Signs and Symptoms Of Clogged Arteries
People at risk for atherosclerosis should understand the signs and symptoms of clogged arteries. Clogged arteries often develop when atherosclerosis is left untreated. What is atherosclerosis? It is a condition wherein the walls of the vessels narrow and harden from too much plaque building up on the opening the arterial walls. Why this happens in the first place is because there is damage to the interior lining of the walls, so much so that fats, cholesterol, calcium, and all the other substances being carried by the blood cannot get out of the arterial walls, thus depositing themselves inside the walls or at the mouth of the arterial walls. Unfortunately, without proper management, these substances harden and narrow overtime. Time will come when these substances will clog the arterial walls. Strokes and heart attacks are likely to happen when the arteries are clogged because there is not enough blood flow to the arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the arteries.
Understanding the first signs and symptoms of clogged arteries can save your life. The thing is, they may not always manifest themselves in the early stages. Moreover, the signs and symptoms are not unique to clogged arteries. In fact, if you are not very keen on paying much attention to detail, you can easily mistake these signs and symptoms as something else. Essentially, these would include chest pain or discomfort in the chest area or close to the chest area such as the arms, neck, and shoulders, if the coronary arteries are involved. The coronary arteries are the arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the heart. On the other hand, if the carotid arteries are involved, you will normally experience signs and symptoms as if you are having a stroke. There may be numbness on the face or extremities. Slurred speech, and difficulty in hearing, seeing and understanding may also occur. You may also find it difficult to balance yourself, and in more severe cases, you may possibly lose consciousness. All these signs and symptoms stem from the fact that the there is not enough oxygenated blood supplying the brain.
When you experience any of these signs and symptoms, don’t hesitate to see your doctor at once, more so if you have every reason to suspect that you may indeed be having clogged arteries, like maybe you are a smoker and not one who is making wise food choices.
