The carotid artery is a blood vessel on the neck. The neck has two such blood vessels. Carotid arteries are the transporters of oxygenated blood from the heart towards the brain. The arteries are vital and any blockage could lead to brain damage, stroke, or even sudden death. Blockage of the artery causes Atherosclerosis disease which is decreased blood flow to the brain. This disease is caused by cholesterol build-up in the arteries and from calcium build-up in the arteries. These deposits are collectively called plaque. Although the disease is permanent, its deterioration can be prevented by preventing further build-up of plaque. The disease can be treated by balloon angioplasty which is the use of balloons to press the plaque against the walls of the arteries and carotid endarterectomy which is the removal of the plaque surgically.
It is important that you know what blocked arteries symptoms are. This will help you seek treatment before the deterioration of the condition and this could save your life. One of the most common symptoms for blocked carotid arteries is a mini-stroke. Stroke is caused by insufficient oxygenated blood in the brain and you should therefore get a check up because mini-stokes are soon followed by stroke. You do not have to wait for the mini-stroke to occur because it has several symptoms. These include numbness or/and weakness in one side of the body or in one side of the face, dizziness, difficulty in moving limbs, speech impairment, and severe, sudden headaches. Stroke is dangerous because it could lead to paralysis or the death of brain cells, leading to disability or brain damage. You do not have to wait for stroke because it has several symptoms. These include immobility in one side of the body, speech impairment, loss of vision in one or both eyes, dizziness and balancing problems. Another symptom of blocked carotid arteries is transient ischemic attack or TIA.
Transient ischemic attack is one of the most common symptoms of blocked carotid arteries and it involves a tingling sensation on 1 side of the body, feeling inexplicably weak, and trouble speaking. Transient ischemic attacks usually last a few seconds, but they could go on for hours. Transient ischemic attack can cause numbness and paralysis, even without a stroke or a mini-stroke. Lack of sufficient oxygenated blood in the brain may lead to trouble sitting down, standing up or walking without assistance, it may lead to fainting, it may lead to confusion, and it may lead to blindness or blurred vision. Other symptoms common in all types of artery blockage include pale skin texture, nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, breath shortness, chocking sensation, pain or/and discomfort, hypertension, and increased body weight.
You should be diagnosed for blockage if you get one or several of these symptoms. There are several tools that are used for diagnosis and these include Oculoplethysmography, Doppler Ultrasound Imaging, Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA), and Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA). Once you are diagnosed with blocked carotid arteries and you are treated, your doctor will recommend lifestyle change. This will help prevent deterioration of the problem. These changes include lowering the intake of triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol), quitting smoking and preventing obesity by exercising. Note that if you have a family history of blockage of carotid arteries, you are more at risk.
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This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are carotid artery and blocked arteries symptoms . Do consider reading them.
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