Every time I am hooked up to one of these machines, the cuff causes pain when it tightens around my arm. Usually the machine gives me a WAY higher blood pressure reading than when a nurse takes my blood pressure. Why?
Pain causes your blood pressure to rise. Even the memory of pain causes your blood pressure to rise, so that the second time you use a machine that causes you pain, your blood pressure will be higher.
I have spoken with other people who agree that the blood pressure machine also caused them pain. No one says anything. (Except for me. I yell and make them stop the machine.)
How many people are taking expensive blood pressure medicine with serious possible side effects because their blood pressure was misread due to pain?
If we do not start telling nurses and doctors that the machine hurts, this will only get worse.
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