Is pain normal when having blood pressure taken?

Z

Zach

New member
My mother got this portable machine from her doctor for her blood pressure because he said it was high.
So I tried it according to the instructions, but it was squeezing my arm so much that it was painful so I stopped. Should it be like that to be painful? Or is it maybe not working right and putting too much pressure?
Is anyone familiar with these?
 
Yes they can be painful if they are pumped very high. It is normal for it to be uncomfortable when taking a blood pressure, but not super painful. Can you see how high the blood pressure machine is pumping up to? If so what was the number it got up to before you shut it off?

Since your mother has high blood pressure it would be a good idea for you to check yourself for high blood pressure, as that's one very possible reason why it was pumping up so high, or it could be that the cuff size is the wrong fit for you. Another reason is that it is having trouble reading you for some reason. What is your mom's experience with it?
 
It can be painful if it has to pump up very high...that is, it has to pump up a certain amount above your pressure in order to read it properly. So if you have really high bp, it could be pumping way up.

Another thought is that it is a smaller size cuff and you need a larger size. Is your arm much bigger than your mother's?
 
I never felt pain in the doctor's office, but I know when I use those machines in pharmacies to check my blood pressure, they hurt. Not as in excruciating, unbearable pain, but it definitely makes me squirm and probably raises my heart rate because I worry I'll get my arm stuck (which did happen once).

So, unless it's a pain that brings a tear to your eye, I think it's pretty normal. Personally, my upper arm is kind of large, so I probably feel the squeezing a lot more than someone who is a bit thinner.
 
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