Don’t Ignore Leg Pain: Could It Be Peripheral Arterial Disease?

That nagging ache in your legs when you walk may seem like a normal part of aging, but it could signal something more serious. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects more than 200 million people worldwide, yet many dismiss their symptoms as muscle soreness or arthritis.

At Advanced Cardiovascular Care, Inc., in Riverside, California, board-certified cardiologist Syed W. Bokhari, MD, FACC, FSVM, diagnoses and treats peripheral arterial disease before it leads to serious complications.

Recognizing the warning signs early gives you the best chance of protecting your circulation and avoiding limb-threatening problems.

What peripheral vascular disease does to your legs

PAD develops when plaque builds up inside the arteries that carry blood to your legs and feet. This narrowing restricts blood flow, depriving your muscles and tissues of the oxygen they need to function properly.

The same process that causes heart attacks and strokes can affect the arteries in your extremities. Fat, cholesterol, and other substances accumulate on artery walls over many years, gradually reducing the space available for blood to flow through.

When your leg muscles don’t get enough oxygen-rich blood during activity, you feel pain, cramping, or heaviness. These symptoms typically improve with rest, only to return the next time you exert yourself.

Common symptoms that point to circulation problems

PAD symptoms often start mild and progressively worsen. Many people adapt their activities to avoid discomfort without realizing they have a treatable medical condition.

Leg pain upon exertion

The hallmark symptom of PAD is intermittent claudication — pain or cramping in your legs that occurs during walking or exercise and goes away with rest. The discomfort usually affects your calves, but you might also feel it in your thighs or buttocks.

You can walk a certain distance before the cramping starts, forcing you to stop. After resting for a few minutes, the pain subsides and you can walk again. Most people notice that happening at roughly the same point during their walks or activities.

Other warning signs

Beyond claudication, PAD causes other noticeable changes:

• Coldness in one leg or foot compared to the other
• Skin color changes (pale, bluish, or reddish)
• Weak or absent pulses in your legs or feet
• Sores or wounds that heal slowly
• Shiny, tight skin on your legs
• Hair loss on your legs and feet
• Thickened, slow-growing toenails

People with advanced PAD may experience pain even at rest, especially when lying down at night. That’s because gravity no longer helps blood reach your feet when you’re horizontal.

Who faces the highest risk of PAD?

The same factors that increase your risk of heart disease also make PAD more likely. Dr. Bokhari recommends screening for PAD if you have any of these risk factors:

• Smoking or a history of tobacco use
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Age over 50 (or over 40 with risk factors)
• Family history of vascular disease
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity

Smoking dramatically accelerates PAD development. People who smoke are 3-4 times more likely to develop the disease compared to those who don’t.

Diabetes also greatly increases your risk because high blood sugar damages blood vessels throughout your body. People with diabetes often develop PAD at younger ages and experience more severe complications.

Diagnosis and early treatment matter

Untreated PAD increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and amputations because the same arterial disease likely affects blood vessels throughout your body. The condition also threatens your legs and feet. Early detection allows you to address the problem before it causes permanent damage.

Dr. Bokhari uses several diagnostic tools to evaluate circulation, including ankle-brachial index testing, ultrasound imaging, and angiography when needed. These tests show where blockages are and how severely they restrict blood flow.

Treatment depends on how advanced the disease is and which arteries it affects. Many people improve with lifestyle changes and medication that increases blood flow and prevents clots. More severe cases might require procedures like angioplasty/stenting to open blocked arteries or bypass them entirely.

Find out what’s causing your leg pain in Riverside, California

Don’t accept leg pain when walking as inevitable. PAD is treatable, especially when caught early, and addressing it protects more than just your legs. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Bokhari by phone or online today to find out what’s causing your symptoms.