Peripheral Artery Disease is the term physicians use to describe arterial blockages in your legs. Commonly known as PAD, it affects more than 12 million Americans. Experts with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South say that number continues to grow each year, mostly because the symptoms can be so subtle and many people chalk them up to normal signs of aging.
Here are the symptoms of PAD:
*Painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscle after activity, such as walking or climbing stairs
*Leg numbness or weakness
*Coldness in your lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other leg.
*Sores on your toes, feet or legs that won’t heal
*A change in the color of your legs
*Hair loss or slower hair growth on your feet and legs
*Slower growth of your toenails
*Shiny skin on your legs
*No pulse or a weak pulse in your legs or feet
The good news is PAD is a common and treatable disease.
If you recognize any of the symptoms in yourself, be sure to contact the Cardiovascular Institute of the South on their website and/or visit one of their three locations in Baton Rouge, Zachary, or Prairieville.
