Excessive production of low-density lipids in the body leads to the formation of growths on the arteries. Cholesterol plaques in the blood vessels of the brain impede the smooth flow of blood, which delivers nutrients and oxygen to the cells. Impaired cerebral circulation can lead to emergency conditions.
Cause of occurrence
Atherosclerotic plaques in the vessels of the brain appear as a result of lipid metabolism disorders.
A large amount of cholesterol is produced, which accumulates on the walls of blood vessels. After which calcium and connective tissue are layered on such deposits. As a result, blood clots form. Basically, people who lead a sedentary life, eat poorly and have bad habits (drink alcohol, smoke) are prone to this disorder.
Causes of plaques in the brain:
- impaired metabolism;
- diabetes;
- hyperthyroidism;
- adrenal gland diseases;
- stress;
- menopause;
- hereditary predisposition.
Clinical picture of cholesterol plaques
Symptoms of cerebral atherosclerotic plaques largely depend on the stage of the disease. Cholesterol plaques in the brain tend to spread throughout the vascular bed, so the clinical picture always develops gradually, begins with a complete absence of symptoms and, as the disease progresses, can one day lead to an acute cerebral catastrophe.
Atherosclerotic plaques cause a condition called dyscirculatory encephalopathy (DEP), which is manifested by the following symptoms:
- headache without a specific localization, ranging from mild, short-lived to intense and constant;
- dizziness;
- noise in ears;
- difficulty sleeping – nightmares, insomnia, light sleep at night, daytime drowsiness;
- exacerbation and accentuation of certain character traits are symptoms of impaired blood supply to the cerebral cortex. Many patients become irritable, meticulous, suspicious, and overly detailed;
- decreased performance, fatigue;
- reflex coughing, choking while eating;
- memory loss;
- symptoms of cerebellar hypoxia – loss of coordination of movements, slowness;
- slurred speech.
The stage of initial manifestations of cholesterol plaques is characterized by the nonspecificity of symptoms (usually there are 2-3 of them: dizziness, headache, fatigue) and the incoming nature of the disorders. The initial symptoms of atherosclerotic plaques appear in the afternoon and quickly disappear after rest.
The appearance of gray hair may be the first sign of incipient cerebral atherosclerosis.
During the progression stage, the patient's condition gradually worsens: the symptoms of the disease become more complicated, dizziness and tinnitus may be accompanied by hand tremors, choking while eating, and personality changes begin.
The stage of decompensation of atherosclerotic plaques is manifested by a critical decrease in memory and ability to think; patients are unable to perform basic actions and cannot take care of themselves. Symptoms of peripheral cerebral circulation disorders are most pronounced. This stage of the disease is dangerous due to the development of acute complications.
Symptoms of the disorder
A sign of such a disease may be the appearance of tinnitus.
Signs appear gradually as the disease progresses. Due to the accumulation of tissue in the vessels, headaches, tinnitus, and dizziness develop. Feelings of fatigue, irritability and depression increase. Sleep disturbances appear: insomnia, nightmares, lack of sleep. Patients have memory problems. The same signs appear if plaques form in the vessels of the neck. If yellow formations appear on the eyelids, this indicates an accumulation of substances in the head. When atherosclerotic plaques appear, the following symptoms occur:
- deterioration of speech and vision;
- asymmetry of facial features;
- increased sweating;
- trembling in the limbs;
- unsteady gait.
Taking into account the degree of development of the deviation, the manifestations also differ. More details about this in the table:
Stage | Symptoms of plaques in the blood vessels of the brain |
First | Headaches, fatigue, noise in the head |
Second | Irritability occurs, head spasms intensify, hands begin to tremble |
Third | Memory loss is observed, people no longer cope with everyday problems on their own, and there is a risk of stroke |
Sores on the scalp
Scalp sores are a problem that makes the life of any person unpleasant. What is it: a cosmetic defect that will go away in a couple of days or a serious illness that requires treatment from a doctor?
In 85% of all cases, systemic disorders in the functioning of the body, as well as local inflammatory or fungal lesions, are diagnosed. This means that it is impossible to do without complex therapy prescribed by a specialist, and exclusively on an individual basis.
Sores on the head in the hair: what are they?
As a rule, defects can be easily noticed during normal visual inspection. Already at the first stage of damage to the skin, red spots covered with a crust appear, scales, small lump-shaped seals, and a small rash form.
