Blood pressure that is too low often makes it difficult for sufferers to carry out normal daily activities. In addition, this condition can also transform into various dangerous medical disorders if not treated immediately. Some of the symptoms of low blood pressure that you may feel are dizziness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. So, what is the low blood pressure number? In general, blood pressure of 90/60 or below is low, so if you experience it, try various methods to increase your blood pressure to a more consistent number. If necessary, consult your medical condition with your doctor and seek emergency treatment if any alarming symptoms appear!
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Method 1 of 3: Increase Blood Pressure
Step 1. Consume more water gradually throughout the day
Drinking water is a good first step to take if your blood pressure is too low. To make the process easier, always have a glass of water by your side so you can continue sipping throughout the day. This behavior may not have a significant impact if you're under 40, but it's certainly worth doing to keep your body healthy and slightly increase your blood pressure in a risk-free way.
- Consume at least 8 glasses of water, each with a volume of 250 ml every day. If you feel thirsty or have a higher intensity of activity, increase the standard volume to stay hydrated.
- Excessive thirst is a common symptom of low blood pressure. That is why, increasing the consumption of water can also overcome these symptoms.
- If you are tired of drinking water, try adding a little lemon or lime juice to enrich the taste.
Step 2. Wear stockings to slightly lower your blood pressure
Choose compression stockings that are tight enough, but not painful to wear. These specific foot coverings can prevent blood from accumulating on the soles of the feet, thereby increasing your blood pressure.
Warning:
So far, there aren't many negative risks associated with wearing stockings, but you may experience them if you wear stockings that are too tight. To prevent this from happening, remove the stockings if you experience excessive pain, tingling, numbness, twitching, or itching sensations.
Step 3. Have a low-fat diet by eating more fish, chicken, beans, and vegetables
Eat a varied diet, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean chicken, and fish. In fact, it's a good habit to start the process of improving your diet, and in particular it can help stabilize your blood pressure. In particular, eat a diet that is low in fat to maintain healthy and efficient arteries, especially since both are very influential factors in the condition of your blood pressure.
- Carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fat can further lower your blood pressure. Therefore, avoid fast food and sugary drinks, and limit the consumption of red meat. Instead, eat more lean white meats and fish, such as hamburgers stuffed with salmon or turkey which tastes just as delicious as hamburgers stuffed with beef!
- Other options worth trying include cereals, eggs, and dairy products. In particular, cheese is the perfect snack option for those with low blood pressure!
- Oatmeal with banana slices is the perfect breakfast or lunch menu because it's not only healthy, it's filling.
Step 4. Eat 4-5 times a day in small portions instead of 2-3 times a day in large portions so that blood pressure does not spike
When you eat large meals, your blood pressure may rise and fall continuously as your body tries to digest the food. To overcome this, eat small portions at regular intervals so that daily blood pressure can be more stable. One way to do this is to always have a snack with you and eat less heavy meals than usual.
Step 5. Increase your daily salt intake after consulting your doctor
Although consuming too much salt is considered medically bad, for some people with low blood pressure, increasing their daily salt intake is an efficient way to reverse the condition. However, don't forget to consult a safe amount of intake after considering various factors for your health.
- Always consult your doctor about increasing your sodium intake, especially because consuming excessive salt or sodium for a long time can cause various medical problems such as kidney disease, stroke, or spikes in blood pressure.
- While increasing your sodium intake to increase blood pressure, continue to monitor your blood pressure regularly.
Step 6. Change position periodically to suppress symptoms
Basically, blood in some parts of the body can clot when you sit, lie down, or stand for too long. So that the symptoms experienced do not worsen, change your position every 15-30 minutes because the slightest movement can prevent headaches or feeling lightheaded when you change positions.
Stand up slowly. Be careful, low blood pressure can make you dizzy or even faint when you change positions too quickly
Step 7. Limit alcohol consumption to keep your blood pressure stable
Besides being proven to be bad for your health, consuming too much alcohol can also drastically lower blood pressure. In particular, alcohol is a depressant so consuming it can slightly slow your blood flow. Therefore, do not consume more than a glass of alcoholic beverages every night to keep your blood pressure at a safe level.
