Effects of High Blood Pressure on Tendons and Joints

High blood pressure is the silent killer. Many people believe it is not a serious issue and so leave it untreated. However, high blood pressure can cause aneurysms, kidney/heart failure and even dementia (Mayo Clinic). Now, however, high blood pressure is also being linked to causing damage to your joints and tendons.

High blood pressure has been shown to actually increase the amount of calcium that is eliminated when someone urinates, which can cause serious issues to bones a joints. This can lead to Osteoporosis or cause easier broken bones. Taking calcium wouldn't even be an option to prevent this due to high blood pressures effect on the kidneys making it difficult for them to process things such as calcium through your system. The Mayo Clinic states that age can also play a part in making this situation more severe. Older women with high blood pressure are at a bigger risk of losing joint usage and cartilage due to calcium being produced less in a woman body as they age.

High blood pressure can also affect the tendons in your body. The affect is more secondary but just as serious. See high blood pressure will seriously affect the arteries and blood vessels all over your body. Discovery Health states that high blood pressure will allow fatty deposits to build up in the arteries causing the arteries to stiffen, creating less blood flow throughout your system. This creates less oxygen flow through your body which is what leads to Coronary Heart Disease and Arthrosclerosis (atrophy of your veins). However, because of the lack of oxygenated blood your tendons are also affected. They will start to cause severe pain because they will cramp. Your tendons can become inflamed and swollen trying to repair themselves and than start to weaken. If left for too long high blood pressure can eventually deteriorate tendons and muscles in your system.

Due to a heart condition that I have when I was younger it was causing me high blood pressure. I had not been feeling well and was having more heart palpitations than normal. When I went into the cardiologist they found I had high blood pressure, especially for me. They wanted to put me on high blood pressure medication and could not because of my heart condition so instead we had to go through numerous tests and changing my habits to see what was causing the blood pressure to escalate so much. When it came right down to it they actually found when they took me off the medication for my heart condition the blood pressure went down to normal for me. So they had to change medications. It was scary because of the risk to my heart, but I had also started getting cramps in my extremities which I found went away completely once my blood pressure went down. Due to the length of time between cardiologist appointments they believe by blood pressure had been high for 8-9 months which was why my system was giving me so much grief.

Some of the tips they give me to help decrease blood pressure are: a better diet; losing weight and staying within a normal range; having more physical activities, such as walking or swimming; lowering the intake of salt; and finding natural ways to flavor my food. These were just a few, but they are very important. High blood pressure can kill people if not monitored, it is not something to take lightly or dismiss. Always get tested it takes no time and may save your life.

Sources:

The Mayo Clinic "High Blood Pressure Dangers: Hypertensions Affect on Your Body" The Mayo Clinic Staff 2007

Elizabeth Scherer "The Effects of Untreated High Blood Pressure" Discovery Health 07/2001