Symptoms and Treatments for High Cholesterol

The heart keeps the human body going. It’s the most important organ of the body and has a highly intricate composition. The right side of the heart is responsible for pumping deoxygenated blood to a person’s lungs while the left side is supposed to pump oxygenated blood into other parts of our body. Without a well-functioning heart, a person can suffer from a number of problems.

For example, if a person’s cholesterol levels sky-rocket, they are likely to suffer from a number of heart disorders that can prove to be fatal. However, cholesterol isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s actually an essential component of a human’s body. The body uses cholesterol to make vitamins, cells, hormones, and other substances needed to digest the food that the person consumes.

How Common is High Cholesterol?

If a person suffers from a high cholesterol level, it can lead to a number of problems that can prove to be fatal. Having high levels of cholesterol is not too rare, as latest available data showed about 11.5% of the adult population had cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher, while 38.1% of the adult population had cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher.

What Problems Can That Cause?

As high cholesterol is the root cause for a number of diseases, it’s crucial that this problem is paid necessary attention, and people should get online doctor appointments if the need for a consultaion arises.
Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths among people across the world. As for US, around 647,000 people on average die due to heart disease. Heart problems are sometimes linked to high cholesterol levels as well, so it’s important that statistics like these serve as a reminder of how important it is to deal with high cholesterol levels in a timely manner.

On the other hand, diabetes is also associated with high cholesterol levels. As per the CDC, more than 34 million people in US had diabetes in 2020. Although not as severe as heart disease itself, diabetes can still serve as a source of nuisance to people. Radical changes have to be made to the person’s diet to remove sugary foods and incorporate a balance of important nutrients.
High cholesterol is also linked with erectile dysfunction, as the blockage or contraction of the blood vessels can act as a constraint for adequate blood flow. This is another difficult condition for men to be suffering from and getting erectile dysfunction treatment seems to be the only solution which many men shy away from due to a certain level of discomfort while discussing this problem.
High cholesterol causes blood vessels to contract and tighten leading to high blood pressure. This becomes a worrying problem for the person, as high blood pressure is one of the root causes of heart disease.

Symptoms of High Cholesterol

If you believe you are suffering from high cholesterol, you can try and see if you notice some key symptoms in order to judge whether there really are high cholesterol levels. However, it’s important to understand that all of these symptoms are signs of other medical conditions and not directly cholesterol-related symptoms. Regardless, it’s still necessary to not let them get worse without much attention being paid to them.

Dizziness and Numbness—Stroke

If you experience numbness in any part of your body which makes you unable to move, it could be a sign of a stroke. It’s common for people to experience numbness in certain parts of their bodies like face and arms. The tongue may also be affected, causing your speech to be adversely affected.
Uncoordinated movement, where you may feel that you’ve lost your sense of balance and feel a little bit dizzy as well, is also known as being symptoms of a stroke. Getting instant medical attention in scenarios like these is a crucial step to take.

Chest Pain, Difficulty in Breathing, and Possible Nausea – Heart Attack

Pain in the chest or having difficulty in breathing can be a sign that you might be having a heart attack. Although major attacks are usually sudden and instant, minor heart attacks are also a common occurrence and should be treated by a doctor right away.
Symptoms of a heart attack may vary by gender as well sometimes, as women are somewhat more prone to suffering from nausea as a heart attack symptom.

Treatments for High Cholesterol

High cholesterol can sometime be linked to your family’s medical history as well. In that case, genetics are to blame, and you can’t do much to avoid having high cholesterol levels. However, you can always try to do your best in dealing with it effectively and including the following list of things in your everyday life.

Healthy Diet

A diet that cuts out highly-processed or deep-fried foods and includes foods with high fiber, protein, and healthy fats, is a preferable one to have. Although the occasional slice of cake or some chips isn’t the end of the world, it’s better to stay away from those foods and only rarely eat them.

Exercising

Regular exercise promotes heart strength. So, make sure to go out for a run every day or even a brisk walk. Just make sure you include some physical exertion in your daily routine.

Limiting Alcohol and Smoking

Limiting or even completely cutting off smoking and drinking from your lifestyle can go a long way in helping out with your high cholesterol levels.
If you find that it’s difficult to cope with your high cholesterol levels through these tips, consider consulting online doctors. At TelMDCare, you can find a whole team of certified and experienced doctors to deal with these problems. And if you’re worried about huge medical bills, don’t worry at all; our telemedicine services are extremely affordable and do not require you to have any medical insurance as we firmly believe that healthcare should be accessible to all!
Reach out to us to schedule a virtual doctor appointment.