Should I Be Screened for Peripheral Artery Disease?

Do you have painful cramping in your hips, thighs, or calves after walking or climbing stairs?

Do your lower legs or feet get cold, numb, or weak?

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, then you should consider being screened for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

Other symptoms may include: 

• Sores on your toes, feet, or legs that won’t heal

• Hair loss on your feet and legs

• Weak pulse In your feet and legs

• Shiny skin on your legs

• Toenails growing at a slow rate

• Erectile dysfunction in men

Comprehensive Screening

The team at Palm Vein Center provides patients with a comprehensive screening to determine PAD’s progression level and recommend an appropriate treatment regimen. Other symptoms may include: pain in your legs while resting or lying down and pain that can disrupt sleep.

If you’re experiencing any of the outlined symptoms, keep reading, because depending on your age and other factors, you may or may not need a PAD screening.

You should see a doctor if you have some of the symptoms mentioned above and:

• Are over the age of 70

• Are over the age of 50 and have a history of diabetes and smoking

• Are under 50, but have diabetes and/or are obese and/or have high blood pressure

It’s important to reduce your risk of PAD, which is often caused by atherosclerosis (fatty plaque that builds up in your arteries and reduces blood flow). PAD may also be caused by blood vessel inflammation, injury to your limbs, radiation exposure, and if you have unusual anatomy of your ligaments or muscles.

Prevention

In an effort to prevent this disease, you should try the following: quit smoking (if you’re a smoker), keep your blood sugar under control (if you’re diabetic), exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, eat foods low in saturated fat and keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in control.

Consult a Professional

The highly skilled sonographers at Palm Vein Center will provide a series of tests to determine whether or not you have peripheral artery disease. If you meet the above criteria, whether it be just the symptoms, just the risk factors, or a combination of the two, call Palm Vein Center right away to set up your appointment. The team wants to be sure you are safe and receiving the proper care!

The advice and information contained in this article are for educational purposes only and are not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.

For more information on vein diseases and the treatments provided by the specialists at Palm Vein Center or to make an appointment, call 623-201-4777. We look forward to meeting you!