Peripheral artery disease, also known as peripheral arterial disease, is a common circulatory disease that reduces blood flow to the limbs by narrowing arteries. If you suffer from the peripheral arterial disease (PAD), your arms or legs do not receive enough blood to sustain the demand. It mainly affects the legs. You may experience symptoms such as pain while walking. In most cases, peripheral artery disease is usually a sign of fatty deposits in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. If you live in El Paso and suffer from peripheral arterial disease, you may treat the condition by exercising, eating a healthy diet, and quitting tobacco. If your state does not improve, you may need treatment from a specialist who can diagnose and treat peripheral arterial disease in El Paso.

Symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease

Although most people with the disease show no symptoms, you may experience claudication; leg pain while walking. Common signs of claudication include cramping or muscle pain in the legs and arms that come from an activity like walking, but it fades away after resting for a few minutes. The location of the pain varies from one patient to another depending on the narrowed or clogged artery location. Most patients experience calf pain. 

The severity of claudication varies from minor discomfort to severe pain. If you experience severe claudication, you may have trouble walking or doing other activities. 

Other common symptoms of the peripheral arterial disease include:

• Painful cramping in one or both thighs, hips, or calf muscles after activities such as walking
• Numbness or weakness in your legs
• Coldness in the lower leg or foot
• Sore toes, legs, or feet that do not heal
• Changed skin color affecting your legs
• The slow hair growth or loss of hair on the legs and feet
• The slow growth of toenails
• Shiny skin on the legs
• Weak or no pulse in the legs or feet
• Erectile dysfunction for men
• Pain when using the arms

If the condition advances, it may cause pain even while resting. Sometimes, you may experience severe pain that can disrupt sleep, but you can temporarily relieve the discomfort by moving around or hanging your legs on the edge of the bed.

If you experience numbness, leg pain, or other symptoms, you should see a doctor. You may also need screening if you are older than 65 with a history of smoking and diabetes, or under 50 with diabetes and other risk factors for peripheral arterial disease.

Causes

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of peripheral arterial disease. Atherosclerosis causes the buildup of fat deposits on your artery walls, reducing blood flow. While it primarily affects the heart, it can also spread to other arteries around your body. The peripheral arterial disease comes about when atherosclerosis spreads to the arteries in your limbs. While it rarely happens, you can also suffer from peripheral artery disease due to inflammation of blood vessels, injuries affecting your limbs, radiation exposure, and unusual anatomy of the limb tissues or ligaments.

In summary, peripheral arterial disease is a circulatory disease that narrows the arteries reducing blood flow to the limbs. While most patients do not show any symptoms, you may have leg pain while walking. It is mainly caused by atherosclerosis.