If you experience signs such as tiredness when you walk, cramps and pain in the lower extremities it could mean that you may suffer from Peripheral artery disease or PDA. This actually means that the peripheral arteries to the legs, stomach, arms and head are narrowed. But in most cases, the most affected are the legs.
Atherosclerosis narrows and obstructs arteries in these critical parts of the body, so it is the main cause for PAD. If someone is struggling with PAD it means that they are more susceptible to heart attack. Doctors often have difficulties in diagnosing it as it is frequently mistaken with another condition, so it is crucial to be familiar with the signs and the symptoms. This will help your physician detect it on time.
Other causes for the occurrence of PAD can be high cholesterol, being physically inactive, obesity, smoking, and hypertension and diabetes can make it even worse.
Signs and Symptoms that indicate the existence of PAD:
*Wounds with difficulties in healing
*The affected body area is cooler than the rest
*Leg pain occurring when starting to exercise, then stops when you rest
*Burning
*Numbness
*Shiny skin (over legs or arms if this area is affected)
*Hair loss on legs
*Fainter pulse in feet
In some cases, people dealing with PAD don’t experience any of the above mentioned signs. This means that the body has made the blood vessels grow around the blockages.
Diagnosis of PAD
Even though, PAD is often misdiagnosed, there are ways in which your doctor can determine if you have this ailment or don’t. Testing the ankle-brachial index is one of the ways is. This is a procedure which compares the blood pressure at your feet with the blood pressure in your arm. Other ways to diagnosing this ailment, is by doing imaging tests such as angiography, CT or MRI scan.
Treatment and Prevention of PAD
Doctors focus on lowering the symptoms and they search for ways to stop the disease from further development, when they are treating PAD.
It is essential for you to make changes in your lifestyle in order to prevent its occurrence or to stop its progress. Here are some changes you can make:
*Incorporate a healthy diet
*Increase physical activity
*Quit smoking
*Take medication for lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol
First of all stop smoking, if you’re a smoker. This will help you a lot. Also, keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the recommended values, eat healthy foods and start working out regularly.
Even though these changes can be of great help, sometimes this is not enough. In this case, the patients need to undergo a procedure known as angioplasty. This is a procedure where the doctors open up the artery that is clogged or they insert a stent in order to keep the artery open.
Love it? Pin it to your HEALTH board to SAVE it!
