Figuratively speaking, the blood vessels in our body are like the transportation network of the city, which is responsible for transporting nutrients and oxygen from the blood to all corners.
Once this "life channel" is blocked, it is like a congestion on the road, and various parts of the organ may be affected due to insufficient blood supply, and even cause serious health problems.
So today, let's talk about a topic related to national health - blood vessel blockage. Don't underestimate the four words of blood vessel blockage, it may be the "culprit" behind many major diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
1. Talking about blood vessel blockage
First of all, let's understand what is blood vessel blockage and why our blood vessels are blocked. To put it simply, it is the slow accumulation of fat, cholesterol and other substances on the walls of blood vessels to form plaques like "pebbles", a process known in medicine as arteriosclerosis. These plaques can gradually enlarge, causing the lumen of the blood vessels to narrow, affecting blood flow, and in severe cases, even blocking blood flow altogether, which forms what we call "vascular blockage".
The main causes include but are not limited to: long-term hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle and genetic factors. These undesirable factors are like laying layers of obstacles on the blood vessels, making the originally smooth intima rough, which in turn induces plaque formation.
The harm of blood vessel blockage should not be underestimated, it will lead to the obstruction of the transportation of oxygen and nutrients and metabolic wastes in all parts of our body, and cause various uncomfortable symptoms, such as dizziness and chest tightness, and may induce life-threatening acute events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and pay attention to the early signs of blockage of blood vessels so that timely interventions can be taken to keep our life pathways open.
First of all, let's take a look at what symptoms our most important brain will have.
Symptom 1: Frequent headaches or dizziness
Blockages in blood vessels in our head can affect the blood supply to the brain, causing severe headaches that persist or erupt, or feeling lightheaded and unsteady on our feet. This symptom is especially pronounced in the morning when you wake up or after emotional agitation, suggesting a possible risk of narrowing or occlusion of cerebral blood vessels.
Symptom 2: Transient blurred vision or blindness
Blood vessels in the eye can also be "victims" of blockages. When the retinal arteries are blocked and the blood supply is insufficient, it can trigger a transient loss of vision, commonly known as an "eye stroke." This condition usually manifests as a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes, or even complete inability to see, but usually recovers on its own within minutes to hours.
Equally important is the heart of our body's "engine". What are the symptoms when it is affected by a blockage in a blood vessel?
Symptom 3: Chest tightness, chest pain (angina)
When a coronary artery is blocked, the blood supply to the heart, the "engine of the body," is affected. You may feel like you're being pressed by something heavy or burning in your chest, and this pain usually appears after strenuous activity, emotional excitement, or after a full meal, and may radiate to your left shoulder, left arm, neck, jaw, and even back. This is often referred to as angina, and it is an important warning sign of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
Symptom 4: Shortness of breath and fatigue after activity
If a blockage in a blood vessel affects the blood supply to the heart, the heart will work less efficiently and will not be able to pump blood effectively to meet the body's needs. As a result, abnormal breathlessness, rapid heartbeat, and extreme fatigue may occur after daily activities or slightly strenuous exercise, which may be an early sign of heart failure or a worsening of coronary artery disease.
So what are the symptoms of our limbs and even our whole body after the blood vessels are blocked, let's take a look.
Symptom 5: numbness and weakness of limbs
Blockages in blood vessels can affect the blood supply to the body's limbs. If you feel frequent numbness in your hands and feet, especially on one side, or if you have weakened strength and hold unsteady objects, it may be a sign of arteriosclerosis occlusive disease in the upper and lower extremities. In this condition, blood does not flow smoothly to the ends of the limbs, resulting in muscles and nerves lacking an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients.
Symptom 6: Abnormal skin color and temperature
You can observe if the skin of your hands and feet has changed from the normal skin tone, such as purple, pale or dark red, and you feel cold when touched. These can be caused by blocked blood vessels, causing the skin to lack adequate blood perfusion, lower temperature and a change in color.
Symptom 7: Edema of the lower limbs
If significant swelling is found in the lower extremities, especially in the ankle area, and the depression returns slowly after compression, it may be a sign of deep vein thrombosis or a heart condition that is blocking venous return. Prolonged standing, sedentary lifestyle, and long travel are all high-risk factors for these symptoms.
9. What should I do if I have symptoms?
We have talked about the symptoms that may occur in various parts of our body when blood vessels are blocked, so once we really find these symptoms in our own or family members' bodies, especially when multiple symptoms occur together, how should we deal with them?
The first thing to make clear to everyone is that you must not take chances and feel that you will be over if you endure it. Instead, prompt action should be taken to promptly go to a formal medical facility for a professional examination. Common tests include electrocardiogram, echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound), CT angiography, blood tests, etc., so that doctors can accurately diagnose the presence of vascular lesions.
Once the diagnosis is made of a disease related to a blockage of a blood vessel, it is important to follow the doctor's instructions for treatment. This may include medications (e.g., antiplatelet drugs, lipid-lowering drugs, antihypertensive drugs, etc.), lifestyle changes (e.g., reasonable diet, increased exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction, etc.), and necessary interventional procedures (e.g., coronary artery stenting, intravascular thrombolysis or thrombectomy).
We should also learn to monitor our own health status, such as observing our physical condition every day, recording blood pressure, blood lipids and other indicators, actively cooperating with doctors to adjust the treatment plan, and adhering to a healthy lifestyle to prevent the further development of blood vessel blockage to the greatest extent.
summary
By now we should know that clogged blood vessels are not an invisible killer without a trace, and the body will warn of a variety of symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, chest tightness, chest pain, numbness and weakness in the limbs. Once these signals are detected, it is important that we pay close attention to them, seek medical attention in time, and carry out the necessary examinations.
Of course, a healthy lifestyle is the key to maintaining the smooth flow of blood vessels, and a keen observation of one's own physical condition is the first line of defense to protect life safety.
Let's start now, pay attention to vascular health, be alert to the symptoms mentioned above, and work together to build a solid "cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection wall".