Why Do I Get A Head Rush Every Time I Stand Up?
Getting a head rush on changing your posture to the standing position can occur in the condition of orthostatic hypotension and also sometimes it can be seen normally. When the person changes its posture from lying down or sitting position to standing position, it leads to the action of gravity on the blood which in turn tends to collect in the veins of the lower body that is below the waist.
Sometimes the change of the position is so sudden that the body is unable to acclimatize to the new posture quickly. It leads to venous pooling of the blood and hence the blood pressure falls rapidly. It can occur normally but is very rare as the body has an internal mechanism to counter this effect.(1) There is the inherent tone in the vessels which try to maintain the diameter of the vessel even when there is increased blood content which leads to non-collection of the blood in the vessels and acts as a pump to push the blood further up the body and the venous return to the heart is maintained.
When the person is suffering from orthostatic hypotension, there is the failure of this mechanism which leads to a falling in blood pressure rapidly and hence the blood supply to all the body parts decreases. The first organ to suffer is the brain because it has the minimum capacity to deal with the change in blood flow and lack of oxygen.
The decrease in blood flow inadvertently leads to a decrease in oxygen supply to the brain and hence the functioning of the brain is compromised. It feels like cloudiness of the consciousness start occurring which is felt by the person as the sudden head rush in response to standing posture. If the problem has become frequent, it means the person is suffering from orthostatic hypotension.
Pulse pressure is defined as the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It usually ranges from 30 to 50 mm of Hg (Mercury) and the average comes at about 40 mm of Hg. It is known as pulse pressure because it is this difference in the systolic and diastolic values of blood pressure which is felt by the doctor in the form of pulse in the peripheral arteries.
What Is A Good Pulse Pressure?
Good pulse pressure is which maintains a balanced difference between systolic and diastolic values which is about 40 mm of Hg. It forms a good pulse with normal volume and regular heart rate. Widened pulse pressure generates a very high volume pulse which is longer than the normal pulse and indicates valvular heart disease such as aortic regurgitation which can be a precursor of a dangerous arrhythmia like atrial fibrillation.(2) It can also be used to monitor the response of various blood pressure-lowering drugs because it can show the effect on both systolic as well as diastolic blood pressures.
Conclusion
Head rush is a symptom usually encountered when the person changes its posture to the standing position because there is an effect of reduced blood flow and lack of oxygen on the brain in the form of reduced consciousness. The heart tries to maintain the reduced blood flow to the brain by compensating with the increase in pumping rate which leads to flushing of blood suddenly and is felt in the form of a head rush. It can be countered with a simple measure of performing the change in posture in a gradual manner which will not lead to changes in the cardiovascular system suddenly.
Pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and usually signifies valvular heart disease or underlying arrhythmia, if its value is increased. A good pulse pressure ranges near about 40 mm of Hg and has a good pulse when felt peripheral.
Also Read:
- What is Postural Hypotension & How is it Treated?
- What Is Hypotension?|Conditions That Can Result In Hypotension
- What Neurological Disorders Cause Low Blood Pressure?
- Can You Get Lightheaded From High Blood Pressure?
- Best Exercises Or Activities For Orthostatic Hypotension
- Home Remedies For Orthostatic Hypotension & Is It A Disability?
