15. Persistent Throat or Jaw Pain: The Sneaky Harbingers of Heart Disease
Experiencing pain in the throat or jaw might initially seem unrelated to heart health. However, it could be an early sign of heart disease that often goes unnoticed.
The phenomenon of feeling pain in a part of the body away from the source of the problem is known as referred pain. When it comes to heart disease, the heart’s nerves don’t feel pain directly.
However, when your heart is in trouble, it sends distress signals through the nervous system. Your brain may confuse these signals with signals coming from the jaw or throat because of the nerve connections. This is why a heart condition, such as angina or a heart attack, can cause pain in the jaw or throat.
But how can you distinguish throat or jaw pain related to heart disease from other common conditions like a toothache, throat infection, or temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ)? One clue may lie in the nature and onset of the pain.
Heart-related jaw pain is more likely to occur when you’re physically active, but it can also happen at rest. It tends to be a deep pain, often described as unrelenting and is more likely to occur on the left side of the jaw.
Similarly, heart-related throat pain is often sudden and unexplained. If the pain isn’t due to a throat infection and you don’t have any risk factors for diseases affecting the throat, it could be a sign of heart disease. If the pain persists and is accompanied by other symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, or nausea, seek medical help immediately.
Preventing heart disease begins with awareness. By recognizing that persistent throat or jaw pain can be an early sign of heart disease, you are better equipped to take action. Stay proactive, and remember to communicate all your symptoms, even if they seem unconnected, to your healthcare provider. (15)
