Let’s face it. Few of us enjoy the constant tasks of grocery shopping, making beds and doing laundry. When we think of these chores as a pain, we mean it figuratively. But for women with angina, a chronic and painful heart condition, the chest pain they may feel when performing these tasks can be all too literal.
In a study, experts asked 41 women with chronic, but stable, angina - many of whom had had a heart attack - about their ability to perform 14 common household tasks such as unpacking groceries, vacuuming floors and making beds. They found that most of the women reported at least some disruption in their ability to perform all of these chores. EASY QUESTIONS, VITAL ANSWERS
“We asked women whether they could still do the activity at all or if they had to modify it because of the angina pain,” say researchers from Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta. “From lower-energy chores such as cooking, doing dishes by hand, and carrying a basket of laundry to more intense tasks such as sweeping floors, changing bed linens and moving furniture, nearly all of the women reported disruptions in their ability to perform these jobs.”
In fact, washing dishes by hand was the only activity that the majority of women could perform without difficulty. And the job that women had to modify the most?
“Making beds,” researchers say. “They needed to make the beds more slowly.” THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HOUSEHOLD CHORES
Why did Kimble measure the women’s ability to do chores around the house?
“They are the most strenuous activities that many women do,” they says. “Wives with the most helpful husbands still end up doing a majority of these tasks themselves, since many people still view housework as women’s work.”
What’s worse, research has found that women tend to feel guilty when they can’t perform these jobs to their satisfaction. So there are strong implications for women who suffer from angina.
Researchers cautions against confusing depression - which is common in older folks and after a heart attack - with heart disease progression.
“If an older woman doesn’t care for her house the way she used to, many people assume it’s because she’s depressed,” researchers says. “But it could be that heart-related chest pain, fatigue or shortness of breath prevents her from doing the vigorous work that she used to do. Relatives and friends should take these signals seriously and talk to her about them.”
More important than a woman’s ability to do housework right now, researchers says, is her capacity to continue doing chores the same way over time.
“It’s important for women to assess what tasks they’re able to perform at this moment,” they say. “Keep track of what you can do from week to week and month to month so that you can tell your doctor whether your symptoms are getting worse.”
For example, can you make your own bed? How long does it take you? It’s important to note how any of these things are changing over time so that you can discuss them with your doctor.
Making a few simple changes could be all it takes to enjoy a pain-free life and remain independent. Your doctor may suggest that you take your medication at different times in order to perform these tasks more easily. Or you may have to modify the way you do things a bit. For example, you may need to sit on a stool while you wash dishes, have your groceries bagged in smaller bundles or take breaks while you make the bed.
No matter what, if in the past you were able to perform household chores without chest pain and you’ve now started noticing pain, it could be the onset of a heart attack or a sign that your heart disease is accelerating, researchers warns.
“In either case, you need to be evaluated by a physician right away.”
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