Cholesterol: 5 Signs That May Indicate a Problem
One important correction: high cholesterol usually has no symptoms. Most people cannot tell from how they feel that their cholesterol is high. A blood lipid test is the reliable way to identify elevated cholesterol.
In advanced or inherited cases, however, certain physical signs can occur:
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Xanthomas — yellowish cholesterol deposits under the skin, sometimes around joints or tendons.
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Xanthelasma — yellowish patches or bumps around the eyelids.
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Corneal arcus — a gray or white ring around the outer edge of the cornea; in younger adults, it can sometimes be associated with high cholesterol.
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Chest pain or pressure — this isn’t a direct symptom of high cholesterol; it can indicate that cholesterol-related plaque has contributed to coronary artery disease.
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Leg pain with walking — similarly, this can occur when atherosclerosis reduces blood flow to the legs.
The key takeaway
Don’t wait for symptoms to check cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol can silently contribute to plaque buildup in arteries for years. A lipid panel, along with your other cardiovascular risk factors, gives a much better picture of risk.
If you share your total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglyceride numbers, I can explain what each result means.
