CAROTID ARTERY DISSECTION

• Headache.
• Scalp pain.
• Eye pain.
• Neck pain.
• One eye with a droopy lid and small pupil (partial Horner syndrome)
• One-sided weakness or numbness.
• Pulsing sound in an ear.
• Trouble swallowing.

      CAUSES:

An injury to the neck can cause carotid dissection. The injury may be caused by something like a car accident.

Some people with diseases that are known to weaken arterial walls are at greater risk for a dissection. These dissections can occur with vigorous physical activity such as:

• Swimming and scuba diving
• Skating and dancing
• Play sports such as tennis, basketball, or volleyball
• Doing yoga
• Riding roller coasters or other rides
• Jumping on a trampoline
• Giving birth
• Having sex
• Sneezing or coughing
• Receiving extreme neck manipulations

 A carotid dissection can also occur suddenly, without a known cause.

RISK factors:

• Infection
• High blood pressure
• Migraine headaches
• Smoking
• An elongated styloid process
• Use of birth control pills
• Alcohol use
• Fibromuscular dysplasia
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
• Marfan syndrome
• Homocystinuria
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Osteogenesis imperfecta
• Cystic medial necrosis of the aorta
• Segmental mediolytic arteriopathy
• Reticular fiber deficiency
• Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
• Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

TESTING:

• Lumbar puncture with analysis of cerebrospinal fluid
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and neck
• Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the brain and neck
• Cranial computed tomography (CT)
• Cranial computed tomography angiography (CTA)
• Carotid doppler and ultrasound

TREATMENT:

• Clot-busters (thrombolytics), if your dissection caused a stroke
• Heparin to prevent more blood clots
• Intravenous (IV) fluids
• Blood pressure medicine
• Insulin or glucose to control your blood sugars
• Pain medicines, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen
• Antiplatelet medicines, such as aspirin
• Anticoagulant therapy with warfarin or other anticoagulation drugs
• Surgery/Stent(s)

A carotid dissection can cause problems with blood flow to Brain or Eyes. This can cause a TIA, stroke, or one-sided blindness, which are Medical Emergencies. Call 911 if one be having a stroke or TIA or if there is sudden loss of vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfbkqTfGwHs

B.E. F.A.S.T. stands for: 

• B is for balance. Sudden loss of balance or coordination.

• E is for eyes. Vision changes in one or both eyes.

• F is for face drooping. One side of the face is drooping or numb. When the person smiles, the smile is uneven.

• A is for arm weakness. One arm is weak or numb. When the person lifts both arms and the same time, one arm may drift downward.

• S is for speech difficulty. You may notice slurred speech or trouble speaking. The person can't repeat a simple sentence correctly when asked.

• T is for time to call 911. If someone exhibits any of these symptoms, even if they go away, call 911 right away. Make note of the time the symptoms first appeared.