Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Family Medicine (Expert Forum)
circulation
Questions in the Family Medicine forum are answered by Dr. J.M. Keyes. Topics covered include general health issues, adolescence, babies, child health, eating disorders, fitness, immunizations and vaccines, infectious diseases, medical tests and procedures, and senior health.
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-M.D.-DT, Jul 16, 2002 12:00AM
Thank you for visiting the Family Practice Forum.
You need to have this looked into. Peripheral vascular Disease or "Peripheral Artery Disease" may very well be the problem.
Most people with peripheral arterial disease have atherosclerosis, a disease process in which fatty material accumulates under the lining of the arterial wall, gradually narrowing the artery. However, a partial or complete occlusion of an artery can result from other causes, such as a blood clot. When an artery narrows, the parts of the body it serves may not receive enough blood. The resulting decrease in oxygen supply (ischemia) can come on suddenly (acute ischemia) or gradually (chronic ischemia).
To help prevent peripheral arterial disease, a person should reduce the number of risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. Diabetes also is a major cause of peripheral arterial disease, and appropriate treatment of diabetes may delay the arterial disease. Once peripheral arterial disease appears, treatment is directed at its complications--severe leg cramps while walking, angina, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
You also need to have an EKG to see if there is some heart arrhythmia which could be contributing to your symptoms. If it is , in fact, Peripheral Artery Disease, there are medications such as "Pletal" which help improve blood flow to the extremities.
It is very unlikely that the "disc" problems in your back are affected the circulation in any way.
You need to have this looked into. Peripheral vascular Disease or "Peripheral Artery Disease" may very well be the problem.
Most people with peripheral arterial disease have atherosclerosis, a disease process in which fatty material accumulates under the lining of the arterial wall, gradually narrowing the artery. However, a partial or complete occlusion of an artery can result from other causes, such as a blood clot. When an artery narrows, the parts of the body it serves may not receive enough blood. The resulting decrease in oxygen supply (ischemia) can come on suddenly (acute ischemia) or gradually (chronic ischemia).
To help prevent peripheral arterial disease, a person should reduce the number of risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. Diabetes also is a major cause of peripheral arterial disease, and appropriate treatment of diabetes may delay the arterial disease. Once peripheral arterial disease appears, treatment is directed at its complications--severe leg cramps while walking, angina, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
You also need to have an EKG to see if there is some heart arrhythmia which could be contributing to your symptoms. If it is , in fact, Peripheral Artery Disease, there are medications such as "Pletal" which help improve blood flow to the extremities.
It is very unlikely that the "disc" problems in your back are affected the circulation in any way.
