Can high cholesterol cause headaches and dizziness? The first thing you need to understand about high cholesterol is what it is. IA’s high level of cholesterol indicates an excess of bad fat in the blood. There has been considerable evidence that high cholesterol leads to a number of fatal health conditions, such as coronary artery disease, which, in turn, leads to severe heart conditions such as atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that can result in heart attacks, strokes, or other serious heart conditions. In addition to genetics, diet, and lifestyle factors, hyperlipidemia can result in high cholesterol levels and serious complications as a result.
Approximately 90 million Americans live with high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A high cholesterol level may cause a variety of health problems, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrest, and strokes. It’s especially sneaky because high cholesterol doesn’t cause any direct symptoms, but rather causes symptoms caused by other health issues. According to cardiologist Luke Laffin, MD, high cholesterol accumulates over time.
Side Effects of High Cholesterol
A person with high cholesterol can accumulate cholesterol in various vascular beds, according to Dr. Mintz. Plaque from cholesterol forms a rough area in the lining of an affected artery as it grows. As a result of atherosclerosis, a blood clot may form, blocking the flow of blood in the artery and depriving the organs of oxygen and blood. A reduction in blood flow may result in the following potential complications: ·
1- Chest Pain
Chest pain (angina) or other symptoms associated with coronary artery disease may occur if the arteries supplying blood to the heart develop atherosclerosis. ·
2- Heart Attack
Blood clots may form when plaque tears, blocking blood flow either at the site of the tear or traveling down the artery and causing another blockage. Such blockages can result in heart attacks as they interrupt the flow of blood to a portion of the heart.
3- Stroke
During a stroke, blood clots can block the blood flow to a particular area of the brain.
Can High Cholesterol Cause Headaches Like Migraines?
- Can heat cause headaches or Can mold cause headaches?
- The same questions come to mind when a person suffers from headaches. But cholesterol has a link with headache and no one can deny it.
- Vasodilation, or dilation or expansion of blood vessels, causes migraine headaches.
- However, it is a completely separate health concern from atherosclerosis. Recently, several studies have examined the relationship between high cholesterol levels and migraine headaches, and some of them found interesting correlations.
- According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2015, high cholesterol may cause headaches, particularly migraine headaches. But this study used a small sample of 52 individuals to derive relevant conclusions or isolate relevant findings. Therefore, high cholesterol does not seem to be responsible for migraines.
- Researchers found that migraine sufferers with aura, also known as classic migraine, have higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels than those without frequent headaches. It’s also possible to view these results as an association.
- It is therefore not possible to establish that high cholesterol levels contribute to classic migraine among respondents or patients. Further, this study focused only on elderly individuals, which does not provide support for the idea that the same problem occurs in all age groups.
- The contribution of high blood pressure and high cholesterol to frequent headaches and migraines is uncertain.
- A stroke occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries, resulting in a blood clot, which restricts oxygen and blood flow to vital organs.
- Consequently, high blood pressure may also result from all these developments. Consequently, no single scientific study has implicated high cholesterol headaches or migraines as causes of headaches or migraines.
High Cholesterol Poses A Health Risk?
Cholesterol is essential to the human body. Besides hormone production, it also maintains artery health.
There are, however, some disadvantages to cholesterol. Generally, cholesterol can be divided into two types:
- Low-density lipoprotein or LDL. This is considered “bad” cholesterol. The condition is caused by eating a diet that is high in trans fats or saturated fats. If LDL cholesterol levels are high, many health problems may result. Among the most common medical conditions are hypertension, strokes, heart attacks, and migraines.
- As HDL is produced naturally by the liver, it is considered “good” cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol are related. Occasionally, LDL levels can exceed HDL levels. HDL carries out the function of removing LDL from arteries and returning it to the liver. Consuming too much cholesterol may result in a higher level of LDL cholesterol.LDL cholesterol puts plaque in blood vessels over time, which can build up and cause blockages. Heart attacks and strokes may result from high levels of LDL cholesterol. A patient often wonders how to diagnose high cholesterol without undergoing a blood test.
Diagnosis & Testing
The assessment of health symptoms alone cannot provide a diagnosis. Your doctor will conduct a blood cholesterol test in order to assess your risk of developing any conditions associated with high cholesterol. According to the CDC, the following levels of cholesterol are considered to be normal:
- LDL: <100 mg/ dL
- HDL: >60 mg/ dL
- Triglycerides: <150 mg/ dL
- Total Cholesterol: <200 mg/ dL
You may be required to take medications, such as statins, if your cholesterol level is abnormally high, and any aberrations will require you to undergo further testing.
