How would you know if you got an infection in your heart?

Nestled deep in the chest and covered in a protective layer of tissue, your heart usually fends off infections. But bacteria and viruses in the blood occasionally invade the heart, creating inflammation and other problems. Often, these problems are short-lived and relatively benign. read more

Most of the time, the body will heal itself and you may never know you had a problem. However, in rare cases, the infection itself and the resulting inflammation can damage and weaken the heart. This can also trigger heart failure and heart rhythm irregularities. read more

If you’re diagnosed with endocarditis, you may want to get a special card from the American Heart Association to keep in your wallet. Dental hygiene is an important part of endocarditis prevention. Germs from infections in your mouth can travel to your heart through your bloodstream and cause the infection. read more

Once in your blood, this kind of staph infection can spread to your heart, bones, and other organs—and result in a number of serious or even deadly infections. Those include pneumonia, and also a type of bone infection called "osteomyelitis," which could lead to swelling or warmth in the infected area, according to resources from Mayo Clinic. read more