Carotid Artery Blockage

Although the carotid artery blockage does not have any specific symptom or sign, there are a number of factors which can help you easily determine if you are suffering from this disease. A stroke can be considered as a warning sign, and is sufficient enough to conclude if there is a blockage in the carotid arteries. The TIA, or transient ischemic attack in another very important warning which also indicates that you may be attacked by a stroke some time soon. In some rare cases, this can also happen in the form of mini strokes.

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.