How To Treat Headaches Caused By High Cholesterol
Whatever the symptoms of high cholesterol are, you must maintain regular contact with your physician and undertake regular exercise, dietary control & modification, and regular blood testing if you wish to avoid serious complications. Treatment of cholesterol efficiently and the implementation of necessary lifestyle changes can help control cholesterol. For more information about high cholesterol, visit your doctor.
1- Lower Cholesterol
Making lifestyle changes is the first step when you have high cholesterol. By eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and limiting alcohol consumption, cholesterol levels can be reduced. It may not be possible to treat headaches by reducing cholesterol. Nevertheless, many of the treatments are similar.
As a result, you will be able to reduce your cholesterol levels and solve your headache problem at the same time. Exercise The body can benefit from exercise in a number of ways. Exercise influences the enzymes involved in the production, transport, and breakdown of lipoproteins.
Combined with dietary modifications, exercise lowers LDL and total cholesterol levels and increases HDL cholesterol levels.
Moderate-intensity exercise can provide these benefits (e.g., dancing, biking, golf, and housekeeping).
2- Diet
The relationship between diet and headaches requires a number of considerations. As a first step, certain foods may trigger headaches. In addition to cheese, caffeine, chocolate, and alcohol, these triggers vary from person to person. You should try to eliminate a specific food from your diet for a week or two to see if your headaches improve. Furthermore, what you eat (or do not eat) can influence your risk of headaches in addition to specific food triggers. Symptoms of headaches can be caused, for example, by skipping meals or not consuming enough nutrients. Dehydration can also contribute to fatigue. Keeping hydrated throughout the day and eating regular meals will help you avoid headaches.
3- Weight Management
The key to maintaining a healthy weight is to maintain a healthy body weight. High body mass indexes can influence the way your body utilizes lipoproteins (including cholesterol and triglycerides). The liver may have a difficult time using or disposing of bad cholesterol (LDL) as a result. Consequently, your cholesterol level increases. Additionally, many strategies for weight management, such as diet and exercise, can lower cholesterol levels and relieve headaches. It is essential to maintain a healthy weight.
4- Quitting Smoking
Smoking has many adverse health effects, including problems related to cholesterol. As a result of smoking, LDL molecules can become more sticky. HDL might have difficulty removing and returning these fats to the liver as a result. Eventually, LDL can accumulate in blood vessels causing blockages.
As a further consequence of smoking, your HDL levels can decrease, which affects your body’s ability to transport bad cholesterol back to your liver for removal. LDL build-up can cause a variety of health problems, including strokes. In less than three weeks, quitting smoking can result in higher levels of HDL cholesterol! Therefore, it can be a helpful first step toward maintaining a low cholesterol level over the long term.
5- Limiting Alcohol
The consumption of excessive alcohol increases the risk of elevated triglycerides3 by 46%, which may result in elevated cholesterol levels. Limit your alcohol consumption to prevent a rise in cholesterol. Furthermore, alcohol may trigger headaches and migraines. Thus, limiting alcohol consumption may also alleviate these symptoms.
When to See a Doctor
An individual experiencing headaches and believing that high cholesterol may be the reason should consult a physician. High cholesterol does not normally cause headaches, but it can be a symptom of another condition, such as atherosclerosis.
Patients with high cholesterol, along with other symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, should see a physician as soon as possible. Although high cholesterol may increase the risk of headaches, it is not directly responsible for them. If you are experiencing headaches, you should consult your physician for more information regarding treatment options.
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Do high cholesterol levels cause headaches or dizziness or?
High cholesterol is not the only cause of dizziness. The condition often does not present noticeable symptoms, but it may result in conditions or diseases that result in dizziness. An increase in cholesterol levels and a rise in LDL cholesterol levels within the body leads to the formation of plaques.
Is there a way to reduce cholesterol quickly?
Fibers that are soluble Fiber that is soluble in water can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.
Foods such as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples, and pears contain soluble fiber. Add whey protein to the diet. The whey protein in dairy products is thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits associated with them.
How do you determine whether your cholesterol level is dangerously high?
People considered at high risk for heart disease have cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dL, LDL levels above 160 mg/dL (190 mg/dL represents an even greater risk), and HDL levels below 40 mg/dL.
