Symptoms of high cholesterol | Human body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of coronary disease. Cholesterol in your body comes from two main sources - the liver and your diet. Your liver and other cells in your body produce about 75 percent of the cholesterol in your blood. If levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) are too high, or levels of good cholesterol (HDL) are too low, fatty deposits build up in your blood vessels. These deposits will make it difficult enough for blood to flow through your arteries. This could cause problems throughout your body, particularly in your heart and brain, or it could be fatal.
Here are some common symptoms of high cholesterol that you should be aware of.
Frequent tingling – Tingling in the hands and feet is
a sign of low blood circulation. This occurs when the blood flow becomes slower
because of the high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Poor blood circulation
causes nerves in your hands and feet not to get enough nutrients and oxygen,
which gives you a tingling sensation. Tingling in the hands and feet are the implications
of disfluencies blood flow in certain parts of the body. Tingling associated
with nerves does not get the blood flow. This is because the blood flow becomes
thick due to high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Leg cramps, Numbness, or
spasms that hit you during the night, usually in the heel and toes may also
indicate high cholesterol.
Frequent Headaches – Pain in the back of the head might be
a result of clogged blood vessels in the area around the head. This occurs due
to the clogging of cholesterol plaque that starts forming in blood vessels. If the
condition is left unchecked, the blood vessels can rupture and lead to a
stroke. Headaches are most common in people with hypertension. This is a very
dangerous condition because the possibility of blood pressure is very high.
Blood flow that is too tight through the arteries can cause blockage of plaque
leak or rupture. If it occurs in the brain then it can cause damage to blood
vessels. Headaches can also be a sign of strokes that become the initial
indication of a newly emerging attack.
Hand and feet are always cold – If your extremities are
getting cold for no reason it could relate to poor blood flow. If you notice one
foot or hand is cold and the other is not, it’s especially important to bring
it up to a doctor. Feet or legs that feel cold, or are cool to the touch, may be an indicator that you have peripheral arterial disease. But it’s not really
the best indicator. That’s because this is a common problem, and it can happen
to anyone as he ages – even someone without the peripheral arterial disease.
However, if you feel like one leg or foot is cold, but not the other, it could
be time to talk to your doctor.
Left Chest pain – Left chest pain is another sign of
high cholesterol levels. Even a minimal plaque creation in any part of the body
can decrease blood flow. The heart works more to restore normal blood flow and
this can cause pain or palpitation. This pain can also be a sign of a heart
attack. The left chest is related to the heart that acts as a blood-pumping unit. Blockage
of blood vessels around the heart can cause pain like impaled. The pain may
even spread up to the neck. Chest pain can also be a sign of a heart attack.
This condition can be a sign that blood cholesterol levels are too high.
Sore hands and feet – Blood vessels in the legs and
feet can also be clogged due to the accumulation of cholesterol. If you
experience burning pain or you feel your legs are tired and heavy it may
indicate poor blood flow to your legs, which could be related to high
cholesterol. Pain may impact one or both legs. Most of the time the pain
subsides with rest, but then reoccurs as you do the same level of activity like
short-distance walking.
Cholesterol in the eyes – When your body has too much cholesterol it can show up anywhere with arteries passing through. Your eyes are full of tiny blood vessels, where cholesterol can deposit to form tiny fatty lumps. These plaques are yellowish in color. It can form growths around the eyelids. They affect the upper eyelid but sometimes can affect the under eyelid as well. They are not reserved for your eyes, it can occur in your elbows, knees, and ankles as well as other parts of the body. If you notice them, you need to think about high cholesterol symptoms.
In Men – Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in men caused by high cholesterol is one
of the manifestations of blood vessel damage caused by high cholesterol. Your
cholesterol levels can affect the quality of your erections. In most cases, Erectile Dysfunction is caused by impaired blood flow to the organ. The
medications that treat Erectile Dysfunction, Like Viagra, allow the smooth muscle cells lining the
blood vessels to relax, so that blood can flow more easily. When a man has high
cholesterol levels, not only is cardiac circulation impaired, but the blood flow throughout
the body is also impaired.
If you have any signs and symptoms of this problem, ask your doctor to check your health levels and get the best cholesterol treatment. To help prevent high cholesterol, you can do some lifestyle and dietary changes which may cause a reduction in cholesterol levels. Most people can expect to see the difference in a few months on a heart-healthy diet plan.
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