5 Different Types of Leg Pain with PAD

Worried about leg pain with PAD? You're not alone! Peripheral Arterial Disease causes symptoms that can mimic those of other health conditions. And that means you often wait to get a diagnosis. Take a classic symptom like tired, heavy legs, for example. At some point, everyone’s legs get tired. If you’ve walked a lot during the day, had a hard work out, or just been stuck on your feet, you may get muscle cramps or leg fatigue. And that would be perfectly normal.

Sometimes, however, that discomfort in your legs could be a symptom of PAD, a condition in which plaque narrows your arteries, limiting blood flow to your lower extremities. So how can you tell the difference? In this post, we review the warning signs in your legs that could indicate the onset of arterial disease.

5 Types of Leg Pain PAD Causes (and 1 Reason Why)

PAD-affected arteries before, during and after minimally invasive treatments

1. Consistent pain with movement. Normal leg pain is typically an infrequent problem. But if your legs hurt or you feel a burning sensation in your legs or rear end every time you walk or climb the stairs, it could be PAD. This is especially true if your discomfort shows up with movement and resolves with rest. (Called claudication.) That's likely a sign that limited blood flow is making movement painful, since your effort is not supported by sufficient levels of oxygenated blood.
2. Leg heaviness. Now, this could also be a symptom of varicose veins. But leg pain from PAD also leads to cramping and some additional concerns, highlighted below. So heavy legs in combination with any of these other warning signs should send you for a PAD checkup.
3. Non-healing wounds. Because PAD limits blood flow to your lower legs, it reduces the healing time for any cuts or injuries. So even a little scratch could become a major health challenge, since oxygen-rich blood doesn't arrive to help with healing. If you have leg pain and an ulcer, that’s a likely sign that you’ve got PAD.
4. Changes in hair growth. When blockages limit blood flow to your legs, that alters the way your hair cells function in the area. And that means your leg hair growth will slow or stop. You may even notice hairless patches on your legs.
5. Cold legs and feet. Now, this symptom could arise anytime you have compromised circulation. But it could be also be a sign of PAD so it’s worth discussing with our team of interventional radiologists in Houston and Dallas.

Now, anyone experiencing these types of leg pain PAD can cause should seek a consultation. However, that is especially true if your lifestyle puts you at risk for this condition. And that means if you smoke, have diabetes, have high blood pressure or have high cholesterol, your disease risk is increased. (Remember, cholesterol is a fatty substance your liver produces. You need some cholesterol for your body to function. But choose the 'bad' kind, or allow cholesterol levels to rise too high, and it can form blood-flow blocking 'plaque' in your arteries.) So, if you have these risk factors and experience regular leg pain, be sure to get checked for PAD. At our vascular clinics in Texas, we can help you get an accurate diagnosis and begin exploring treatment options.

Treating Peripheral Arterial Disease in Houston and Dallas

In addition to leg pain, PAD can cause changes in your skin color or texture; poor toenail growth; and even erectile dysfunction in men.

We can diagnose PAD in our office with a bedside test called an Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI), which uses ultrasound and blood pressure cuffs to evaluate the circulation in your arms and legs. If this test is abnormal, we may order further imaging tests such as Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) or Computed Tomography (CT) to determine the extent of your problem and help us plan your treatment.

PAD is a serious medical condition, but help is readily available, often without surgery. Using minimally invasive procedures, our Houston and Dallas area vascular specialists can help open up your arteries and restore blood flow to your lower extremities. But before we can help, you need an accurate diagnosis, so watch for warning signs and request an immediate consultation if you notice any concerning symptoms.