Blocked arteries are a common type of problem faced by many people worldwide, who look for ways to clear the blocked arteries without surgery, to help in making the treatment procedure less painful and more affordable.
Blocked or clogged arteries in areas like the heart and brain need early diagnosis and intervention to prevent the condition from becoming fatal.
If you are wondering how to clear blocked arteries without surgery in critical areas like your heart, you should contact a good heart specialist like Dr. Nikhil P.J.Theckumparampil, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Heart360 Care in Chennai, to assess your heart health thoroughly and recommend appropriate treatment methods to clear your heart’s blocked arteries.
What Are Blocked Arteries?
Blocked or clogged arteries refer to the deposition of fat, cholesterol, and other substances within the arterial walls leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis.
The plaque deposits gradually lead to the narrowing and hardening of the arteries and reduced blood flow. Blocked arteries decrease the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients to vital organs like the heart, leading to an increased risk of developing heart attack and stroke.
What Causes Blocked Arteries?
The main cause of blocked arteries is the formation of plaque in the inner walls of the arteries. The following factors can contribute to plaque buildup in the inner arterial walls:
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Genetics
- Lack of exercise
Symptoms of Blocked Arteries
The common symptoms of blocked arteries are:
- Angina (chest pain)
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Fainting or dizziness
- Cold extremities
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Claudication (leg pain or cramping during physical activity)
How Can I Prevent Blocked Arteries?
Blocked arteries can be prevented using the following tips:
- Avoid saturated fats found in foods like beef, pork, dairy products, coconut oil, and palm oil
- Eat more unsaturated fats found in foods like plants, fatty fish, olives, walnuts, avocado, and vegetable oils
- Eat nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish, poultry, low-fat dairy
- Drink herbal teas like ginger tea
- Get regular physical activity
- Stop smoking
- Manage stress
- Manage underlying medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels
When Do Arteries Start Getting Clogged?
Studies suggest that men above 45 years of age and women over 55 years of age are more likely to develop clogged arteries and atherosclerosis.
Many people between 20 to 30 years of age who ignore the symptoms of blocked arteries and do not undergo treatment for the same can also develop atherosclerosis later in life.
Being overweight, leading a sedentary lifestyle, and chronic smoking can also increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life.
How to Clear Blocked Arteries Without Surgery
The following non-surgical methods may be used to clear blocked arteries:
- Lead a healthy lifestyle
- Medications: Some common medications that may be prescribed to prevent the accumulation of plaque include:
- Blood-pressure lowering drugs
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs
- Aspirin and other blood-thinning drugs
- Balloon angioplasty and stent placement: The surgeon inserts a tube or catheter through a small incision made in the arm, wrist, or groin area and guides the catheter towards the affected site, such as the heart. The balloon is then inflated to open the blocked artery and restore blood flow. Sometimes, a small mesh-like tube, known as a stent, is inserted into the artery to help it stay open. This is the most common non-surgical procedure performed by a cardiac surgeon to treat blocked arteries in the heart.
When non-surgical methods fail to treat the blocked arteries or the blockage in the arteries is too severe, surgical interventions like bypass surgery may be recommended. This procedure involves moving the arteries from other parts of the body to bypass the clogged arteries, allowing oxygen-rich blood to go to its target destination.
Natural Ways to Clеar Blocked Artеriеs Without Surgеry
Various non-invasive and natural ways can help in clearing blocked arteries without surgery, including the following:
- Lifestyle modifications: Healthy lifestyle choices like eating a balanced diet, managing stress, quitting smoking, and doing regular physical activity are recommended.
- Medications: The cardiologist may prescribe certain medications to manage risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. These medicines may include statins, blood pressure medicines, and aspirin.
- Dietary changes: Including foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber can help in reducing plaque buildup and maintaining a healthy heart.
- Regular exercising: Regular physical activity can help reduce cholesterol levels, improve blood flow, and strengthen the heart muscle.
- Maintaining a healthy weight: Losing any excess weight and maintaining a healthy weight can help in relieving the strain on the heart and improving cardiovascular health.
- Supplements: Garlic, omega-3 fatty acids, and supplements such as coenzyme Q10 and red yeast rice can help in reducing cholesterol levels and supporting heart health. It is, however, extremely important to consult your cardiologist before starting with any of these supplements.
- Chelation therapy: It is an intravenous treatment involving the use of medicines to remove minerals and heavy metals from the body to reduce arterial plaque.
What Are the Complications That Arise Due to Clogged Arteries?
Untreated clogged arteries could lead to the following complications:
- Angina or chest pain
- Coronary artery disease (heart blockage)
- Coronary microvascular disease
- Carotid artery disease (prevention of blood flow to the brain due to plaque buildup in the carotid artery)
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Peripheral artery disease (plaque buildup in the arms and legs)
- Chronic kidney disease
Conclusion
You can improve your cardiovascular and general health by not ignoring the symptoms of blocked arteries and getting medical help as soon as possible.
Early detection of blocked arteries can help in treating the condition in its initial stage using non-surgical approaches like lifestyle modifications, medications, and balloon angioplasty with stent placement. However, severe cases may need surgical interventions.Book your consultation appointment with Dr. Nikhil P.J.Theckumparampil, Consultant Heart Specialist and Cardiac Surgeon at Heart360 Care in Chennai, to learn more about how to clear blocked arteries without surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have signs like angina (chest pain), shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, or sweating, it could indicate blocked arteries and you must get evaluated by a doctor immediately.
Blocked arteries can be treated by
1. Making healthy lifestyle changes
2. Taking medications like blood thinners, cholesterol-lowering medications, or blood pressure-lowering medications
3. Use of interventional methods like angioplasty and stent placement or surgical methods like bypass surgery
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing stress levels, and attending regular health checkups can help in avoiding blocked arteries.
Although it is not possible to make plaque disappear from the blocked arteries, making healthy lifestyle choices like consuming a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, managing stress, getting sufficient sleep, etc. can help in shrinking the plaque and preventing the condition from getting worse.
It is not possible to completely reverse artery blockage without surgery. However, making healthy lifestyle changes and using medications like blood thinners and cholesterol-lowering medications can help stabilize and partially reverse plaque in the blocked arteries.
The time taken to see the results from lifestyle changes in blocked arteries will vary depending on many individual factors like the severity of the blockage present, the patient’s overall health, adherence to the lifestyle changes, and use of natural remedies.
While some patients may notice changes within a few weeks or months of adopting lifestyle changes, others may take more time to notice the changes.
Yes, several cases of heart blockage can be treated without surgery. Medications, lifestyle changes, and minimally invasive procedures like angioplasty and stent placement can all help in treating heart blockage without surgery.
Yes, natural methods can help in improving cardiovascular health and decreasing the progression of blocked arteries. Although severe cases of artery blockages may need surgical interventions, the natural methods can help in complementing medical treatment to prevent further complications.
