Did your Heart Murmur?
What did it say?…
If you are a new mom… Congratulations on your new born.
It is the start of a new journey for you. You may have all the tests done on your newborn, and this can be a bit tiresome and worrying at times. During the check-up of the infant and you are told that your child has a murmur, you should be told that there are two types of murmurs. Take a breath…
Two types of murmurs
* Innocent Murmur
* Abnormal Murmur
A person with an innocent murmur has a normal heart. This type of heart murmur is common in newborns and children. The abnormal heart murmur however, is more serious. In children, abnormal murmurs are usually caused by congenital heart disease.
An innocent murmur can occur when blood flows more rapidly than normal through the heart. There are a few conditions which may cause rapid blood flow through the heart.
These may include :
– Physical activity or exercise
– Pregnancy
– Fever
– Not having enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body tissues (anemia)
– An excessive amount of thyroid hormone in your body (hyperthyroidism)
– Phases of rapid growth, such as adolescence
Innocent heart murmurs may disappear over time, or they may last your entire life without ever causing further health problems.
Abnormal Heart Murmurs
This type may be a bit more cause for concern, and each individual should liaise with their doctor. Some of these abnormalities include:
“Hole” In The Heart
Holes in the heart may or may not be serious, depending on the size of the hole and its location. These occur when there’s an abnormal blood flow between the heart chambers or blood vessels.
Heart valve abnormalities
Some heart valve abnormalities are present at birth, but sometimes aren’t discovered until much later in life. Some of these may be that not enough blood is allowed through the heart OR the heart valves do not close properly and are “leaky”.
Symptoms
An abnormal heart murmur may cause no obvious signs or symptoms, aside from the unusual sound your doctor hears when listening to your heart with the stethoscope. If you have these signs or symptoms, they may indicate a heart problem:
- Skin that appears blue (dark), especially on your fingertips and lips
- Swelling or sudden weight gain
- Shortness of breath | Chronic cough
- Enlarged neck veins
- Poor appetite and failure to grow normally (in infants)
- Heavy sweating with minimal or no exertion
- Chest pain | Dizziness | Fainting
Of course for your general comfort and peace of mind…please engage your medical practitioner if you have any concerns.
