Does your blood pressure go up every time you see the doctor?

In the early days of my own high blood pressure diagnosis, I kept getting told by treating doctors that my increase in blood pressure was due to “white coat syndrome” -a syndrome suffered by people when visiting the doctor.

Doctor visits are thought to cause one anxiety or anticipation, often causing a spike in blood pressure - the body's own natural reaction or "the first line of defense" is to increase the amount of adrenaline it makes...resulting in an increase in blood pressure.

White coat syndrome = fight or flight.