Poor circulation can cause a number of symptoms, including: Muscles that hurt or feel weak when you walk. A “pins and needles” sensation on your skin. Pale or blue skin color.
The test: Gather a few pillows or cushions and use them to prop up both legs so they're at a 45-degree angle while you lie on your back. As you're resting, notice if your legs become paler or retain their original color throughout the span of a minute.
Lie on your back on a bed and raise your legs 60 degrees, bend and extend your knees for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. The foot with poor blood flow may become pale or feel painful.
Start doing daily stretching, exercises, or yoga to increase blood flow. Do aerobic or cardio exercises to get your blood moving and your heart rate up. Wear compression stockings to encourage the blood to move from your legs back up to your heart. Eat a healthy diet to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
A simple, painless and noninvasive test called a duplex ultrasound can determine if you have bad circulation and the severity of the condition. Based on the severity of your condition, a vascular specialist doctor will determine the best treatment option for you.
Vascular Treatment for Poor Circulation
Your first step in treating poor blood circulation is a visit to your vascular specialist. They may recommend an exercise and diet program and medication, but some patients see the most benefit from a vascular treatment such as angioplasty or bypass surgery.
As with many other symptoms of poor circulation, twisted, bulging blue varicose veins tend to appear on your legs and ankles. Varicose veins occur when a valve within the vein fails, disrupting your circulation.
Vascular pain often feels like an uncomfortable heaviness or throbbing sensation. It can also feel like an aching sensation. It usually affects your legs and can be worse with walking or exerting yourself.
People with poor circulation may notice their feet feel cold or numb. They may also notice discoloration. The feet may turn red, blue, purple, or white. These symptoms may worsen in certain situations, such as when a person sits still for long periods of time or goes outside in cold weather.
Computed tomography angiography (CTA) allows providers to see the arteries in your legs and feet. A special dye is injected, and then X-rays are taken to show the location and extent of any blood vessel blockages. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) examines the structure of your leg arteries.
It is one of the most common symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency. When your body is not able to produce enough red blood cells it leads to poor circulation of oxygen to different body parts.
Potassium (Vitamin K)
Potassium is an essential mineral for many important bodily functions, including blood circulation. It keeps the blood vessel walls strong and can even help prevent bulging veins. Potassium can be found in a variety of healthy and tasty foods like bananas and avocados.
MASSAGE AND BLOOD CIRCULATION
Good circulation brings damaged, tense muscles the oxygen rich blood they need to heal. Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique actually moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in.
Drinking plenty of water helps to improve your vein health in two ways: improving the overall circulation of the blood by thinning it and strengthening the muscles that support your veins.
On average, the participants moved their feet 250 times per minute. The researchers then measured the blood flow of the popliteal -- an artery in the lower leg -- and found that the fidgeting leg had a significant increase in blood flow, as expected, while the stationary leg experienced a reduction in blood flow.
Sleeping on your left side to make it easier for blood to flow in and around your heart. Keeping your arms at your sides instead of under or behind your head. Making sure your pillow supports your neck and spine and keeps them neutrally aligned.
The narrowing of the arteries causes a decrease in blood flow. Symptoms include leg pain, numbness, cold legs or feet and muscle pain in the thighs, calves or feet. The arteries which supply blood to the leg originate from the aorta and iliac vessels.
Poor circulation can cause pain in the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Cold hands and feet may ache or throb, especially as they start to warm and blood flow returns. Also, when the blood does not circulate correctly, oxygen and nutrients cannot reach tissues effectively, resulting in stiffness and cramping.
This can lead to gangrene. Go to the emergency room right away if you have any of these symptoms: A wound that's foul smelling, draining pus, or discolored. Severe foot or leg pain that occurs suddenly without injury, especially if the foot or leg is cold or numb.
High blood pressure and atherosclerosis
Weak vessels have a hard time moving blood properly, which can lead to poor circulation. This can cause atherosclerosis, a disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty material on their inner walls.
When caught early, most conditions and diseases that lead to poor circulation can be treated. The most common conditions include obesity, diabetes, heart conditions and arterial issues. In fact, poor circulation can be a sneaky symptom of a serious vascular condition called Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).
Risks include cardiovascular failure, stroke, and complications such as infected skin ulcers or blood clots. If you have poor circulation, wounds heal more slowly and it takes longer to recover from illnesses. Elderly people with this condition and who are immobile are at greater risk of stroke and blood clots.