Paleness: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may occur along with Pallor:

Leading symptom

  • Pale skin

Associated symptoms

  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Pain in the limbs
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure)
  • Headache
  • Tachycardia (heartbeat too fast: > 100 beats per minute).

Warning signs (red flags)

  • Hypotension + tachycardia + pale skin → think of: Blood loss, shock
  • Chest pain (chest pain) + pale skin → think: acute coronary syndrome (AKS; acute coronary syndrome (ACS)):
    • Unstable angina pectoris (iAP; “chest tightness”; sudden onset of pain in the heart region with inconsistent symptoms; unstable angina (UA)) – unstable angina pectoris is said to occur when symptoms have increased in intensity or duration compared with previous angina pectoris attacks
    • Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack):
      • Non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI; NSTE-ACS).
      • ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
  • Purpura (reddish-dark red lesions, due to small-spotted capillary bleeding in the skin or mucous membranes) + pronounced pallor → think of: Suspicion of bone marrow disease; in this case, immediate diagnosis is required!
  • Tongue pain (glossalgia) + pale skin → think of: Anemia / anemia (iron; vitamin B6, B12, folic acid).