Can Medical Conditions Cause High Blood Pressure?

Colon cancer doesn’t usually cause high blood pressure directly.

However, complications from cancer or its treatment can lead to elevated readings.

• Pain and stress may temporarily raise blood pressure.
• Some tumors may impact hormone levels or kidney function.
• Chemotherapy and cancer medications can influence your heart and circulation.

If you have colon cancer and notice high blood pressure, talk to your care team.

It could be a side effect worth managing early.

Yes, kidney stones can, in some cases, cause high blood pressure.

Kidney stones can interfere with how your kidneys filter fluids. This can lead to pressure buildup in the body.

• Blocked urine flow stresses the kidneys.
• Infections caused by stones can trigger inflammation.
• Pain from kidney stones can cause short-term spikes.

If you’ve had recurring kidney stones and notice higher blood pressure, ask your doctor about kidney function tests.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) don’t normally raise blood pressure.

But if the infection spreads to the kidneys, it’s a different story.

• Kidney infections (pyelonephritis) can disrupt blood pressure regulation.
• The body’s inflammatory response can lead to temporary increases.
• Pain and fever can also push numbers up briefly.

If your UTI isn’t going away or is paired with high blood pressure, get checked right away.

Anemia, especially iron-deficiency anemia, usually lowers blood pressure.

But in rare cases, it may be linked to secondary hypertension (high blood pressure caused by another medical condition).

Here’s how:

• Severe anemia puts stress on the heart to deliver oxygen.
• Some forms, like anemia of chronic kidney disease, are tied to blood pressure issues.
• If the body compensates by producing more hormones, pressure may rise.

If you have both anemia and high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about possible kidney problems or other long-term illnesses.

Asthma doesn’t directly cause high blood pressure, but the two have a strong connection.

Population-based studies show that people with asthma are over 40% more likely to have high blood pressure than those without it.

A key reason for this may be inflammation.

Inflammation plays a central role in both asthma and hypertension.

Chronic inflammation affects how your blood vessels function and how your body regulates pressure.

Other factors that may contribute:

• Asthma medications, especially some inhalers, can raise blood pressure.
• Difficulty breathing and low oxygen levels can stress the heart.
• Frequent asthma attacks activate the body’s stress response, pushing blood pressure higher.

If you have asthma, it’s worth checking your blood pressure regularly even if you feel fine.

Surprisingly, yes, inner ear issues can sometimes raise blood pressure.

Why?

Inner ear problems often cause balance issues, dizziness, and nausea. These symptoms lead to anxiety and stress, both of which can raise blood pressure.

Some inner ear disorders may also affect the nervous system.

Conditions like Ménière’s disease or chronic vertigo can lead to frequent spikes during flare-ups.

Yes, vertigo can cause high blood pressure.

Vertigo triggers a stress response in the body, especially when it's sudden or severe.

• Your body reacts with a rush of adrenaline.
• The result: a fast heart rate and elevated blood pressure.
• Fear of falling or nausea can add to the tension.

Managing the underlying cause of vertigo often helps stabilize your blood pressure too.

No directly wisdom teeth can’t cause high blood pressure, but here’s where it connects:

Impacted or infected wisdom teeth can cause intense pain and inflammation.

• Pain increases stress hormones like cortisol.
• Infections can lead to fever and immune response, which may raise blood pressure.
• Trouble chewing or sleeping due to dental pain adds to the strain.

If your wisdom teeth are acting up and your blood pressure is unusually high, don’t ignore it.

Yes, it’s possible.

An infected root canal is essentially a pocket of inflammation, and inflammation stresses the body.

• Your immune system goes into overdrive.
• Pain raises stress levels.
• If left untreated, it can lead to systemic infections, which are dangerous for heart health.

If you’ve had a root canal and notice swelling, pain, or blood pressure spikes, seek dental care immediately.

Ear infections themselves may not directly cause hypertension, but the discomfort and stress they bring can lead to elevated readings.

• Pain and fever can increase your heart rate.
• Fluid buildup and balance issues trigger anxiety.
• Chronic or severe ear infections may interfere with sleep, another blood pressure risk.

Always treat ear infections early to avoid complications.

Pneumonia often causes low blood pressure, especially in severe cases.

But in certain situations, it may lead to higher readings.

• Oxygen levels drop, making the heart work harder.
• The body releases stress hormones to fight infection.
• Pain and fever also affect circulation.

If you’ve had pneumonia and your blood pressure isn’t normal afterward, mention it to your doctor.

Some parasites can interfere with your body in ways that raise blood pressure over time.

• Parasites that affect the kidneys or blood vessels can directly influence pressure.
• Chronic infections cause inflammation, which affects how your blood vessels behave.
• Nutritional deficiencies caused by parasites may also affect heart function.

If you’ve had digestive issues, fatigue, and have traveled to areas where parasites are common, testing could be important.

Yes, viruses can affect blood pressure, especially those that:

• Cause systemic inflammation (like the flu or COVID-19).
• Affect the kidneys, heart, or lungs.
• Trigger fever or pain, both of which raise your numbers temporarily.

Even mild viruses can lead to short-term spikes. If your blood pressure stays high after a viral illness, check in with your doctor.

A cold isn’t dangerous on its own. But the symptoms and remedies can affect your blood pressure.

• Decongestants raise blood pressure by narrowing blood vessels.
• Stress from being sick, poor sleep, and lack of fluids all play a role.
• Coughing or pain can also cause temporary increases.

If you have high blood pressure, check medication labels before treating a cold.

Fever is your body’s response to infection, and yes, it can temporarily raise blood pressure.

• Your heart works harder to push blood to tissues.
• Dehydration from fever also thickens the blood.
• Inflammation can make vessels constrict, increasing pressure.

Once the fever goes down, your blood pressure should return to normal.