Lowering Cholesterol Without Muscle Pain
Q. I have read about side effects of simvastatin and told my doctor about the muscle and joint pain Ive been experiencing on this cholesterol-lowering drug. I even pointed out that this is listed in the info that comes with the prescription and asked if it could be from the pills.
He sent me for X-rays. The word that came back was my pain is due to old age. Im 65 and I dont think that qualifies.
Ive been on statins since I was 45 years old. I stopped taking them on my own once, but the next blood test showed my cholesterol was higher.
I would dearly love to get off this darn medication. I am hoping that would help me feel better. Is there anything natural that I can eat instead to keep my cholesterol where it should be?
A. Muscle pain and weakness are recognized as common side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin . Although joint pain is listed in the official prescribing information for such drugs, it is less well recognized as a statin side effect .
There are many non-drug approaches to reducing cholesterol. Several readers report that including avocados or nuts in their weekly diets helps.
A vegetarian portfolio diet lowers cholesterol about as well as a statin . This diet combines vegetables high in soluble fiber such as okra and eggplant with soy protein, almonds and plant sterols in cholesterol-lowering margarine.
Cholesterol And High Blood Pressure
Though high blood pressure appears linked to cholesterol levels, doctors continue to study exactly how. High cholesterol seems to trigger inflammation and the release of certain hormones that causes blood vessels to tighten or âconstrictâ and so raises blood pressure. Doctors call it âendothelial dysfunction, when blood vessels behave this way.
High blood pressure is also linked to heart disease.
If I Control My Cholesterol With Diet And Exercise Instead Of Medications My Knee Pain Can Be Helped Without The Medications Side Effects
Here medical and university researchers published their findings in the influential Scientific Reports; from the Nature Publish group in London.
- In the present study of nearly 14,000 participants, the research team identified a positive association between hyperlipidemia and elevated risks of knee pain and clinical knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged or older adults.
- There is a relationship between triglycerides and knee osteoarthritis.
- Study results indicate that the influence of lipid-lowering drugs on knee pain and clinical knee osteoarthritis is limited.
- These findings have notable implications for public health because the relatively high prevalence of knee osteoarthritis seriously affects the quality of life for older adults, and hyperlipidemia may be prevented through diet and physical exercise.
The researchers then sought to clarify the contradicting research presented in the two studies above.
They concluded that their results indicate that hyperlipidemia may be an independent risk factor for knee pain and clinical knee osteoarthritis among middle-aged or older adults. These findings have substantial implications for the prevention of knee osteoarthritis through the reduction of blood lipid levels.
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The Evidence That Cholesterol Medication Is Sending You To Knee Replacement
High cholesterol, and its treatment with statins, have been a hallmark of cardiovascular disease management for decades. Many people worry about their cholesterol because they feel they have to, based on drug companies and the media bombarding us with the impression there is a one to one linkage between elevated blood fats and arteriosclerosis. The benefits, side effects, and even the worthiness of taking statins have been under constant attack in recent years. One of the side-effects reports, statins negative influence on soft tissue, namely tendons and ligaments, will be the focus of this article.
Researchers writing in the medical journal Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, discussed the accumulating clinical evidence indicating the risk of tendinopathy and spontaneous and/or simultaneous tendon ruptures associated with statin use.
In their experimental study, the researchers designed a plan to evaluate and compare the biomechanical and histopathological effects of the three most commonly prescribed statins on the Achilles tendon in rats.
Statins were given to the rats at daily doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg for 3 weeks. One week later, the Achilles tendons were dissected and their biomechanical properties, including ultimate tensile force, yield force, and elastic modulus, were determined.
Know The Warning Signs Of Heart Attack
Chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack. Call 911 if you feel any of the following:
- Pain, pressure, squeezing, or fullness in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back
- Pain or discomfort in one or both of your arms, your back, your neck, your jaw, or your stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness
Dont ignore any of these signs of a heart attack. Quick action could save your life.
Read Also: How Many Cholesterol In Egg
Here’s What Your Low Back Pain Is Trying To Tell You And How To Get Rid Of It For Good
Published March 28th, 2019 by Shofmann
84% of Americans suffer from lower back pain. Its an epidemic that has been widely misunderstood.
If you have high cholesterol and you’re worried the damage has been done, worry no more! The body has an amazing ability to heal itself when you provide it with the right conditions. Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Essylstyn performed one of the largest, most comprehensive research studies on advanced heart disease and high cholesterol and the effects of a plant-based diet. They found that not only did it stop the disease from progressing, it actually reversed the disease. As soon as patients fed their body plants, the plaques began dissolving away. So there you have it. Its’s never too late to start doing whats right for your body! If you’re looking for an easy place to start, check out some of our delicious recipes, if you don’t know where to start or have no time to cook, check out our variety of fresh, delicious plant-based meals.;
Happy healing!
P Leino-Arjas, L Kauppila, L Kaila-Kangas, R Shiri, S Heistaro, M Heliovaara. Serum lipids in relation to sciatica among Finns. Atherosclerosis. 2008 Mar;197:43-9. Epub 2007 Sep 7.
