There are two types of carotid arteries in the body. One type supplies blood rich in oxygen to the brain, while the other supplies the face neck and scalp with oxygen rich blood. Carotid artery disease is a condition characterized by clogged carotid arteries. The arteries get clogged when plaque--a hard substance made of fat, cholesterol and other materials--builds up on the walls of the carotid arteries. This build up reduces blood flow to the brain and increases a person's risk for stroke.
Bruit
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports that a bruit is a symptom of carotid artery disease. It is a whooshing sound that is heard during a physical examination. To hear this sound, a physician places a stethoscope over the carotid artery and listens for the bruit with the stethoscope's ear piece. In carotid artery disease, a bruit occurs when blood flow in the carotid artery is impeded by plaque.
Left Brain Symptoms
A stroke may be the first symptom of carotid artery disease. The Mayo Clinic explains that carotid artery disease may become evident when blood flow to the brain is so low that the brain is deprived of oxygen. When this happens, a stroke occurs.
Signs of stroke depend on which part of the brain is deprived of oxygen. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body. According to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, when the left side of the brain is affected by a stroke, the right side of the body gets paralyzed. Speech and language problems, as evidenced by garbled or slurry speech along with memory loss, also occur.
Right Brain Symptoms
The right side of the brain controls the left part of the body. Therefore, when the right side of the brain is affected by a stroke, paralysis occurs on the left side of the body. The paralysis is manifested as numbness or weakness on the left side of the face, left arm or leg. Other symptoms of stroke in the right side of the brain are problems with the eyes, memory loss and a change in behavior.
