Do you have painful cramps, leg numbness, or permanent loss of leg hair? It is time to seek counseling because these symptoms may reflect a deadly pathology. This is peripheral arterial disease, here is all you need to know about this disease.
What is peripheral arterial disease?
Can be caused by an accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis), peripheral arterial disease is a common circulatory problem in which clogged arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs and organs such as the heart and brain. When you develop peripheral arterial disease, including lower extremities, your extremities are not getting enough blood to meet the demand. Moreover, the peripheral arterial disease of the lower limbs affects more than 200 million people in the world.
Symptoms :
Symptoms include muscle pain and / or leg and arm cramps that are triggered by physical activity but disappear after a few minutes of rest. This is called intermittent claudication. Moreover, it is possible to suffer from:
- Painful cramps in the muscles of the hip, thigh or calf after certain activities
- such as walking or climbing stairs
- Numbness of the leg or muscle weakness
- Feeling cold in the lower part of the leg or foot, especially compared to the other side
- Wounds on toes, feet or legs that do not heal
- Color change of the legs
- Hair loss and / or hair growth disorders (slower on your feet and legs)
- Shiny skin in the legs
- No pulse or weak pulse in the legs or feet
The causes :
Peripheral arterial disease is often caused by atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis, fatty deposits (plaques) accumulate in the walls of the arteries and reduce blood flow. Although the heart is usually the primary organ of atherosclerosis, it can affect the arteries of the entire body, affecting organs and body members.
More rarely, the cause of peripheral arterial disease may be inflammation of the blood vessels, injury, anatomy of the ligaments or muscles. There are also risk factors for this disease such as:
- High cholesterol
- Hypertension.
- Smoking.
- Lack of activity.
- Overweight.
- Diabetes.
Possible complications:
If peripheral arterial disease is caused by atherosclerosis, you also run the risk of developing:
Critical ischemia of the limbs: This disease begins with open wounds that do not heal, an injury and infection of the feet or legs. Critical limb ischemia occurs when such wounds and infections progress and cause tissue death (gangrene), sometimes requiring amputation of the affected limb.
Stroke and Heart Attack: Atherosclerosis that causes the signs and symptoms of peripheral arterial disease is not limited to your legs. Fat deposits also accumulate in the arteries that supply the heart and brain, which can lead to stroke and / or heart attack.
How to prevent peripheral arterial disease?
Peripheral arterial disease can only be avoided if it is diagnosed in time. If you suffer from it or want to prevent the onset of this disease, you should make some changes in your lifestyle such as:
- Keep your blood sugar under control if you have diabetes,
- Stop smoking,
- Exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, such as walking,
- Maintain a healthy weight,
- Moisturize properly (about two liters of water a day),
- Opt for a varied and balanced diet and focus on the good fats found in olive oil, avocado, flax, almonds or fish and green vegetables.