L I Kauppila. Atherosclerosis and disc degeneration/low-back pain–a systematic review. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2009 Jun;37:661-70.
J Penttinen. Back pain and risk of fatal ischaemic heart disease: 13 year follow up of Finnish farmers. BMJ. Nov 12, 1994; 309: 12671268.
Numbness In The Body Parts
If you are constantly experiencing numbness in your body parts, then high cholesterol can be responsible for that. However, other causes can also be responsible for numbness and swelling.;
When bad cholesterol appears high in your body, it affects blood circulation and prevents healthy nutrients from reaching the body. The lack of proper oxygen is also a cause of swelling and unusual numbness.;;;
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Ten Symptoms Of High Cholesterol You Shouldnt Ignore
09 December, 2020
Those who know they have a tendency to suffer symptoms from certain health problems are often concerned about it. Therefore, well focus on these below.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance present in the fats of the blood. Although many only know it for its harmful effects on health, in reality,;its essential for the optimal functioning of our body.;
Cholesterol is necessary for the production of bile, which is;responsible for digesting fat. In addition, its also responsible for the production of some hormones and helpful for your;cardiovascular health.
This Morning’s Dr Chris Discusses The Signs Of High Cholesterol
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Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance that the liver;produces. Its vital for the formation of cell membranes,;vitamin D, and certain hormones. However, having too much cholesterol in your blood stream can cause dire effects to ones overall health. There are some obscure signs indicating your levels of cholesterol are becoming dangerous including pain in these four body parts.
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Cholesterol Levels In Dialysis Patients
In a study of dialysis patients, those with higher cholesterol levels had lower mortality than those with low cholesterol.51 Yet the authors claimed that the inverse association of total cholesterol level with mortality in dialysis patients is likely due to the cholesterol-lowering effect of systemic inflammation and malnutrition, not to a protective effect of high cholesterol concentrations. Keeping an eye on further funding opportunities, the authors concluded: These findings support treatment of hypercholesterolemia in this population.
Cholesterol And Coronary Heart Disease
The main risk from high cholesterol is coronary heart disease, which can lead to death from a heart attack. If your cholesterol level is too high, cholesterol can build up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup — called plaque — causes hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. Arteries that feed the heart can narrow in certain areas and slow blood flow to part of the heart muscle. Or cholesterol plaques break off and float to smaller blood vessels and cause a partial or total blockage. Sometimes inflammatory cells might go to the broken plaque area and cause a narrowing there as well. Reduced blood flow can result in chest pain called angina, or in a heart attack if a blood vessel gets blocked completely.Â;
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Good Vs Bad Cholesterol
Bad cholesterol, Low-density lipoproteins , can build up in your arteries and lead to health complications. Good cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins , returns your LDL cholesterol to the liver where the body can get rid of it. Your body needs a healthy balance of both good and bad cholesterol.
A diet high in fats increases LDL cholesterol in your blood. If LDL levels become too high or if you dont have enough HDL cholesterol to remove excess LDL, fatty deposits build up in your blood vessels. As a result, it makes it difficult for your body to pump adequate blood supply, creating potentially life-threatening problems impacting the heart or brain.
High cholesterol does not always cause symptoms; in fact it typically begins with no symptoms at all. Thats why regular cholesterol screenings are so important regardless if you think you have high cholesterol or not.
Myth: All Cholesterol Is Bad For You
Fact:;Some types of cholesterol are essential for good health. Your body needs cholesterol to perform important jobs, such as making hormones and building cells. Cholesterol travels through the blood on proteins called;lipoproteins. Two types of lipoproteins carry cholesterol throughout the body:
- LDL ,;sometimes called bad;cholesterol,;makes up most of your bodys cholesterol. High levels of LDL cholesterol raise your risk for heart disease and stroke.
- HDL ,;or good;cholesterol,;carries cholesterol back to the liver. The liver then flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL cholesterol can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.
When your body has too much LDL cholesterol, it can build up in the walls of your blood vessels. This buildup is called;plaque. As your blood vessels build up plaque over time, the insides of the vessels narrow. This narrowing can restrict and eventually block blood flow to and from your heart and other organs. When blood flow to the heart is blocked, it can cause angina or a heart attack.
Also Check: Are Egg Beaters Low In Cholesterol
Treatment For Chest Pain
If you have chest pain related to plaque buildup, we recommend lifestyle changes that can protect your heart, such as:
- Quitting smoking
- Losing weight if youre overweight or obese
- Becoming physically active
- Keeping your blood sugar in check if it is elevated
- Controlling your blood pressure if it is high
Lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of having a heart attack.
We also may prescribe certain medications for chest pain, such as anticoagulants that help prevent blood clots. And for some patients, procedures such as angioplasty or bypass surgery can restore blood flow and reduce chest pain.
Can High Cholesterol Cause A Stroke
Yes, if you have high cholesterol, youre at risk of stroke due to the excess cholesterol circulating in your blood, according to the AHA.
