High blood pressure is often called a "silent disease" because you usually don't know you have it; there may be no outward symptoms or signs, so monitoring your blood pressure is critical.

The only way to tell whether you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure measured with a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). Learn just what that entails, what your results mean, and other tests your doctor may perform.

Want to know how blood pressure is measured and what a blood pressure cuff looks like? Click on the photo in this article and you'll have an idea what to expect when you get your blood pressure taken.