Here are some facts everyone should know about carotid heart blockages and other factors contributing to heart strokes:

• Either side of the human neck consists of an artery known as the common carotid. Every common carotid can be further divided into two categories. They are individually known as the internal branch and the external branch. The function of the internal branch is to bring blood that is rich in oxygen to the brain. On the other hand, the external branch acts to bring blood to your face.

If any of these arteries are blocked by any chance, the condition that prevails is called the carotid artery blockage. This disease affects all the vessels that lead to the brain. Just like the heart, the brain also needs a constant and regular supply of blood that is rich in oxygen. The arteries can be considered to be the most important suppliers of this blood to the brain. Once you are diagnosed with this disease, the chances of having a stroke increases significantly due to the following reasons:

• The narrowing of carotid arteries due to plaque
• There may develop a blood clot in an artery that has already been narrowed by plaque
• If the plaque breaks, it could block an artery in the brain.

All the risk factors that can increase the risk of coronary heart diseases also work for the triggering and development of carotid artery disease. Some of the factors are mentioned below:

• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Any family history of coronary artery diseases, and
• High levels of triglycerides and also low density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol.

It goes beyond doubt that carotid artery blockage is a rather scary condition, and can be best avoided. Also sometimes referred to as carotid artery stenosis, the main reason for the blockage of the artery is the accumulation of fatty deposits and cholesterol on the walls of the arteries. The deposits are together called plaque.
The carotid artery can be considered to be among the most important blood vessels of the cardiovascular system. These large arteries function to supply blood that is rich in oxygen, to the front part of the brain. It is imperative to note that it is this part of the brain which is responsible for thinking, sensory, speech, personality and other motor functions. Now that you see why these arteries are so important, you will understand that any disease related to it be best avoided.

Carotid Artery Diseases Are Not Rare
In similarity to all the other arteries that are present in the body, the carotid arteries can also harden because of the arterial plaque deposits. The building up of various substances due to the passage of time contributes to it. These substances may be fatty acids, calcium, cholesterol, fibrin and other components that are present in the blood. This accumulation can decrease the flow of blood in the brain, and thus increase the chances of developing a stroke.

The stroke that is caused due to carotid artery blockage is sometime called as a brain attack. What happens is that once the carotid vessels get blocked, the flow of blood to the desired area of the brain is completely cut off. If left unattended for a period of minimum three to six hours, the damage that is caused to the brain becomes permanent.

Symptoms Of Carotid Artery Disease
This is a serious medical condition, and demands medical assistance as soon as it is detected. However, it is also possible that the blockage may have already been developing inside for years until the presence of it is determined. Some symptoms to look for are:

• Temporary loss in vision and hearing
• Severe headache
• A simple hissing sound in the brain
• Sudden and temporary difficulty when speaking, thinking or even understanding.

In majority of the cases, a normal check up done by your cardiologist will help you determine if you are suffering from a carotid artery disease. The doctor will then enquire if you had experienced symptoms of a stroke in the past. Using a stethoscope, the doctor listens for a running sound in the carotid artery in the neck. This sound is called a bruit. However, though this method is widely used, it is quite inaccurate and the results may sometimes be misleading. To further confirm his or her observation, the doctor may use some other diagnostic tools if required. The Doppler Ultrasound Imaging is s popular way to measure the thickness of the artery and also test the flow of blood. This device makes use of sound waves.

There are a few common symptoms that are faced by almost all the patients suffering from this carotid artery blockage. These include paralysis or constant weakness in your arm, leg or face on any one side of the body. Some other symptoms also include trouble in swallowing food and blurry eyesight or complete loss of eyesight of one eye. Apart from these, some people also experience slight numbness or a tingling feeling on one side of the arm, leg and face.

For people who do not the different body parts that come under the carotid area, here is a simple explanation. Typically, these are the parts that located at the front part of the brain. This is the reason why when carotid artery pain begins; it is felt in the face and along the sides of the neck.

The carotid arteries are two major blood vessels or arteries whose function is to transport the oxygen rich blood to the very front part of the brain. These two blood vessels serve a number of very important areas, and when the supply of blood gets affected in these areas, the affected person experiences difficulties in speech, thinking, sensory, and even in motor and personality. These arteries are located on both sides of the neck, right below the jaw line.

If you feel pain in the carotid artery, this is a clear indication that you might be suffering from a carotid artery disease. These diseases develop due to the accumulation of too much cholesterol or fatty plaque that gets deposited on the inner walls of these arteries. It is the result of the complete blockage of these arteries that a person experiences a stroke. As is known, a stroke can be simply caused if the brain does not receive the required amount of oxygenated blood.

Carotid arteries are quite similar to coronary arteries. As is also the case with coronary arteries, the carotid arteries are also capable of developing a medical condition called atherosclerosis. This means the narrowing or hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis can cause pain in the arteries because the elasticity of the arteries is lost when this hardening or narrowing takes place, and as a result, insufficient amount of oxygenated blood is supplied to the brain.

Another significant carotid disease is called carotidynia. It is in this condition that the arteries become dilated. Now, this could be on the either side, or in worst case scenarios, even on both sides. The artery pain caused by this condition can affect different areas of the body such as the face, neck, head or the ears.