Over time, fatty deposits known as plaque can build up inside artery walls. This process, called atherosclerosis, can narrow arteries and reduce blood flow.
The tricky part is that atherosclerosis can develop quietly. Some people have few or no obvious symptoms until an artery becomes significantly narrowed or a complication occurs.
When symptoms do develop, they depend heavily on where reduced blood flow is occurring.
Here are 10 warning signs worth knowing.
- Leg Pain or Cramping When Walking
One of the classic symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is discomfort in the legs during physical activity.
You may notice aching, cramping, heaviness, burning or fatigue in the calf, thigh, buttock or foot.
A particularly important clue is the pattern:
The discomfort appears while walking or climbing stairs and improves after you stop and rest.
This is known as intermittent claudication.
Of course, leg pain can also come from joints, muscles, nerves and many other causes, so this symptom alone doesn’t diagnose PAD.
- One Foot Feels Colder Than the Other
Reduced arterial blood flow can sometimes cause one foot or lower leg to feel noticeably colder than the other.
The NHLBI lists a colder foot among possible PAD symptoms.
A persistent difference — especially alongside pain, numbness, skin changes or poorly healing wounds — deserves medical attention.
- Changes in the Color of Your Foot or Leg
Reduced circulation can sometimes affect skin appearance.
A foot or leg affected by PAD may appear paler, discolored or bluish.
Skin-color changes have many possible causes, however, so they shouldn’t automatically be attributed to blocked arteries.
- Wounds on Your Feet That Heal Very Slowly
A small cut or sore on your foot normally begins healing over time.
With severe PAD, insufficient blood flow can interfere with healing.
The American Heart Association notes that PAD can be associated with sores or ulcers on the legs or feet, while the NHLBI warns that wounds may heal slowly or fail to heal.
A persistent foot wound deserves medical evaluation, particularly in someone with diabetes or known vascular disease.
- Less Hair Growth on the Legs
This one can be surprisingly easy to overlook.
Reduced circulation associated with PAD may be accompanied by slower hair growth on the legs and slower toenail growth.
But hair loss alone is extremely nonspecific and can have many causes.
It’s more meaningful when it occurs alongside other circulation-related symptoms.
- Numbness or Weakness in the Leg
Some people with PAD experience weakness, numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation in the affected leg or foot.
The NHLBI notes that leg weakness or numbness can even make walking or maintaining balance more difficult.
However, nerve compression, neuropathy and other neurological problems can produce very similar sensations.
That’s why persistent numbness shouldn’t be self-diagnosed as poor circulation.
- Chest Pain or Pressure
Atherosclerosis doesn’t affect only the legs.
When plaque narrows the arteries supplying the heart, coronary heart disease can develop.
Symptoms can include chest pain or discomfort (angina), particularly when the heart needs more oxygen during physical exertion or stress. The NHLBI also lists shortness of breath, dizziness, unusual fatigue, weakness, nausea and cold sweats among possible coronary heart disease symptoms.
Chest discomfort should never be casually assumed to be indigestion or muscle pain, particularly when it’s new or unexplained.
- Shortness of Breath
Difficulty breathing can have many causes — including lung conditions, infections, anemia and anxiety.
But it can also occur with coronary heart disease.
When shortness of breath is new, unexplained, occurs with exertion, or appears alongside chest discomfort, sweating, nausea or dizziness, it deserves prompt attention.
- Sudden Vision Problems
Arteries supplying the brain can also become narrowed by atherosclerosis.
Carotid artery disease frequently produces no warning symptoms until a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke occurs.
Sudden blurred vision or loss of vision — particularly temporary loss of vision in one eye — can be a warning sign.
This isn’t something to watch at home to see whether it improves.
It requires urgent medical evaluation.
- Sudden Weakness, Numbness or Trouble Speaking
These are among the most important symptoms on this list.
A sudden onset of:
Weakness or numbness, especially on one side
Facial weakness
Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
Vision loss
Dizziness or loss of balance
A sudden severe unexplained headache
can indicate a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
Even if symptoms disappear after a few minutes, don’t assume the danger has passed.
The American Stroke Association describes a TIA as a warning stroke and advises immediate medical assessment because the symptoms can precede a full stroke.
The Most Important Thing to Understand
There isn’t one universal list of symptoms that proves someone has “blocked arteries.”
It depends on which arteries are affected.
Arteries supplying the legs: symptoms may include exercise-related leg pain, coldness, skin changes and poorly healing wounds.
Arteries supplying the heart: symptoms may include chest discomfort and shortness of breath.
Arteries supplying the brain: significant disease may remain silent until a TIA or stroke occurs.
And importantly, many people with PAD don’t experience the classic symptoms at all.
How Are Blocked or Narrowed Arteries Diagnosed?
Symptoms alone aren’t enough.
For suspected PAD, one commonly used test is the ankle-brachial index (ABI). It compares blood pressure at the ankle with blood pressure in the arm and is usually the first diagnostic test used for PAD.
Depending on the suspected location of disease, healthcare professionals may use blood tests, ultrasound and other cardiovascular imaging or testing.
That’s why trying to diagnose artery disease from an online symptom checklist can be misleading.
Who Is at Higher Risk?
Several factors are associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, including smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, older age and family history.
Having risk factors doesn’t mean your arteries are blocked.
But when risk factors occur alongside suspicious symptoms, discussing cardiovascular risk with a healthcare professional becomes especially important.
When Is It an Emergency?
Some circulation problems require immediate treatment.
Seek emergency medical care for new or severe chest pain or pressure, sudden difficulty breathing, or stroke-like symptoms such as one-sided weakness, facial drooping, difficulty speaking or sudden vision loss.
Stroke-like symptoms need urgent assessment even if they disappear quickly, because a TIA can precede a stroke.
The Bottom Line
Atherosclerosis can reduce blood flow in arteries throughout the body, but symptoms aren’t always obvious.
Leg pain that consistently appears during walking and disappears with rest, a colder or discolored foot, wounds that don’t heal, unexplained chest discomfort, and sudden neurological changes are among symptoms that can warrant medical attention.
But none of these symptoms alone proves that an artery is blocked.
The safest approach is to recognize suspicious patterns, know your cardiovascular risk factors, and seek appropriate medical evaluation rather than trying to diagnose yourself from symptoms.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat cardiovascular disease. New chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, or possible stroke symptoms require emergency medical attention.
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