Can Neglected Ear Pain Really Increase Your Risk of a Heart Attack?

1. MEDBYTES A-Z MEDSPOT MEDTALKS FOR DOCTORS MEDTALKS TV SIGN IN Heart attack warning: Neglected ear pain can increase your risk By  IJCP Editorial Team  Heart attack warning: Neglected ear pain can increase your risk Cardiovascular manifesta?ons and heart a?acks are the leading causes of death worldwide, especially among the middle-aged and elderly popula?ons. The severity of the disease is due to the sudden onset without any prior signs or symptoms. Even if symptoms appear, they are misinterpreted for other common heath ailments like indiges?on or heartburn. A heart a?ack occurs when an artery supplying the heart with blood and oxygen becomes blocked due to fa?y deposi?ons that build over ?me, forming plaques in the arteries. This plaque rupture forms a blood clot that blocks the arteries causing a heart a?ack. Early detec?on and symptoma?c preven?on can prevent mortality and reduce the risk of associated health complica?ons. Risk Factors Inducing Heart A?ack Heart a?ack is a severe clinical condi?on triggered by several risk factors. According to the Mayo Clinic, the elderly popula?on, men aged 45 and older and women aged 55 and older, are more prone to cardiovascular ailments and are at greater risk of heart a?ack than the younger popula?on. Addi?onally, people with pre- exis?ng medical condi?ons such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome are more suscep?ble to a heart a?ack. Moreover, dietary pa?erns and lifestyle habits such as tobacco use, alcohol consump?on, physical inac?vity, stress, and an unhealthy diet also contribute to the elevated risk of a heart a?ack. Symptoms of Heart A?ack Chest pain or pressure is the most common symptom of a heart a?ack; however, people suffering from a heart a?ack may experience a variety of condi?ons such as jaw pain, swea?ng, heartburn, shortness of breath, toothache, headache, nausea, and vomi?ng. However, heart a?ack symptoms vary for men and women, and researchers believe that female sex hormones play a role in heart func?on and pain percep?on. For men experiencing a heart a?ack, symptoms typically include chest discomfort, pain in the upper body (also in one or both arms), shortness of breath, nausea, and dizziness. On the other hand, women, along with the above- men?oned symptoms, may also have a squeezing sensa?on in the chest, light-headedness, and numbness or ?ngling in one or both arms. Many women reported pain in the face, neck, jaw, back, ears, or around the earlobe.An unusual symptom of a heart a?ack is the appearance of creases on the earlobes, known as Frank’s Sign, named a?er Sanders Frank, an American doctor. The US Na?onal Library of Medicine Na?onal Ins?tutes of Health studied the link between diagonal earlobe creases and fatal cardiovascular diseases, and more than 40 report analyses have demonstrated an associa?on between the visible external crease on the earlobe and an increased risk of atherosclerosis. Most recently, it has been observed that these creases are also implicated in cerebrovascular disease, a disease of the blood vessels in the brain. Frank’s sign: An indicator of cardiovascular manifesta?on Frank's sign is characterized by a diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) that extends backward from the tragus across the lobule to the ear edge of the auricle at an angle of 45 degrees. It has been described as a dermatological marker and a prominent clinical sign of coronary artery disease. Several studies have unveiled the link between Frank’s Sign and cardiovascular disorders and other vascular diseases (peripheral and cerebrovascular), with a sensi?vity of 62.1% and 69.2% for severe coronary atheroma and specificity of 65.9% and 78.0%, respec?vely, for men and women. A large popula?on prospec?ve study has shown a significant associa?on of Frank's sign with increased risks of ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarc?ons, and hence, it was assumed to be a valuable tool to predict the severity of coronary artery disease. Frank's sign shows the possibility of being an independent risk factor and is a useful diagnos?c physical examina?on finding in adults less than 60 years of age. Reliable clinical correla?ons that predict atherosclerosis are needed to iden?fy at-risk pa?ents. Thus, a detailed inspec?on of the

2. earlobes should be considered an integral part of the physical examina?on in clinical prac?ce for pa?ents with suspected coronary artery disease. In addi?on, several other reports suggest that Frank's sign could also be a predictor of cerebral infarc?ons, concomitant with premature aging and the loss of dermal and vascular fibers. Clinical analysis reveals that the cause of death in pa?ents with Frank’s sign, although predominantly cardiovascular, also included malignancy, pulmonary diseases, respiratory infec?ons, and pep?c ulcer disease. Ear pain and Heart A?ack Researchers from the University of Toledo (Ohio) acclaim cardiac otalgia, or ear-pain an indicator of heart ailments and stated it as a predominant factor in women, people with prolonged diabetes, and persons with severe cardiac manifesta?ons. A dull ache or throbbing may be a signal of the ear, sinus, or dental infec?on, but a sharp or burning ear pain in both ears without the signs of any infec?on, inflamma?on, or redness, may indicate cardiac distress. However, according to a clinical survey, out of almost 200 cardiac pa?ents in one mul?- center study, only 11 had cardiac otalgia. According to researchers and scien?sts, heart a?ack s?mulates certain nerve fibers in the nervous system. Since the Vagus nerve (a major nerve of the heart) also excites a nerve called Arnold's nerve, which runs around the ear and face, the alarm signals are deciphered by Arnold nerve receptors and are interpreted in the brain as ear pain; rather than chest pain. Another reason for ear pain during a heart a?ack can be a?ributed to autonomic dysfunc?on of vagus nerves caused due to decreased blood supply and damage, manifested by occlusion of the right coronary artery, which leads to ear fullness and is referred to as a pain in the ear. To Conclude – A heart a?ack is life-threatening and needs emergency a?en?on. It is a cri?cal medical emergency, and in absence of suitable treatment, it can lead to a cardiac arrest resul?ng in the death of the pa?ent. Spo?ng the early signs of a heart a?ack and ge?ng prompt treatment is crucial to avert the fatal outcomes. It is, therefore, necessary for people, especially cardiovascular pa?ents, to be vigilant about the varied symptoms and be aware of the preliminary measures to avert cardiac manifesta?ons. The life sustenance of cardiac pa?ents can be largely increased by well-?med detec?on and effec?ve treatment. Delaying treatment, however, drama?cally reduce the chances of survival. Since heart a?acks can be fatal, it is crucial to recognize the warnings as soon as possible and contact emergency services. Article Tags heart-attack heart-failure ear-pain IJCP Editorial Team Comprising seasoned professionals and experts from the medical field, the IJCP editorial team is dedicated to delivering timely and accurate content and thriving to provide attention-grabbing information for the readers. What sets them apart are their diverse expertise, spanning academia, research, and clinical practice, and their dedication to upholding the highest standards of quality and integrity. With a wealth of experience and a commitment to excellence, the IJCP editorial team strives to provide valuable perspectives, the latest trends, and in-depth analyses across various medical domains, all in a way that keeps you interested and engaged.  More FAQs by IJCP Editorial Team The Complexity of Symptomatic Vaginal Masses Prenatal Topiramate Exposure and the Risk of Autism Clinical Prediction Model for the Prediction of Tubal Pregnancy Rupture Please login to comment on this article

3. Add your comment here POST COMMENT Quick Links Useful Links Medbytes FAQ About Us Medtalks TV Contact Us Medtalks is India's fastest growing Healthcare Learning and Patient Education Platform designed and developed to help doctors and other medical professionals to cater educational and training needs and to discover, discuss and learn the latest and best practices across 100+ medical specialties. Also find India Healthcare Latest Health News & Updates on the India Healthcare at Medtalks Webinars Privacy Policy CMEs Terms And Conditions Conferences Connect With Us