First things first: a blood test is necessary for a doctor to be able to find out whether or not you have high cholesterol. So why is it important to identify your blood’s cholesterol levels? For one, it can help determine if you are at risk of heart disease because having high cholesterol can increase the likelihood of you having it.
The truth is your cholesterol levels may already be off the charts and still encounter no sign and symptom. In other words, you may feel perfectly healthy but not know that you have high cholesterol for many years now, which greatly increases your chance of winding up with heart disease.
However, there are certain things that may indicate that you have high blood cholesterol levels. Do take note that some of these signs and symptoms can also be associated with all sorts of health problems, and that’s why only having your blood examined in the laboratory can confirm whether your cholesterol levels are high or not.
Yellow Growths on Your Eyelids
Do you notice painless yellow growths on your upper and lower eyelids? Their presence is called “xanthelasma”. Fret not because it’s something that won’t negatively affect your vision. However, xanthelasma is a clear indicator that you have high blood cholesterol. Although those yellow-colored growths can be zapped with the use of acids and lasers, the only way to have them permanently removed is by having your cholesterol levels controlled.
Gray-Colored Ring Around Your Cornea
Stand very close to a mirror and carefully observe your eyes. Is there a gray ring or arc around your cornea, the part of your eye which covers your iris? Medical doctors call it “circumferential arcus”. While quite common in older people, it can indicate high cholesterol levels in individuals who are 45 years old and younger. That gray-colored ring or arc is actually made up of cholesterol that has collected in the deeper portions of your cornea.
Tingling Sensation in the Hands and Feet
Having high cholesterol levels can cause various blood vessels in your body to become clogged up, and this is the reason why your health is in grave danger if your cholesterol is sky-high. It’s not unlikely for you to experience tingling sensation in your hands and feet if your blood vessels are blocked by cholesterol since your peripheral nerves (nerves in the extremities) are not getting enough oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood for their proper functioning.
Pain in the Neck and Back of the Head
Since cholesterol levels that are way too high can cause some of your blood vessels to become blocked, it is very much possible for circulation to your head to be hampered. Such can leave your neck feeling sore and achy from time to time. The shoulder, too, may feel the same way. Medical doctors say that having high blood cholesterol may also make you susceptible to having a nagging headache, in particular in the back of your head.
Rapid or Pounding Beating of the Heart
Most of the time, heart palpitations are harmless. They are often experienced after exercising or engaging in intense physical activities. Sometimes they are due to anxiety, stress and intake of certain drugs. However, palpitations may also indicate problems concerning the cardiovascular system, and having high cholesterol levels is one of them. It’s undeniable that clogging of the blood vessels due to cholesterol can leave your heart working harder.
Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle
Do you eat lots of fatty foods and avoid fruits and vegetables that contain lots of fiber? Are you a smoker and do you love drinking alcohol in excessive amounts? Are you overweight and you are not exercising on a regular basis? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, then there is a huge possibility that your cholesterol levels are already high. This is especially true is someone in your family is diagnosed by a doctor with high cholesterol.
