Vascular diseases are rapidly getting younger. The statistics are relentless - almost fifty percent of all deaths are on the "conscience" of hypertension. Currently, you can buy a tonometer in every pharmacy. The most innovative are no more than wristwatches. However, what to do if not found near the device for measuring blood pressure? How to measure blood pressure without a sphygmomanometer? We offer several interesting ways.
Try to evaluate the external signs of a disease state and find out the value of your pressure with a simple needle and ruler. Do not miss the initial properties of hypertension, which the body speaks of with palpitations, headaches, numbness of the fingers, flushing of blood to the head, “flies” before the eyes, rapid fatigue and bad dreams. Numerous people suffering from hypotension feel weak, suffer from bad mood and sweating. If you have identified these signs in yourself, do not self-medicate, but go to the hospital or call the doctor forhouse. Once diagnosed, do not stop taking prescribed pharmaceuticals under any circumstances.
Determination by complaints and symptoms
You can independently measure the pressure without a tonometer, based on complaints. They are the first to talk about changes in blood pressure (dizziness, weakness, nausea, etc.). A he althy person does not show these symptoms. Therefore, they clearly indicate that the person's blood pressure has changed.
People decide to take their blood pressure only when something happens to it. 75% of complaints and symptoms, one way or another, are associated with changes in blood pressure. They can preliminarily determine whether the pressure is high or low. There may be other signs that appear in people suffering from hypotension and hypertension. They will only confuse and will not help to determine even approximate numbers.
Key Features
Such signs can be:
- lack of air;
- pressive chest pain;
- loss of consciousness;
- blackout eyes;
- heaviness in the region of the heart.
High blood pressure symptoms
So, what symptoms will help determine if the pressure in an ordinary person is high:
- throbbing headache in the temporal region;
- facial redness;
- strong heartbeat;
- excitement and anxiety;
- nosebleed;
- tension and trembling;
- recurring nausea and vomiting.
All these signs are characteristic of high blood pressure.
Low blood pressure symptoms
And those with low blood pressure are usually treated with the following complaints:
- aching headache in the occipital region;
- severe dizziness;
- weak heartbeat;
- pale face;
- drowsy;
- weakness;
- single nausea and vomiting.
Causes of hypotension
Causes of low blood pressure can be:
- pregnancy;
- disorders of the heart;
- dehydration;
- blood loss;
- starvation;
- anaphylaxis.
Causes of hypertension
Reasons for high blood pressure:
- hormonal disorders;
- taking certain medications;
- kidney disease;
- malnutrition;
- backbone problems;
- violation of vascular tone;
- stress and constant worries.
The main thing is to remember that even an experienced specialist cannot determine the exact values of the lower and upper pressure without a device. Symptoms and complaints will help, as mentioned earlier, to set high or low blood pressure. But the above symptoms do not always indicate that the problem is pressure. Very often this can beanother ailment. It must be remembered that only a combination of symptoms can help to make a correct diagnosis. And yet, if you want to know the exact pressure value, use a tonometer.
How to measure pressure without a tonometer by pulse?
Naturally, the exact pressure can be found only with the help of a tonometer. But if it is not at hand, we are guided by the pulse. Before proceeding with the measurement of pressure in this way, it is necessary to sit on a chair or lie on the sofa, taking the most comfortable position. In this case, it is advisable to put your hand on a hard surface and, after taking a few deep breaths, try to relax. In this state of rest, you need to stay at least 5 minutes.
During the measurement of pressure, try not to talk or move. Also, to obtain a more accurate result, it is advisable not to eat half an hour before the measurement and not to use drugs that can affect blood pressure and heart rate. All of these factors can affect the correctness of the results.
Then place 2 fingers on your wrist and apply some pressure on it. To measure the pulse on the radial artery, you need to detect 30 seconds on a stopwatch and count the beats. After that, multiply the number of hits by 2. The resulting number will be the result. But it is better to measure the pulse for 60 seconds, as it can change within a minute. It is recommended to measure the pulse twice in order to confirm the correct measurement.
A common mistake is measuring pressureonly on one hand, because if the pulse is poorly felt on the second hand, then this may indicate the presence of possible pathologies. Normally, in an adult, the pulse ranges from 60 to 80 beats per minute.
You can also count the pulse on other arteries. This can be the femoral artery, which is located in the groin area, the artery located on the inside of the elbow, or in the popliteal joint. With increased blood pressure, the pulse will be distinct, but if the pressure is lowered, it will be barely felt when pressed.
Also, when measuring pressure, it is necessary to take into account such factors as: meteosensitivity, lethargy and nervous strain. In people who suffer from diseases of the heart and endocrine system, the pulse can increase and range from 70 to 90 beats. An increased pulse is also observed in pregnant women, this is due to an increase in the amount of blood and increased blood flow. Therefore, the proposed method does not provide 100% accuracy, but it cannot be argued that it is meaningless. After all, it doesn’t matter at all how to measure pressure, the main thing is to make it a habit to periodically carry out this manipulation. Then even the slightest pressure drops will not go unnoticed.
Ruler and pendulum
Is it possible to measure pressure without a blood pressure monitor at home in any other way?
You will need a ruler 20–30 centimeters long, made of any material (as an alternative, you can use a centimeter tape), a small weight (any object will do: a paper clip, a button, etc.).p.), threads. First we construct a pendulum, take a thread about 25 centimeters long, and tie it to a weight.
Execution algorithm
Now you can start the process of measuring pressure. First you need to take a comfortable sitting position, place your hand directly in front of you on the table (for a right-handed person, it will be more convenient to make an independent measurement on the left hand). Having taken a comfortable position, it is necessary to place the ruler on the arm, so that its beginning is in the elbow bend area. We take the structure of the pendulum with the second hand by the free end, and hold it above the beginning of the ruler, when it takes a stationary state, we begin to slowly move the hand along the direction of the ruler to the elbow. The pendulum should not come into contact with the ruler or the skin, but it is necessary to try to bring it as close as possible to the hand. Breathing should be easy and free. It is unacceptable to be distracted by any conversations and so on.
It is necessary to move the pendulum smoothly and slowly, monitoring the state of the weight. As soon as the weight began to move (expressed in the same transverse vibrations), we note this moment, this will be the mark of the first level of upper pressure. If the weight began to move at a value of 10, we multiply the resulting number by 10, which means that the pressure level is within 100. Next, you need to turn the ruler 180 degrees so that the beginning of the division line is located at the bend of the wrist. We make the movement of the pendulum from the beginning of the ruler, now, respectively, to the wrist. We mark the moment when the weight began to move, this will be the mark of the lowerpressure (to obtain the result of the upper and lower pressure, the resulting value on the ruler must be multiplied by ten).
The pressure measurement process is over, but to be sure, you can repeat this process one or more times. This method does not have any evidence and justification from a scientific point of view, however, its effectiveness is almost one hundred percent. But still it is worth considering that there is always the possibility of an error in measuring pressure, without a special device. This method can be used in emergency situations, when it is urgently necessary to measure a person’s pressure, there is no tonometer at hand, and human life depends on it.
As you can see, measuring blood pressure without a blood pressure monitor is easy. But for proper diagnosis, it is better to use the device.
