Peripheral artery disease (PAD), also called peripheral arterial disease, is a common condition that affects the arteries, reducing blood flow to the arms or legs. Though it’s easy to miss symptoms, knowing the signs and taking them seriously is important. Discover the details below.
What Is Peripheral Artery Disease?
Peripheral artery disease is often a sign of fatty deposits called plaque building up in your arteries. This buildup is known as atherosclerosis and can cause your arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow over time, and can lead to serious health concerns, including heart attack and stroke.
The plaque buildup causes a lack of blood flow to your arms and legs — most often your legs — leading to pain while walking (claudication) and other symptoms.
Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease
Your symptoms may be mild or unnoticeable earlier on with peripheral artery disease, but they can worsen as your condition progresses. Pay attention to any unusual pain, cramping or discomfort in your legs or buttocks while you’re active that goes away while resting, as this is often the first visible sign. Other symptoms may include:
- Aching or cramping in your arms while doing tasks such as knitting, typing or writing
- Burning or aching pain in your feet or toes while lying down
- Cold-feeling lower legs and feet
- Leg pain while walking
- Muscle pain in the arms or legs while exercising
- No pulse or weak pulse in the legs or feet
- Numbness or weakness in your legs
- Painful cramping in one or both hips, thighs or calves after physical activity
- Sores on your toes or feet that don’t heal
If you do experience muscle pain from peripheral artery disease, it can range from mild to extreme, can make it difficult to exercise and can even wake you from sleep.
What Causes Peripheral Artery Disease?
Though the primary cause of PAD is often due to plaque buildup, that’s not always the case. Less common causes of peripheral artery disease can include:
- Changes in muscles or ligaments
- Radiation exposure
- Recent injury to your arms or legs
- Swelling or irritation of blood vessels
If you’re having arm or leg pain or any other symptoms of peripheral artery disease, schedule an appointment with your doctor for further testing and vascular care.
Treatment Options
The best steps you can take when it comes to lowering your risk for PAD involve making improvements to your daily lifestyle habits, such as:
- Avoiding tobacco products
- Controlling your stress levels
- Eating a balanced diet low in cholesterol, fat and sodium
- Exercising regularly
- Getting good sleep
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Managing any other existing health conditions you may have
If you have any underlying health conditions, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes, your doctor may suggest medications to help you manage those conditions. Treating these underlying issues also reduces your risk factors of PAD while decreasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Walking is the best form of exercise if you have PAD. However, if your leg pain is causing difficulty with walking, your doctor may prescribe an antiplatelet medication (such as aspirin) or a prescription medication to help you exercise longer before you begin to experience leg pain. Keep your physician informed, especially if your pain doesn’t improve or worsens after a few months.
If your PAD has progressed into a more severe case, leg pain may still cause problems daily, even after a few months of exercise and medications. If PAD is causing you to experience limited mobility, your doctor may recommend minimally invasive surgical treatment to help clear your clogged arteries.
Your Source for Comprehensive Cardiac Care
If you’ve been diagnosed with or are experiencing signs of peripheral artery disease, our vascular experts are here to help you take a step in the right direction and find relief. Learn more about our vascular care options today.
