Pain in the carotid artery

The carotid artery (medical: Arteria carotis communis) is a vessel that occurs twice in the body and carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the head, i.e. brain and face. Coming from the heart, these vessels run up the neck on the right and left side and are divided into two main branches. The corresponding vein, the jugular vein, which carries the oxygen-poor blood from the head back to the heart, is anatomically located on the surface of the carotid artery. Besides the various vessels in the neck area, there are also some muscles and many nerve tracts in this area. Pain in the neck area can have a variety of different backgrounds that can be associated with these different structures in this area.

Causes

There can be many different causes when pain occurs in the carotid artery area of the neck. Probably the most common cause of pain in this area is muscular. Due to unfavorable lying or movements, as well as overexertion, muscles in the neck area can cause pain, which is then easily misinterpreted by those affected as pain in the carotid artery.

Since the muscles are located very close to the carotid artery, it is difficult for the individual to differentiate the cause of the pain. Clarity is provided by a visit to the doctor, who can determine the cause through certain tests. However, there are also more dangerous causes that can cause pain in the neck, which are directly related to carotid artery disease.

This includes the so-called carotid dissection. This disorder, which can also affect young people, is caused by a small amount of blood bleeding into the vessel wall of the carotid artery. This is dangerous because blood clots can easily form as a result of this bleeding and then lead to a stroke.

Approximately half of all people with carotid dissection complain of pain in the neck area, and even two-thirds of all patients with the disease complain of pain in the back of the head. Another disease of the carotid artery is the so-called stenosis of the carotid artery. Calcification in the carotid arteries (arteriosclerosis) causes the vessel to become narrow, which hinders the flow of blood. Such a stenosis may well manifest itself as pain in the affected region, although this symptom is not present in the majority of cases.