Pressure pain in the carotid artery

Pressure pain in the region of the carotid artery is usually of muscular origin. Vascular changes, such as vascular calcification or narrowing (carotid stenosis), are not usually noticeable as pain. Pressure pain in this region is usually due to muscular tension in the neck region or incorrect loading of the muscles of the cervical spine or neck.

In the immediate vicinity of the carotid artery lies the muscle M. Sternocleidomastoid muscle, also known simply as sternocleido. This muscle can be inflamed or incorrectly loaded, for example, so that pain occurs when pressure is applied to the muscle and the artery. Another conceivable cause of pain in the region of the carotid artery is swollen neck lymph nodes.

These are located very close to the carotid artery, so that enlarged round painful nodes can be palpated here. This is the case, for example, in the case of a viral infection or in the context of a whistling glandular fever. In suspected cases, please also carry out our self-test for carotid pain:

Pain right/left

Pain in the carotid artery can have different localizations and radiate to different parts of the body. The carotid artery carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the left and right of the neck in the direction of the brain. At the neck, it splits into two main branches, one of which remains superficial and supplies the facial region, while the other draws inside the skull and supplies the individual parts of the brain.

If a constriction (carotid stenosis) or an outward bulge (carotid dissection) occurs at one point along this path, the affected person often feels pain in the neck region. In order to check whether a constriction is present and whether it is located on the right or left side, there is a test. The affected person should first apply light pressure on one side of the carotid artery.

As soon as dizziness occurs here, it should be stopped immediately. The dizziness shows that the carotid artery on the other side is probably stenosed, as this carotid artery cannot sufficiently replace the other carotid artery that is closed by the pressure. This allows the affected person to test in advance whether a stenosis could be present and which side is affected.

In case of persistent and/or severe pain in the area of the carotid artery, a doctor should always be consulted to make the correct diagnosis for the symptoms. The patient’s history is an important part of the diagnosis. It is particularly important to mention whether other pain occurs in other parts of the body and whether the pain is dependent on certain activities or movements.

Classifying the pain on a so-called pain scale also helps the treating physician to assign the diseases in question to the person concerned. Other information, such as the use of certain medications, previous illnesses and whether the pain has occurred at this site before, should not be concealed. The patient’s history is followed by the physical examination, during which particularly muscular causes can be excluded if necessary.

However, if the pain clearly correlates with certain movements of the head, a muscular problem can be assumed in most cases. The imaging examination procedure of sonography (ultrasound) can confirm the diagnosis in the presence of carotid stenosis. With the help of this method, the thickness of the arterial wall can be determined and the blood flow in the area can be displayed.Modern methods of magnetic resonance topography (MRI), or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), are particularly helpful in diagnosing carotid dissection.

In magnetic resonance angiography, the damaged wall can be visualized in high resolution using a contrast medium. Strokes can be caused by constriction of the carotid artery. But not every narrowing of the carotid artery (carotid stenosis) is equally dangerous and requires treatment.

However, all narrowings of the carotid artery that cause symptoms are treated. The most common symptoms are dizziness, syncope and temporary visual disturbances. However, carotid stenosis does not usually cause pain, so pain in the region of the carotid artery cannot be considered an indication of a stroke.