You can live sometimes with 100% blocked carotid artery if collateral circulation develops, but stroke risk remains high.
Although many people still function and live perfectly well with 100% blocked carotid artery and fully blocked carotid artery as long as the remaining carotid artery remains unblocked.
If all the carotid arteries are fully blocked it will lead to death.
The brain adapts to the restriction in the blocked carotid artery and allows a person to continue living.
When you have a carotid artery that slowly narrows to 100 percent occlusion over time, your brain will use natural bypass routes to preserve the flow of blood.
The brain also relies on an interconnected network of blood vessels at it's based that is called the circle of Willis and other primary blood vessels like the remaining carotid artery on the opposite side and the vertebral arteries in the back of your neck will take over the workload to supply the brain with the oxygen rich blood that the brain requires.
The warning signs of a blocked carotid artery are numbness and or weakness, difficulties with speech, changes in vision and dizziness and poor coordination.
Although most often a blocked carotid artery does not cause any early warning signs.
But the first indicators of a blocked carotid artery are often a mini stroke or TIA or even a full stroke that occurs due to reduced blood flow to your brain or even a blood clot that has dislodged.
If you think you have a blocked carotid artery you should get to the emergency room right away, especially if you do experience any of the following symptoms of a blocked carotid artery, which include.
A sudden, severe headache with no known cause.
Sudden loss of balance, trouble walking or unsteadiness.
Sudden vision changes like sudden blurring, dimness, or loss of vision, especially if it occurs in only one of your eyes.
Or if you have any sudden trouble speaking or slurred speech, or difficulty in understanding other people around you.
Or you experience any sudden loss of strength, any tingling or paralysis in your face, leg or arm, especially if it occurs on one side of the body.
If you have any risk factors for carotid artery disease, like smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, even without any symptoms, you should still consult with a doctor.
A doctor can often detect the narrowing of the carotid artery early enough by hearing a whooshing sound that is called a bruit, using a stethoscope.
The carotid arteries in the body are major blood vessels that are located on both sides of your neck and supply oxygen rich blood to your brain, neck and your face.
The main concern with these carotid arteries is carotid artery disease, which is what occurs when you have plaque build up in the carotid arteries, which narrows the carotid arteries and increases your risk of having a stroke significantly.
The common carotid arteries are the 2 main vessels that are located on either side of the windpipe.
The internal carotid arteries that branch off of the common carotid artery to supply blood directly to your brain.
And your external carotid arteries that supply blood to your face, scalp and your neck.
Any plaque buildup also known as atherosclerosis often silently progresses without any symptoms that are obvious until the blood flow becomes blocked severely or a clot breaks out.