Peripheral arterial disease is one of the most common problems of the circulatory system. This issue affects both men and women, especially in older age groups, involving the development of plaque on the body’s major arteries. As the circulatory system ages, the body’s arteries lose some of their flexibility. If that natural aging process is accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle and with a diet that is rich in fat, the result is the formation of a layer of cholesterol inside the arteries. While in the initial phases, the condition has no symptoms, once the deposits inside the arteries are thick enough, the patient will experience gradually worsening symptoms and will need peripheral artery disease treatment Denver clinics offer. Here are some of those signs:
- Pain and cramping – these symptoms affect the hips and the muscles of the calves first. Initially, the patient might experience occasional cramping that becomes more frequent as the disease progresses.
- Tingling and numbness – these two symptoms are very common in the initial phases of the disease as well.
- Wounds that do not heal as they should – ulcers and wounds that do not respond to treatment and tend to grow prove that the affected limb is not getting the blood and the nutrients it needs.
- Changed color in the limb – the limb affected by arterial disease might become white or purplish.
