Cholesterol: 5 signs people often mistake for symptoms
The key fact is that high cholesterol usually has no symptoms. You generally cannot tell that your cholesterol is high based on how you feel; a blood test is needed.
Five physical or health findings that can be associated with high cholesterol or cholesterol-related disease are:
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Yellowish deposits around the eyelids (xanthelasma) — these can occur with abnormal cholesterol, although they can also occur when cholesterol is normal.
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Firm deposits in tendons (tendon xanthomas) — especially around the Achilles tendon or hands. These can be a clue to inherited very-high cholesterol.
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A gray-white ring around the cornea (corneal arcus) — an early-onset ring can sometimes be associated with familial hypercholesterolemia.
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Chest pressure or pain with exertion — this isn’t caused directly by high cholesterol. It can result from coronary artery disease after cholesterol-containing plaque has accumulated in the arteries.
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Leg pain or cramping when walking that improves with rest — this can occur with peripheral artery disease, another possible consequence of atherosclerosis.
What you should actually do
Don’t wait for these signs to check your cholesterol. Ask a healthcare professional about a lipid panel, which typically measures LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
If you have sudden chest pressure, severe breathing difficulty, facial drooping, sudden weakness/numbness, or trouble speaking, seek emergency medical care immediately rather than assuming it’s high cholesterol.
