Are the blood vessels in your neck narrowed? It can cause dangerous paralysis (Carotid Artery Stenosis)

We have all heard of stroke, right? We know how dangerous it is. But you might be surprised to know that the main cause of this is in our neck. Yes, the two main blood vessels on either side of our neck that carry blood to the brain are blocked, which can cause this dangerous condition. Today we are talking about a condition called `Carotid Artery Stenosis`, a narrowing of the blood vessels in the neck.

Simply put, what is carotid artery disease?

Think of the blood vessels in our body as a clean water pipe. Blood flows through it without any blockage. On either side of our neck are two very important blood vessels called the Carotid Arteries . These are the ones that supply our brain, face, and head with oxygen-rich blood.

Now, in a condition called `Carotid Artery Stenosis`, fatty deposits (plaque) begin to build up inside these blood vessels. This `plaque` is a buildup of fatty substances like cholesterol. Just like rust builds up inside a water pipe, these `plaque` deposits gradually reduce the space inside the blood vessel. This narrowing of the blood vessels is what we call atherosclerosis .

When a blood vessel becomes blocked in this way, the amount of blood flowing to the brain is reduced. Also, sometimes small pieces of that fatty layer can break off and completely block a delicate blood vessel in the brain. That's when a dangerous condition called a stroke occurs. This can happen in one or both blood vessels on one side of the neck. If left untreated, this condition can worsen over time and even be life-threatening.

What are the risk factors that affect this?

This condition is not something that develops overnight. It is caused by certain habits and problems in our lifestyle and health over time. Some of these things we can change. See if these things apply to you too.

What are the symptoms of this disease?

The biggest problem here is that this blockage of blood vessels may not cause any symptoms until it causes a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) .

A TIA is a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain, which is then restored after a short period of time. This should be considered a serious warning sign before a major stroke.

Symptoms of a stroke or TIA

If you or someone else notices any of these symptoms, go to a hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately. Time is of the essence.

• One-sided drooping of the face: One side of the mouth appears to be drooping. When asked to smile, only one side appears to smile.
• Difficulty speaking: Slurring words, not being able to say what you want to say, or having difficulty understanding what someone else is saying.
• Loss of vision in one eye: It may feel like a black curtain is falling in front of one eye.
• Numbness on one side of the body: Loss of feeling on one side of an arm, leg, or face.
• Weakness on one side of the body: inability to lift an arm or leg on one side, loss of consciousness.

How does a doctor find this?

This condition is often diagnosed after you develop symptoms of paralysis. Or, when your doctor examines you and places a stethoscope on your neck, they may hear an unusual "whooshing" sound (bruit) that sounds like blood flowing from a blocked blood vessel.

Several tests are performed to confirm this disease and to determine exactly how blocked the blood vessel is and where it is blocked.

• Ultrasound: This is a painless test that uses sound waves to take pictures of the inside of the body. It can clearly see how blood flows through blood vessels and where blockages are.
• Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA): This is a special CT scan that uses X-rays. It takes very clear pictures of your blood vessels by injecting a special dye into them.
• Cerebral Angiography: This involves passing a very thin tube (catheter) through a blood vessel to look at the blockage. A dye is also injected to take detailed pictures of the blood vessel.
• MRA scan (Magnetic Resonance Angiography - MRA): This is similar to a CTA scan, but uses a strong magnetic field instead of X-rays to obtain detailed images of blood vessels.

After these tests, your doctor will determine how much of your blood vessel is blocked. It is usually classified as mild (less than 50%), moderate (between 50% and 79%), and severe (more than 80%) .

How is it treated?

The main goal of treatment is to stop the disease from getting worse and reduce the risk of paralysis.

1. Lifestyle changes and medications

This is the first and most important step.

• Healthy eating: Getting used to a diet low in oil, salt, and sugar.
• Exercise: Engaging in daily exercise.
• Quitting smoking: This is definitely something you should do.
• Medications: Your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner like aspirin , as well as cholesterol-lowering medications and high blood pressure medications .

2. Surgery and other methods

If the disease is severe, or if you have already had a TIA or stroke, your doctor may recommend surgery.

• Carotid Endarterectomy: In this procedure, a surgeon makes a small incision in the neck, opens the blood vessel, and scrapes out the blocked fatty layer (plaque).
• Stenting: In this procedure, a large needle-like device is inserted into the blood vessel and a small mesh-like tube (stent) is placed in the blocked area to widen the blood vessel. This removes the obstruction to blood flow.

This can be very dangerous if left untreated. However, if the disease is diagnosed early and treated appropriately, the results are very good. Most people recover quickly after surgery, staying in the hospital for a day or two.

Carotid Artery Stenosis, paralysis, stroke, blood vessel blockage in the neck, plaque, TIA, atherosclerosis, cholesterol