How healthy is your circulatory system? Perhaps you’ve never thought about it, but healthy blood vessels are an important part of your overall wellbeing. After all, their job is to make sure every organ in your body receives an adequate blood supply so it can function properly.
Here are the top four signs that you may need to see a vascular specialist.
1. Your legs hurt when you walk.
Sometimes called "window shopping pain" or claudication, one symptom of vascular disease is when your legs get sore when you are walking for a brief period of time. It is relieved when you stop or rest.
"This complaint generally points to peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, which afflicts almost 20 million people in the U.S.," notes Venkatesh Ramaiah, MD, a vascular surgeon with HonorHealth Vascular Group and the chief of complex vascular services at the HonorHealth Cardiovascular Center of Excellence.
If this happens to you, it means your legs are not getting enough blood, especially when you walk. Pain at rest and ulcers are advanced signs of PAD.
According to Dr. Ramaiah, this is a sign that you should see a vascular specialist to ensure the blood supply to your legs is in the normal ranges. Tests may include an ultrasound and checking the blood pressure in your legs.
2. Your legs are swollen, aching, discolored and develop ulcers or wounds.
Diseases of the veins, also called venous diseases, are a common cause of these symptoms. If you have venous disease, you may have varicose veins, which are enlarged, ropey blood vessels on your thighs, knees and calves that may be purple or red. Spider veins may also appear due to swollen capillaries, which are smaller blood vessels.
While these complaints may seem cosmetic, sometimes they indicate a more serious underlying vascular condition.
"Deep system venous disease points to blood clots that can go to the lungs and cause an embolism," cautions Dr. Ramaiah.
If you experience these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your primary care physician to be evaluated.
