Vascular Disease

Symtoms

Does your leg hurt or become cramped while you walk or climb stairs? When you stop to rest, the pain may go away but it comes back when you start to move again.

This pain cycle is called intermittent claudication. It can be a sign of peripheral vascular disease, or PVD (also known as "poor circulation").

Possible Causes

As you age, your blood vessels may become damaged. Plaque (a buildup of fat and other materials) may collect along the inner walls of the blood vessels. The plaque can narrow or block your blood vessels. This makes it harder for blood to reach your leg. If PVD is not treated, leg and foot tissue may die. This is called gangrene and may lead to amputation.

Treament

To help maintain PVD, here are a few guidelines to follow:

Stop Smoking

Smoking narrows your blood vessels. It also raises your blood pressure. Ask your doctor about programs to stop smoking, or aids.

Control Blood Sugar

High blood sugar caused by diabetes can speed up damage to your blood vessels. Work with your doctor to control your blood sugar levels.

Be More Active

Exercise improves blood flow. It can even help new blood vessels form. Exercise may hurt at first. But with regular activity, pain will begin to ease. Talk to your doctor about an exercise plan that's right for you.

Eat Right

Too much fat in your diet can raise cholesterol and clog blood vessels. Avoid fatty, greasy foods and fried foods. Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables instead. And limit caffeine. It can narrow blood vessels.

Medication (to control high blood pressure, to help control sugar levels, or blood thinners), are a treatment option and sometimes even surgery is needed to repair the vessels.