Symptoms of Carotid Artery Occlusion

The carotid artery is located bilaterally in the neck region, and the jugular vein disease occurs with the severe carotid artery, popularly known as the jugular vein, stenosis, or occlusion. The carotid artery refers to the arterial blood vessels, and their job is to carry oxygen-rich clean blood to the brain.

Carotid artery occlusion, medically known as carotid artery disease, occurs because of the accumulation of fat, cholesterol, white blood cells, and calcium (calcification) in the inner carotid vessel walls over the years. The process of accumulation of these substances in the vascular wall is called "atherosclerosis" or, in colloquial language, "vessel stiffness." These substances accumulating in the atherosclerosis process cause plaques on the inner vessel wall and consequently carotid artery stenosis and occlusion. This problem grows with time and substantially increases the risk of stroke, 'paralysis.'

How Do Symptoms Occur in the Carotid Artery?

As long as the carotid artery stenosis does not reach a certain point, no symptoms occur in patients. When the stenosis level begins to reach a critical point, the normal flow of the jugular vein begins to deteriorate. It negatively affects the amount of oxygen-rich arterial blood supplied to the brain tissue. Also, significant changes may develop in the atherosclerotic plaque region with time. A piece of plaque can detach and cause an embolism in the brain. Besides, the plaque rupture can cause a large clot and completely occlude the carotid artery, or it can also create an embolism in the brain. 

All these processes can cause neurological symptoms in various ways. Dizziness may develop as a result of decreased blood flow to some parts of the brain. Paralysis may develop due to a clot or a piece of plaque that creates embolism in the brain tissue. Different types of paralysis occur depending on the clot size, the brain region affected, and whether the clot dissolves or not. Stroke or paralysis may also occur for reasons other than carotid artery disease. For example, sudden brain hemorrhage or hypertension can also lead to a stroke. Approximately one-fifth of patients with stroke have carotid artery disease. 

What are the Symptoms of the Carotid Artery Occlusion?

Some patients may have no symptoms or complaints of carotid artery disease. In this patient group, the diagnosis is through examinations performed for another health issue. The carotid artery is mostly detected by ultrasonography during the operation preparations in a patient scheduled for cardiac surgery.

There are some complaints in the symptomatic patient group. Among these symptoms are;

• Sudden loss of vision, blurred vision, or problems with vision in one or both eyes,
• Tingling, numbness, or weakness on any part of the face or body,
• Loss of balance, coordination problems, and difficulty in walking,
• Mental fog,
• Sudden dizziness,
• Severe headache that occurs quickly,
• Speech difficulty, known as aphasia,
• Problems with memory,
• Difficulty in swallowing.

If there are such symptoms, the patient must undergo some analyses for stenosis in the carotid artery. As a result of the analyses conducted, a decision is made on the stenosis level and the required treatment method. To get support for carotid artery disease, you can get professional help from Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş at the Medifema Hospital located in the city of Izmir.

Which Carotid Artery Occlusion Symptoms Must Be Taken Seriously?

It requires going to the nearest hospital immediately, especially in cases of symptoms such as cataract, sudden blurred vision or consciousness, or speech disorder. In addition to these symptoms, paralysis occurs in cases of sudden numbness or weakness in the arm or leg. The temporal ischemic attack, that is, "temporary paralysis," refers to a recovery in these neurological symptoms within minutes and returning to normal. In this case, urgent diagnosis and treatment are necessary. Because if not intervened, it can cause permanent paralysis. Studies specifically show that people with carotid artery disease are at least 9 or 10 times more likely to have a severe stroke than a healthy individual. 

Professional Treatment Method for Carotid Artery Occlusion

For carotid artery occlusion, which must be taken very seriously, professional intervention should be carried out with new generation technical methods and fully equipped devices. Assoc.  Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş can provide a correct and successful treatment process with a lot of experience in this field. As a result of the examinations performed by a fully equipped and professional team and devices, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Kiriş and his team are capable of performing carotid artery surgeries. If you also have carotid stenosis, you can contact our doctor immediately on our website to get an opinion.