This clinical picture is, moreover, accompanied by severe itching and irritation of the scalp, painful sensations, and in some cases, bleeding and purulent discharge. A weeping sore on the head is a fairly common occurrence in trichology.
As a rule, the discomfort is so strong that a person cannot resist and begins to intensively scratch his head, which leads to microtrauma of the epithelium and further aggravates the situation. Over time, the condition of the hair follicles deteriorates, and intense hair loss is observed.
Dandruff and sores on the head: why does this happen?
A good doctor always begins to look for the cause in the immune system and psycho-emotional state of a person. It happens that sores on the head appear after a common cold, hypothermia or severe stress. In other cases, painful sores, rashes and scales on the scalp indicate the presence of a certain disease.
Some diseases that contribute to the formation of sores:
- Seborrhea is a disorder of sebaceous secretion of the scalp caused by the yeast-like fungi Pityrosporum ovale.
- Psoriasis is a chronic disease of autoimmune etiology.
- Allergic dermatitis is an acute reaction to certain components of cosmetic or medicinal products.
- Pityriasis versicolor is most often diagnosed in children and is transmitted through household objects.
- Dermatophytosis is an infectious disease caused by dermatophytes (molds).
However, if you have sores on your head, perhaps the reason is very simple - mechanical or thermal damage caused by rough combing, frequent use of a hair dryer, exposure to too low or high temperatures. For an accurate diagnosis, you should contact a trichology clinic.
How to treat sores on the head?
Unfortunately, there is no panacea that would immediately relieve all discomfort. The surest and fastest way to get rid of sores on your head is to visit a competent trichologist. Only a doctor can conduct a professional diagnosis of the scalp and draw up an individual treatment plan.
The IHC clinic uses the best traditions of ancient medicine in combination with advanced technologies from European laboratories. This comprehensive approach allows you to completely get rid of dandruff and sores on the scalp.
We use the following methods:
- mesotherapy of the scalp - subcutaneous administration of medicinal drugs, nutrients and vitamins, carried out by injection with the finest needles;
- laser skin treatment - laser light acts as a powerful antiseptic, provides a healing effect, restores local metabolism and blood circulation;
- hirudoreflexotherapy - increases overall immunity, relieves inflammation, accelerates the removal of toxins;
- bio-complex procedures - the effect of natural medicinal components in combination with massage and a special steam capsule gives the best healing effect for the scalp.
Therapy takes from 5 days to several weeks, depending on the extent and causes of the disease. All procedures are comfortable for the patient and last approximately 20-30 minutes.
We believe that correct diagnosis is the main key to effective treatment. Therefore, to thoroughly examine the state of the body, a blood test is prescribed, and a special high-precision microscope is used to examine the affected tissues.
By contacting our clinic, you will really get a quick and, most importantly, stable treatment result. Already after the first procedures, long-awaited relief will come.
Diagnosis
If necessary, the patient is sent for an angiography procedure.
To determine the level of cholesterol in the body, a general and biochemical blood test is performed. The condition of the cerebral vessels is checked using ultrasound (ultrasound) or duplex scanning. Then the thickness of the vessel walls is checked using angiography. In addition, transcranial Doppler ultrasound is performed.
What kind of alcohol is possible for cerebral atherosclerosis
If you don't like red wine, you can get enough resveratrol from dietary supplements or a glass of dark grape juice a day. To thin the blood and prevent LDL oxidation, any alcohol is suitable - alcoholic drinks have an identical effect on cerebral atherosclerosis, regardless of their form.
Moderate alcohol consumption has a beneficial effect on the course of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the neck, heart and brain: the number of beneficial HDL particles increases, the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels increases, the oxidation of LDL is suppressed and blood (upper) pressure is slightly reduced. Alcohol for cerebral atherosclerosis, of course, will not destroy already accumulated cholesterol plaques, will not eliminate the risk of stroke (although it will noticeably reduce it, including the risk of a recurrent stroke), but will help fight the disease.
Alcohol in cerebral atherosclerosis also helps reduce the amount of fibrinogen in the blood - this protein is especially important in the formation of a blood clot, and reducing its concentration reduces the risk of blood clot formation. Alcohol from any type of alcoholic beverage has a beneficial effect on HDL cholesterol, blood clotting and suppression of inflammatory processes in the walls of blood vessels in the brain, coronary vessels of the heart, carotid artery of the neck and other arteries and veins of our body.
See also:
Does alcohol have cholesterol?
