Peripheral  arterial  disease, simply known as   PAD,   is  one of the   common    circulatory  diseases   that   related to narrowed  arteries.  In  case  of  PAD, the patient doesn’t get enough  blood  flow in the legs, as  required, which  causes pain while walking or taking the steps. Peripheral  arterial  disease  is  caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

 While the plaque is  waxy  initially, it eventually hardens  within the  walls of the  arteries, and  therefore,  blood  cannot pass normally to the legs. In this post, we will talk about the common symptoms of PAD and when you should see a doctor.

The symptoms

Patients  suffering  from  atherosclerosis, as PAD is also  known, tend to have pain in their legs, mostly when  they are  walking. The pain seems to be  prominent when one is walking fast and tends to subside as the person rests. In most cases, the pain is concentrated on the legs, although in some cases, it can be  felt  in the  feet or even in the buttocks and thighs. There can be considerable  numbness in the feet, and one of the legs  may feel  colder  than the other. Many patients have sores in the feet and legs that refuse to heal, while others have also  complained of  change in leg color. Hair loss on the legs is one of the other symptoms.  Patients who  have both PAD and diabetes may have  other symptoms, as well, although men in such cases  may suffer from erectile issues.

Don’t delay in getting tested

If you have  any of these  signs and symptoms, you  should  contact your healthcare  expert  at the earliest. Men and women  over the  age of 50 should  get tested for   PAD.  While there are many tests available for  the same.  Quantaflo Test is known to be the most reliable and easy option. People  with  diabetes, high blood sugar  and high blood  pressure should be more cautious and must consider tests at least once in couple of years.

Peripheral arterial disease, thankfully, is treatable. Apart from medicines, a few lifestyle changes can also help. Quitting tobacco is  one  of the  many suggestions that doctors offer, while exercise and dieting is also  important for obese people. As  mentioned  earlier, some  people may develop sores in the leg,  and  that’s mostly seen in  patients who have diabetes, as well. This  condition is  known as  critical limb ischemia.  Diabetic  patients  should keep their blood sugar in  control at all times.










Download Tutorial PDF