Can high blood pressure be caused from being really nervous in the doctors office?

i went to the doctors because i have one kidney and i get it checked out every so often, and they took my blood pressure but i was really nervous that day, like i was sweating and i could feel my heart beating in my chest and when they took the blood pressure it felt weird and i could distinctively feel my heart rate where the measurer thing was.

i have never had high blood pressure and i am just wondering if it could be from that one day, i am like this a lot in the doctors ever since i was a little kid. i am going to the pediatrician soon also to get this checked out.

thanks!

Yes, it happens. It is called the white coat syndrome. When you are in the doctor's office and see the white coats they wear, your blood pressure just automatically goes up, and there's nothing you can do about it.

As long as your blood pressure is always normal when you have it checked elsewhere, like at home, or in the drugstore, you're ok.

YES
the phenomenon is known as "WHITE COAT HYPERTENSION / OFFICE Hypertension, caused by the release of adrenergic hormones secondery to the anxiety of being checked and the result.
The best way doctors adapt to overcome this is they calm down and they kept relaxed the person for about 20-30 minutes before taking the reading.
This type of hypertension per se does not require the treatment with antihypertensive drugs
DONT AFRAID OF YOUR DOCTOR.

For some people, stress associated with visiting a doctor can result in higher BP readings. As suggested elsewhere, taking readings at home, over a period of time, then averaging the readings will give you a good idea of your actual BP.

If you do this, be sure to use a BP monitor that has an arm cuff. Doctors do not recommend the wrist or finger monitors as they are generally not as accurate.

For more information about BP, including a BP log for recording your readings, and sources for home BP monitors, visit http://www.smart-heart-living.com/high-b...
You'll also find tips there on lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise and quitting smoking, that can lower your blood pressure.

Good luck!

Yes, that is possible. My blood pressure is always higher when I know that I will be getting my blood taken ( huge fear of needles). But the doctors usually account for the fact that patients are nervous and their blood pressure could be elevated. If you are that concerned about I would suggest going to the doctor and just have you blood pressure taken, since you won't be nervouse about any other test or results you might get it should be pretty accurate. You should be able to just walk in with out an apt. and ask to have a nurse check it real quick. You could probably even have it done at your pharmacy.

It certainly can. Unfortunately many not understanding this can find themselves unnecessarily on drugs to fix something simply calming down will fix.
Negative emotion changes the molecular structure of the body negatively.
While you are waiting next time spend your time doing this... Wrap the fist of your right hand
around the little finger of the left hand & squeeze for few seconds.
Breathing slowly & deeply.
Release & repeat.

Also when that has settled massage the area approx 1" at the base of the left little finger.
Any time you get heart flutter do this.

High BP is not necessarily white coat syndrome.

If you think you are showing white coat syndrome, recall that it subsides. If you loll around in the nurse's office chatting for half an hour, it goes down. If you take your measure repeatedly each hour over a a day, average them. But do relax a while before each test.

yes it can be high in the Dr's. office maybe you should get you a blood pressure monitor and do it at home for a while and see if it is high then

yes, better to take it at home. I have a kidney problem as well so I have to watch my bp.

White coat syndrome

Yes. If you are extremely nervous it causes a large amount of adrenaline to be inserted into your blood stream, which than causes your heart rate to be higher (represents the lower of the 2 numbers, hopefully). Than your muscles tighten up because nervousness causes the fight or flight syndrome. Due to that muscle tension, your heart beat wont register until the arm wrap is tighter than it normally would be, registering you with a higher number on that part. Like mine is 140/86 40 is measured using the arm wrap. They judge this by the liquid in the recieving end of the arm wrap. The first time they see it jump determines this measure (jump as in move slightly up and down to your heart beat).