The most common causes of poor circulation in the feet are obesity, diabetes, and heart conditions such as peripheral artery disease (PAD). Common symptoms of poor circulation include tingling, numbness, throbbing, pain and muscle cramps. Peripheral artery disease is a common cause of poor circulation in the legs.
Poor circulation is bad enough on its own. When your legs and feet don't get the support they need from your bloodstream, you can experience painful cramping during or after activity, burning or tingling pain, muscle weakness, numbness, and more.
If you don't do something about your bad circulation, it won't get better on its own. In fact, it can get worse. But you can manage and improve your poor circulation with lifestyle changes, medication and surgery, if necessary.
What causes peripheral vascular disease? The most common cause of PVD is atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque inside the artery wall. Plaque reduces the amount of blood flow to the limbs. It also decreases the oxygen and nutrients available to the tissue.
Poor circulation can even lead to gangrene of the extremities, which is the death of body tissue, which can potentially lead to amputation in severe cases. When blood isn't flowing properly, your extremities will fluctuate in temperature.
The newer treatment options include atherectomy, stenting, angioplasty and venoplasty. Atherectomy Procedure involves the mechanical removal of plaques or other blockages in your arteries.
Angioplasty is a procedure to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that supply blood to your legs. Fatty deposits can build up inside the arteries and block blood flow. A stent is a small, metal mesh tube that keeps the artery open. Angioplasty and stent placement are two ways to open blocked peripheral arteries.
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.
Pentoxifylline is used to improve blood flow in patients with circulation problems to reduce aching, cramping, and tiredness in the hands and feet. It works by decreasing the thickness (viscosity) of blood. This change allows your blood to flow more easily, especially in the small blood vessels of the hands and feet.
Without blood supply, your limbs and extremities become unsalvageable after six to eight hours. In some cases, however, enough blood can flow around the obstruction to extend that deadline.
The blockage usually happens because of narrowed and hardened arteries (atherosclerosis). This is caused by plaque build-up inside the arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances in the blood.
PAD is a serious condition that should be diagnosed promptly so doctors can reduce your risk as quickly as possible. PAD may be your first warning sign of a serious health problem. Atherosclerosis—or clogging—in the peripheral arteries is dangerous.
You can still have a full, active lifestyle with peripheral artery disease, or PAD. The condition happens when plaque builds up in your arteries. This makes it harder for your arms, legs, head, and organs to get enough blood. Although it's serious and can sometimes be painful, there are lots of ways to slow it down.
Treatment of poor circulation:
Drugs can be used to prevent the blood clotting (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants). Angioplasty can be used to enlarge the narrowed peripheral arteries. A vein from another part of the body can be used to bypass the narrow or blocked artery can be used by the vascular surgeon.
Arterial Doppler Ultrasound
A Doppler ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images that highlight blood flow in the leg arteries. This test detects and evaluates any blockages caused by plaque buildup.
Peripheral vascular disease is the reduced circulation of blood to a body part, other than the brain or heart, due to a narrowed or blocked blood vessel. Risk factors include diabetes, obesity, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.
But circulation can get worse for a number of reasons, including conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), or weight gain and age. When your circulation isn't working the way it should, some parts of your body may not get the nutrients they need.
Walking. Walking is the simplest yet most effective exercise to help improve blood circulation in your legs. Walk at a comfortable pace every day. Walking will increase the muscle contraction in your legs and improve the blood flow in your limbs and throughout your body.
Staying hydrated helps circulation by improving blood flow throughout the body. Warm water is particularly beneficial as it encourages the veins to expand, thus allowing more room for blood to flow.
Compression socks or stockings are designed to promote better circulation in your feet, ankles, and legs by providing varying levels of pressure against your skin. This helps push blood back toward the heart and can prevent the swelling and discomfort related to weakened or damaged vein walls and valves.
Magnesium supplementation can inhibit atherosclerotic plaque formation in animals on high-fat diets. More recent human studies have revealed strong associations between low magnesium levels and higher heart disease risks. This demonstrates that magnesium can be a powerful protective measure to maintain heart health.