Treatment of the disorder
Getting rid of the disease occurs with the help of complex therapy. Medicine offers a course that is aimed at restoring blood vessels, relieving the symptoms of ischemia and stroke. Drug treatment of plaques in the vessels of the brain, surgery and folk remedies are accompanied by proper nutrition, moderate exercise and giving up bad habits. Treatment methods are prescribed by a doctor after a thorough examination and are carried out under his supervision.
Traditional methods
Often the course lasts a long time, sometimes the drugs need to be taken for life. To reduce fat levels, statins are prescribed - Liprimar, Zocor. Fibrins are prescribed to balance triglycerate levels. The drugs Cholestide and Ezetimibe act on fats in the intestines and prevent them from entering the blood vessels. Orlistat is an effective medicine for fat accumulation. Antiplatelet agents thin the blood in the vessels and improve circulation. To restore blood pressure, antihypertensive tablets are prescribed. To maintain health, it is recommended to take vitamins B, C, A. They help cleanse the body of lipids.
Surgical intervention
More severe stages of the disease can be treated with stenting.
In the later stages, when more than half of the lumen in the artery is closed by accumulations, surgery is performed. In this case, the cholesterol is removed surgically. During carotid endarterectomy, the vessel is cut and the accumulated tissue is removed. Another method is to remove plaques using angioplasty. This operation is performed using a catheter, which pushes the accumulation out of the vessels. Less commonly used is stenting, in which the walls of the vessels are held back using a special structure, which prevents the lumen from narrowing. This allows you to remove excess accumulations.
Folk remedies
These are additional treatment measures that are used in conjunction with medications. To cleanse the walls of your arteries from plaque, you need to eat more fruits with vitamin C (oranges, lemons, kiwis). Rowan berry decoction has the same effect. Antioxidants in berries can dissolve lipids. Drink the decoction 3 times a day. It is recommended to use garlic oil with lemon juice. Drink the mixture 3 times a day for 3 months. Cleansing the blood vessels of the brain occurs thanks to black tea with the addition of milk.
Nutrition for illness
One of the conditions for the patient’s recovery is the removal of chocolate from his diet.
Proper and healthy nutrition helps treat vascular diseases. So, you need to reduce the amount of fatty and fried foods. It should be replaced with foods rich in Omega-3 and Omega-4. These include fish and olive oil. Be sure to remove alcohol, salty and spicy foods from your diet. Prohibited foods also include:
- coffee;
- salo;
- cocoa;
- chocolate.
Other treatments for atherosclerosis
Timely treatment of atherosclerosis helps prevent health- and life-threatening complications of the disease. In addition to medicines and plants, you can use almost the entire “arsenal” of alternative medicine.
Bee products
Honey has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. Patients are recommended to consume “sweet amber” in moderation: 1 tsp. 2-3 times with vegetable juices, rosehip infusion, cottage cheese, milk. The best results are obtained by treating the initial stages of hypertension and atherosclerosis with honey.
Home remedy recipe for cholesterol plaques:
Compound:
- buckwheat honey – 1 part;
- onion juice – 1 part.
Application:
- Honey is mixed with onion juice.
- Take 1 tbsp. l. means three times a day.
- The course is from 3 to 4 weeks.
The therapeutic value of bee venom is based on its strong anti-inflammatory effect. The drug reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood and lowers blood pressure. Bee venom is contraindicated for diseases of the pancreas, liver and kidneys. The drug is not suitable for patients with diabetes or tuberculosis.
Medical leeches
The salivary glands of these blood-sucking parasites secrete a special substance, hirudin, which has the ability to destroy and remove blood clots. Leech saliva also has anticoagulant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
The skin on the back of the neck is cleaned with alcohol, and a vessel with medicinal leeches is brought in. Turn the container over with the hole facing down so that the leeches are on the selected area of the body. Using a swab moistened with hot water, guide the bloodsucker to the intended point. The leech disappears on its own after its intestines are filled with blood.
After suction, wounds remain on the skin, which are treated with brilliant green and a bandage is applied. One session will require 5–15 leeches. The entire course of hirudotherapy for atherosclerosis consists of 5 sessions, carried out every 2 or 3 days. Used leeches should be destroyed using a disinfectant solution such as chloramine.
Prevention
To prevent illness, you should try to spend more time in the fresh air.
To prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis, you should avoid foods that are rich in cholesterol. Doctors advise sticking to a healthy diet. You need to do moderate exercise and spend more time outdoors. You also need to reduce the amount of stress at work or study and correctly distribute your work and rest schedule.