Poor circulation most often requires a cardiologist for accurate diagnosis and treatment, and it is not easy to treat poor circulation without the assistance of a cardiologist. Therefore, it is important to see a cardiologist anytime multiple symptoms of poor circulation are present.
Symptoms of poor circulation are often easy to spot. They include muscle cramping, constant foot pain, and pain and throbbing in the arms and legs. As well as fatigue, varicose veins, and digestive issues. Leg cramps while walking and wounds that don't seem to heal in your legs, feet, and toes are also symptoms.
Not only is poor blood circulation in the legs and feet uncomfortable, but it can cause life-threatening problems if it goes unchecked. Always seek medical assistance if you're suffering from any of the symptoms, especially if you've been diagnosed with one of the known causes of poor blood circulation.
Ignoring symptoms and delaying care can be detrimental to your health. If you are experiencing symptoms that are associated with poor circulation, notify your healthcare provider immediately. Your doctor can conduct a physical examination or order tests to determine the cause and provide appropriate treatment.
Tingling, numbness, and discomfort in your hands and feet
One of the signature symptoms of poor circulation is tingling in your hands and feet. As blood struggles to reach your extremities, the sensation of pin pricks are quite common, as are cold hands and feet that never seem to be warm or comfortable.
The test: Turn your palms upwards in front of you and stretch out your fingers, almost as if you're reaching for something just out of touch. If the creases in your palm are pale, regardless of skin tone, this may mean you're suffering from poor circulation in your blood vessels due to low iron levels.
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.
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).
These symptoms can last as little as 1 minute or as long as several hours.
Pale or bluish skin. Lack of leg hair or toenail growth. Sores on toes, feet, or legs that heal slowly or not at all. Decreased skin temperature, or thin, brittle, shiny skin on the legs and feet.
Tingling and Numbness
The most common symptom of poor circulation is a feeling of numbness and tingling, which usually occurs in the extremities, such as the fingers, toes, hands and feet.
It's usually not serious, but symptoms can include pain, leg heaviness, aching, swelling, skin dryness, tightness, itching, irritation, and muscle cramps. Wearing compression stockings can help, but your doctor can recommend other treatment options if you don't like the way your veins look. Muscle cramps.
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.
Poor circulation is a common problem caused by a number of conditions. Peripheral artery disease (PAD), diabetes, obesity, smoking, and Raynaud's disease are some of the many causes of poor circulation ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ).
When they do occur, the most common is chest pressure or pain, typically on the left side of the body (angina pectoris). Other signs and symptoms — which might be experienced more commonly by women, older people and people with diabetes — include: Neck or jaw pain. Shoulder or arm pain.
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.
Poor blood circulation is a treatable medical condition. Whether it's caused by varicose veins, PAD, or diabetes, your doctor can recommend treatment options to enhance your circulation, so you feel much healthier.
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.
If your doctor suspects you have PAD, then they will likely arrange for you to have an Ankle-Brachial Index test (ABI). This is a simple test that can be done in the office to check circulation in the legs. It consists of taking blood pressure in the arms and at the ankles with an ultrasound probe.
A vascular doctor prevents, diagnoses and treats diseases that happen in your blood vessels. These are the arteries and veins that bring nutrients into and waste out of your body's many cells and tissues. Because your body needs oxygen and nutrients all the time, healthy blood vessels are important.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
Numbness, tingling and pain in your thigh, hips, calf, and feet can happen because hardened and narrow arteries are limiting blood flow to your muscles in your legs. Typically, people feel these symptoms when walking, climbing stairs or exercising and symptoms are relieved with rest.