• Imagine that your heart has a tiny door that didn’t quite shut after you were born. That’s essentially what a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) is. While many people with PFOs go about their lives without a hitch, for some, this little opening can lead to health concerns you should know about.

   

  Have you ever had a stroke, especially if you’re under 55? If it happened out of the blue, a PFO might be the culprit. It could let a blood clot travel from one side of your heart to the other and then up to your brain. Watch out for sudden numbness, confusion, speech troubles, or a bad headache—these could be signs of a stroke.

   

  Battling with migraines? Particularly the kind that comes with weird visual effects or tingling? Some studies hint at a link between these headaches and PFOs. It’s worth looking into.

   

  Ever heard of “mini-strokes” or TIAs? These small strokes should be monitored. The symptoms might vanish in a day, but don’t brush them off. They could be waving a red flag for a bigger stroke down the road.

   

  In rare cases, a PFO might make you feel short of breath when you sit up or stand. Doctors call this “platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome.” If lying down helps you breathe easier, it’s time to consult a CVG heart doctor.

   

  Love scuba diving? A PFO could put you at higher risk for “the bends.” Joint pain, rashes, extreme tiredness, or numbness after a dive? Don’t ignore these signs.

   

  Do you sometimes feel like your heart’s doing a little dance in your chest? While many things can cause palpitations, a PFO could be one of them. If your heart often feels like it’s racing or skipping beats, it’s worth getting checked out.

   

  PFOs can disrupt your sleep, too. A PFO might be making your sleep apnea worse. Morning headaches and daytime sleepiness could also be clues.Having these symptoms doesn’t automatically mean you have a PFO. And even if you do have a PFO, you might not have any symptoms at all, so getting expert help is important.

• We encourage you to visit CVG’s Atlanta cardiologists. Their experience and expertise at spotting and treating PFOs can help you overcome current symptoms and protect your health for the long term. With advanced technology and knowledge, they’ll evaluate and treat your heart. And with CVG offices in multiple locations near Atlanta, getting great heart care is easy.

Trust your heart health to CVG’s twenty board-certified cardiologists. Equipped with leading-edge diagnostic tools, a wealth of experience, and compassion, our cardiac team provides the highest level of personalized care.

You can review our cardiologists’ pages and explore their exceptional credentials and dedication to providing quality care. You can trust that our doctors genuinely care about you and will do everything they can to ensure you have the best quality of life possible.

To learn more, please call (770) 962-0399 or 678-582-8586. You may also request an appointment online. If you have an emergency, don’t contact us online; please call 911.