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Blocked arteries develop gradually in most people and restrict blood supply to critical organs without obvious symptoms in the initial stages. Eventually, the body does show signs of trouble. In this article, we examine the symptoms of blocked arteries in various parts of the body, with a particular focus on the heart and neck.
You’ll learn to spot early indicators of something bad, like chest pain, tiredness, and trouble speaking. We also talk about symptoms of blocked arteries in the heart and neck that happen as the carotid arteries narrow. The article gives a useful guide for anyone who wants to know what restricted blood flow truly feels like before it becomes harmful. It covers everything from diagnostic tests to when to get help.
Synopsis
What Happens When Arteries Get Clogged?
Arteries are blood vessels that deliver blood full of oxygen to all parts of the body. When these blood vessels get narrower or clogged, it's a sign that atherosclerosis has likely set in. Atherosclerosis is the steady development of plaque made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other things inside the walls of the arteries. Over time, this build-up makes the walls of the arteries stiffer and slows blood flow to important organs.
At first, a person might not notice anything strange. But as the narrowing gets worse and blood flow slows down, tissues and organs don't get as much oxygen as they need. This reduced blood flow is called ischemia.
Arteries can get blocked in many places in the body:
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Coronary Arteries: Less blood flow to the heart muscle. It can cause angina, which is a sharp discomfort in the chest that spreads to the neck, shoulders, and arms, or a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
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Carotid Arteries: Narrowing in these neck arteries can impair blood flow to the brain and trigger transient ischaemic attacks or stroke.
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Peripheral Arteries: Obstruction in the legs can cause pain during walking.
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Renal Arteries: Blockages here may result in high blood pressure or kidney dysfunction.
Symptoms of Blocked Arteries in the Heart
Blocked coronary arteries reduce blood flow to the heart muscle, and it’s a condition known as coronary artery disease (CAD). Symptoms of it typically become worse when you exercise or do any activity with physical exertion. But the symptoms improve with rest. These are the most consistent symptoms of blocked arteries in the heart and should never be ignored, especially if they recur or worsen over time:
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Chest pain or discomfort (angina): Feels like pressure, tightness, squeezing, or burning in the chest. It may last a few minutes and is often triggered by physical activity or emotional stress.
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Radiating pain: Discomfort may extend to the shoulders, arms (especially the left), back, neck, or jaw. Sometimes, it is mistaken for muscle strain or indigestion.
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Shortness of breath: It may occur with or without chest pain. Suggests that the heart isn’t pumping efficiently, especially during exertion.
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Sweating or cold, clammy skin: Often accompanies chest discomfort and may be an early sign of an impending heart attack.
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Silent ischaemia: Some people experience no symptoms at all despite severe narrowing. This is more common in people with diabetes. Detected through stress tests or ECG.
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Heart attack warning signs: Sudden, intense chest pain or pressure, breathlessness, cold sweats, and a sense of impending doom. Requires emergency attention.
Also Read: Night Sweat Symptoms
Symptoms of Blocked Carotid Arteries (Neck)
The carotid arteries, located on each side of the neck, supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain. When plaque builds up in these arteries, it’s a condition called carotid artery disease. The symptoms of a blocked carotid artery include pain in the neck, which often appears suddenly and can be brief, but they demand urgent medical evaluation to prevent a full-blown stroke.
Here are the key symptoms to watch for:
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Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA): Often called a "mini-stroke," a TIA is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. Symptoms last minutes to hours and resolve completely, but are a critical warning sign.
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Sudden Numbness or Weakness: This typically affects the face, arm, or leg, particularly on one side of the body. It may come on quickly and without warning.
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Difficulty Speaking or Understanding Speech: Slurred speech, confusion, or trouble forming sentences may indicate reduced brain perfusion from carotid narrowing.
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Vision Disturbances: Temporary loss of vision or blurring in one eye (amaurosis fugax) is a classic sign of carotid blockage. Vision usually returns but should never be ignored.
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Bruit on Auscultation: A swishing or whooshing sound heard through a stethoscope placed on the neck may suggest turbulent blood flow due to narrowing. This is usually picked up during routine exams.
Silent Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Blocked arteries don’t always cause dramatic symptoms. So, what are the symptoms of a blocked artery that are different from what we discussed above? There are also silent indicators that can be early clues that blood flow to the heart or brain is being compromised.
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Unexplained Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired during routine tasks, even without exertion. They can be an early sign that the heart isn’t receiving enough oxygen. This is especially important in women, where fatigue may appear before any chest discomfort.
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Shortness of Breath With Minimal Activity: Walking short distances or climbing stairs may trigger breathlessness, even without chest pain. This may signal reduced cardiac output due to narrowed coronary arteries.
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Jaw, Neck, or Upper Back Discomfort: These symptoms may occur during physical activity or emotional stress and are often misattributed to muscle strain or dental issues.
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Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in Men: ED can be one of the earliest signs of systemic atherosclerosis. The penile arteries are smaller than the coronary arteries, so blood flow restriction may become apparent here first.
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Heart Palpitations or Skipped Beats: Heart palpitations can have many causes. But frequent or irregular heartbeats in combination with other symptoms like fatigue or chest tightness may suggest underlying coronary artery disease.
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Cold Extremities or Slow-healing Wounds (in diabetics): Though more commonly associated with peripheral artery disease, these signs can indicate widespread atherosclerosis, including involvement of the coronary arteries.
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Closing Thoughts: Subtle signs, such as chest tightness, fatigue, jaw discomfort, or brief episodes of numbness, are often overlooked. But these are often the body’s early warnings that blood flow to the heart or brain is compromised. Recognising them in time is critical.
Treatment
In earlier stages, management may include lifestyle changes like a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, and managing diabetes. These habits can reduce the existing plaque build-up. Your doctor may prescribe medications such as statins to help stabilise plaques and reduce further narrowing. However, advanced blockages may require angioplasty or bypass surgery.
Visit our cardiologist at Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Bangalore, for a preventive vascular and heart health check-up today.
FAQ's
In the early stages, lifestyle changes like a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, and managing diabetes are essential. These actions can slow down the existing plaque buildup. Medications such as statins also help stabilise plaques and reduce further narrowing. However, advanced blockages may still require procedures like angioplasty or bypass surgery.
No. Many people, especially those with diabetes or older adults, may experience no pain at all. Symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness, or jaw discomfort may be the only signs. These are often misinterpreted or missed. Hence, silent ischaemia is a recognised concern in cardiology.
Doctors use a combination of tests, including ECG, stress testing, echocardiography, coronary angiography, CT angiography, and carotid ultrasound. Blood tests for cholesterol, inflammatory markers, and cardiac enzymes are also commonly done to evaluate risk and detect damage.
Neck pain is not a classic symptom of carotid artery disease. More reliable signs include transient weakness, vision problems, speech difficulty, or numbness, especially during a TIA.
You should consult a cardiologist if you experience chest discomfort, unexplained fatigue, shortness of breath, or any neurological signs like facial drooping or slurred speech. These may signal reduced blood flow to the heart or brain and require immediate evaluation. Early intervention can prevent serious events like heart attacks or strokes.
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