In the normal functioning of your heart, it pumps blood in sync with gravity. It goes from the upper chamber to the lower and continues to flow in the entire body. This way, the blood circulates in your body; and that is how every organ works. Any change in this flow causes different heart health complications, which can be life-threatening sometimes.
One can experience the thinning of the valves, clotting, and blockage that causes complicated heart health issues, affecting the whole body. The complication related to the improper closing of the valve of the left heart chamber is called Mitral regurgitation. As the valve doesn’t close properly, it does not restrict the blood from flowing backwards, which leads to complicated health issues. Let us discuss this issue in detail for your better understanding.
What Is Mitral Valve Regurgitation?
It is among the four valves of a human heart that control the blood flow direction. It has a flap that divides the heart chambers and stops the blood from flowing backward. If these flaps stop working appropriately, the blood flow changes, which gives rise to mitral valve regurgitation.
What Are The Causes?
It can happen due to many reasons; some of them are as follows:
- Heart attack weakens the valve muscles, affecting their functioning. It can be a reason behind the valve not closing properly.
- Another reason behind this issue is Rheumatic fever. The untreated bacterial infection in your throat can cause this fever, resulting in mitral valve-related complications.
- It can also happen due to the build-up of calcium deposits around the valve.
Whatever the reason is, one has to understand the symptoms and get timely treatment to keep the body and the heart working properly.
Common Symptoms
The worst part about this heart disease is that sometimes people do not experience any symptoms until the problem gets complicated. However, the early signs may include
- A feeling of fluttering or pounding in your heart, making you feel like your heart skipped a beat. It is similar to heart palpitations, and you experience them more when you sleep on the left side of your body.
- Coughing and throat infection, which is not getting better even after days of medication, is another sign of Mitral Regurgitation. It can lead to Rheumatic fever, a common cause of this problem.
- Chest Pain that starts as you do some activity like a brisk walk or cardio. If the pain continues, you should consult the doctor instantly.
These are some symptoms that indicate the beginning of this heart complication. Other than this, feeling tired and less energetic all the time can also be a sign! If you experience any one or all of these issues, it is better to look for a cardiologist and get the diagnosis done. After conducting a few tests, your doctor can identify the issue and start with the treatment.