High Cholesterol Symptoms

Cholesterol is found in cell walls and cell membranes, almost everywhere in the body. It is a waxy, fat like substance that is naturally present in the body. Cholesterol is necessary to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids. Though it is required for various metabolic processes, a very small amount of cholesterol in blood is enough to meet the needs. Cholesterol is produced by the body mainly in the liver and also comes from the food (animal products) we eat. Before taking a look at the high cholesterol symptoms, let us take a look at the cholesterol types and normal levels.

Normal Levels of Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol, HDL (High-density lipoprotein) or "good" cholesterol and LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) or "bad" cholesterol. HDL does not allow LDL (bad) cholesterol to get lodged into your artery walls. High LDL levels can block your arteries, and thus can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. According to the cholesterol range chart, normal blood cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol should be 60 mg/dl or higher and LDL cholesterol should be in the range of 100 - 129 mg/dl. Remember, 200 - 239 mg/dl cholesterol is considered as borderline high while cholesterol more than 240 mg/dl is considered as high cholesterol. It is a good sign that most people are aware of high cholesterol risks. Here is a list of high cholesterol symptoms.

High Cholesterol Symptoms

Actually, high cholesterol does not exhibit any symptoms as such and it does not make you feel sick. It is generally detected in routine medical checkup. But we can enlist certain conditions which indicate high cholesterol levels. Some conditions indicate severely elevated cholesterol levels.

• Chest pain
• A heart condition
• A problem with your pancreas
• White patches around the eyes
• Cholesterol deposits around the cornea
• Whitish edges around the cornea
• Corneal arcus (rings are noticed around the cornea)
• Yellow patches around the eyelids
• Change in the color of peripheral cornea
• Skin changes; fatty deposits observed under the skin and around the eyes
• Fatty nodules over tendons
• Due to build up of cholesterol and fat (fatty deposits or plaques) in the artery walls, there can be insufficient supply of blood to the organs. Leg pain while walking or running, angina, reduced heart function or other heart diseases can be considered as symptoms of high cholesterol.
• A headache felt in different locations of the head and neck, sometimes may cause visual disturbances. This type of headache is known as migraine with "aura." Nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity can be experienced in case of severe migraine. Studies show that it can be one of the high cholesterol symptoms. Headache like a migraine with aura indicates high cholesterol levels.

If the question 'how to lower cholesterol' is haunting you, here is the answer. You need to increase your physical activity, and reduce the amount of saturated fats and trans fats in your diet. Following a healthy balanced diet is the best way to increase HDL. You may consult your healthcare practitioner for proper medication to increase your HDL. He may suggest a low cholesterol diet plan to reduce the severity of high cholesterol signs and symptoms.

High cholesterol symptoms in women are usually noticed in women older than 55 years while high cholesterol symptoms in men are commonly observed in men younger than 55 years. In general, aging increases the risk of high cholesterol. Obesity, lack of physical activity, eating excessive junk food, family history, excessive stress, alcohol abuse, increase the risk of high cholesterol. If you notice any symptoms of high cholesterol, you need to check the cholesterol levels by performing a simple blood test. Certain lifestyle changes and dietary changes such as including more HDL cholesterol foods in your diet can help lower cholesterol levels. It is necessary to monitor your cholesterol levels regularly by performing the specific blood tests under the guidance of your physician.