Most importantly, avoid liquor with a very high alcohol content so that your blood pressure does not suddenly drop rapidly
Method 2 of 3: Checking Blood Pressure
Step 1. Check with your doctor to get the most accurate reading
When conducting routine health checks, usually the patient's blood pressure will be measured by the nurse before the patient enters the doctor's room. Therefore, do not hesitate to ask the nurse for help to measure your blood pressure and discuss the results with your doctor. This is the most appropriate way to get accurate readings as well as medical information from doctors at the same time.
If you don't experience symptoms of low blood pressure, such as dizziness or fatigue, there's no harm in waiting for your next appointment with your doctor to take your next measurement
Step 2. Check blood pressure using a machine available at the pharmacy to estimate the result
Today, many pharmacies and clinics provide machines to measure blood pressure and can be accessed for free. To use it, simply insert your arm into the opening of the machine and press the button to start the measurement process. This is the perfect way to estimate your blood pressure.
If you don't have to wait in line, sit at least 5 minutes before taking your blood pressure for a more accurate result
Tip:
The machine does not always provide accurate measurement results, mainly because the frequency of maintenance is not frequent enough so that the calibration is less accurate. However, there's nothing wrong with using it just to estimate your blood pressure number.
Step 3. Purchase a blood pressure device if you want to do it yourself at home
Don't worry, these tools can be purchased freely at various pharmacies and large supermarkets with varying prices. It is the perfect option for self-measurement of blood pressure at home. To do so, simply tie your upper arm area and turn on the machine to start the measurement process.
Sit as still and relaxed as possible for 5 minutes before taking your blood pressure so that your physical movements don't affect the reading. Also, keep your legs straight and keep your feet against the wall when measuring your blood pressure instead of crossing them
Step 4. Understand that a blood pressure reading below 90/60 indicates low blood pressure
When checking blood pressure, the systolic reading, which is the first number, should be in the range of 90 to 120. Meanwhile, the diastolic reading, which is the second number, should be in the range of 60-80. If the systolic reading is less than 90 and the diastolic reading is less than 60, you have low blood pressure.
- Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure in your arteries when blood is being pumped by your heart. Think of your body as a pipe, and your systolic blood pressure number measures the pressure of the water when the faucet is turned on.
- Diastolic blood pressure measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest. To make it easier for you to understand, imagine how difficult it is for water to flow in a pipe when the faucet is turned off.
- Remember, everyone's body is different so your blood pressure may also fluctuate every day. However, ideally the number is not too far from the average blood pressure.
Method 3 of 3: Knowing the Right Time to Take Medical Treatment
Step 1. Check with your doctor if you have symptoms of low blood pressure
Usually, low blood pressure is nothing to worry about as long as there are no symptoms. Therefore, if you feel you are experiencing symptoms related to low blood pressure, immediately consult a doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
- Common symptoms of low blood pressure are dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and difficulty concentrating.
- Less common symptoms that require immediate medical attention are fainting, blurred vision, and vomiting.
Step 2. Get emergency medical care if shock symptoms occur
If your blood pressure does not go up, it is feared that side effects can be life-threatening, such as shock. In particular, shock can impair cardiac performance if not treated promptly and pose serious risks if ignored.
Go to the Emergency Room (ER) if you experience the following symptoms:
Confusion
Pale skin and feeling cold or clammy
Shortness of breath and hunting
Pulse that accelerates and weakens
Step 3. Work with your doctor to address any medical problems that may be underlying your low blood pressure
In fact, low blood pressure is often a symptom of other medical problems. If this is the case, it is important that you treat the underlying disorder to bring your blood pressure back to normal levels. Therefore, if your blood pressure does not go up, immediately consult a doctor to treat medical disorders that may be underlying.
- Low blood pressure may be experienced by you who are pregnant. To confirm or rule out the diagnosis, try taking a pregnancy test!
- Low blood pressure can be a symptom of some heart problems, thyroid problems, dehydration, anemia, or allergies.