LDL builds up in your arteries, where it slows or blocks the flow of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to your body, including your brain. As arteries narrow and stiffen, blood clots may form a blockage, which can cause a stroke if it travels to the brain.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and one of the main causes of disability, according to the American Stroke Association. But it can be mostly preventable; keeping your cholesterol levels down is one way to cut your risk.
Read Also: What Happens When Your Cholesterol Is Low
What Causes High Cholesterol
High cholesterol occurs when:
- You get too much cholesterol through your diet. Eating a diet high in saturated fats and animal products can be a source of too much cholesterol. This is called secondary hypercholesterolemia.
- Your body makes too much cholesterol.
- Your body is not able to get rid of enough cholesterol.
In some cases, high cholesterol is caused by a genetic condition passed down through families. This is primary, or familial hypercholesterolemia, which is characterized by a defect in how your body removes low-density lipoprotein from the blood, in addition to increased production of cholesterol.
What Are The Symptoms Of Claudication
Claudication is a symptom of a narrowing or blockage of an artery.
Typical symptoms of claudication include:
-
Pain, a burning feeling, or a tired feeling in the legs and buttocks when you walk
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Shiny, hairless, blotchy foot skin that may get sores
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The leg is pale when raised and red when lowered
-
Cold feet
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Leg pain at night in bed
Pain when you are resting is a sign that your blocked arteries have become worse.
Claudication symptoms may look like other health conditions. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Also Check: How To Decrease Cholesterol Fast
Higher Doses Of Either Of These Two Statins Are Toxic For Tendon Fibroblasts
Researcher Pernilla Eliasson who is affiliated with the University of Copenhagen, Linköping University, Sweden, and the University of Rochester in New York lead a team of researchers looking at the complexity of Simvastatin and atorvastatin and its relationship with tendon damage.
The research appearing in the online medical journal PLOS examined the theory that Simvastatin and atorvastatin may have different potential for negative effects on tendons. Atorvastatin has been pointed out as one of the most harmful statins for tendon tissue while simvastatin has appeared with mixed findings.
- Some studies indicate that simvastatin has a negative impact on tendon tissue, while other studies suggest that simvastatin might even have a positive effect.
- Both atorvastatin and simvastatin had a negative effect on the tendon constructs in our study, however, the effect of simvastatin was in fact stronger and more pronounced.
- This indicates that simvastatin indeed is harmful to tendon tissue and its extracellular matrix. However, high dose atorvastatin treatment was the only treatment that had an effect on collagen content, and this was reduced by 22% compared to controls.
Higher doses of either of these two statins are toxic for tendon fibroblasts
The researchers concluded that normal statin treatment of just seven days had such a detrimental effect upon tendon tissue indicates that also long-term adaptations may occur. The more you take the statins, the worse the tendon damage.
Learn More About Chest Pain
If you have questions about chest pain or any other health concerns for you or your family, contact the expert team at Calvary Medical Clinic. Were happy to help you understand whats causing your chest pain, how to reduce your pain, and how to protect your heart. for an appointment, or request a consultation using the convenient online booking tool.
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Good Cholesterol Bad Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in all of your bodys cells. Your body uses cholesterol for various important jobs, such as manufacturing hormones and vitamin D and help you digest foods.
Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. You also get cholesterol from animal foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy products.
There are several kinds of cholesterol. The bad types include low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein , which carries triglycerides. These are referred to as bad because they lead to the buildup of plaque in your arteries.
Another type of cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein is considered good because it helps remove cholesterol from your body.
Here Are 7 Clear Signs That Your Cholesterol Is Too High
High cholesterol levels can be particularly dangerous as it greatly increases the risk of heart diseases, such as a stroke. Too much cholesterol leads to an excessive buildup of plaque, which means itll start narrowing or even blocking your arteries. A blood clot is often the cause of a heart attack or a stroke.
Additionally, an excessive amount of cholesterol can also lead to stiff arteries, preventing them from widening to increase the blood flow in your body.
In other words, the consequences of having high cholesterol are pretty severe. Only a doctor can reliably determine whether or not you have too much cholesterol with a blood test, but there are good indications and signs out there that could warn you of too much cholesterol in the body.
Lets take a look.
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Who Should Be Tested
Your GP may recommend that you have your blood cholesterol levels tested if you:
- have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, stroke or mini-stroke , or peripheral arterial disease
- are over the age of 40;;people over 40 should have their estimate of CVD risk reviewed regularly
- have a family history of early cardiovascular disease; for example, if your father or brother developed heart disease or had a heart attack or stroke before the age of 55, or if your mother or sister had these conditions before the age of 65
- have a close family member who has a cholesterol-related condition, such as familial hypercholesterolaemia
- are overweight or obese
- have high blood pressure or diabetes
- have another medical condition, such as kidney disease, an underactive thyroid, or an inflamed pancreas ; these conditions can cause increased levels of cholesterol or triglycerides