, a doctor might recommend consumption of potassium-rich foods such as apricot, bananas, spinach and broccoli while on this prescription. Once the effects of low blood pressure are no longer witnessed, you may be asked to discontinue the steroid, while maintaining lifestyle and diet changes.

Midodrine: A counter to blood vessel dilation, midodrine is a what is called a vasopressor and constricts small blood vessels to increase blood pressure. It is usually prescribed in cases of postural hypotension and the dosage is gradually increased over time to prevent side effects.

Primary High Blood Pressure

While the specific cause of primary high blood pressure remains unknown, there is compelling evidence to suggest that a number of risk factors increase your chances of developing the condition.

These risk factors include:

• age – the risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you get older
• a family history of high blood pressure – the condition seems to run in families
• being of Afro-Caribbean or South Asian origin
• high-fat diet
• high amount of salt in your diet
• lack of exercise
• excessive alcohol consumption
• stress

A number of health conditions, such as diabetes and kidney disease, have also been linked to an increase risk of developing primary high blood pressure.

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Treating High Blood Pressure

Treatment for high blood pressure will depend on your blood pressure levels and your associated risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke.

There are seven main risk factors for developing a cardiovascular disease. These are:

• age
• smoking
• obesity
• having a high level of cholesterol in your blood
• having a family history of cardiovascular disease .

The Most Common Ankle Swelling

Swelling is the most common of amlodipine side effects, usually manifesting as swelling of the feet and ankles. If we look at clinical trial studies of amlodipine that looked at thousands of patients, the number of people experiencing swelling appears to be related to the dose taken. In those taking low dose amlodipine, about 2 people in every 100 taking the drug reported leg swelling . In those taking higher dose amlodipine, about 10 people in every 100 reported leg swelling . Interestingly, women are more likely to get the swelling, and most people tolerate this well and do not have to discontinue the medication.

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