Your aching legs may be caused by more than tired muscles, especially if you are over 50. The pain could be a symptom of a treatable condition called peripheral vascular disease, a blockage of blood flow in the arteries of the legs or, in rare cases, the arms.
"Peripheral vascular disease is really a manifestation of atherosclerosis," says Joseph McGarvey, Sr., MD, a Doylestown Hospital cardiologist. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the body and limbs. Up to 20 percent of patients with atherosclerosis first show symptoms in the legs.
"The classic symptoms are an ache in the calf when you walk. You may stop and it goes away and you can sometimes walk further before again feeling the pain. Sometimes, it's an ache in the buttocks," Dr. McGarvey says. Symptoms also may include numbness, tingling or coolness in the lower legs and feet, or sores that don't heal.
There are things you can do
Fortunately, the pain of peripheral vascular disease can be treated by a doctor. Your physician may recommend that you take these steps:
- Stop smoking.
- Start walking or begin another regular aerobic exercise. "Exercise is very important. It builds collaterals, or new blood vessels, around the blockage in the leg. Collateral blood flow is stimulated by aerobic exercise, which is basically walking," Dr. McGarvey says.
- Surgery can be an option for painful symptoms. Balloon angioplasty can open the blockage in the artery, or a surgeon may perform an arterial bypass in the leg.
- Medications may reduce symptoms somewhat, but are not always effective.
- Control your cholesterol.
- Start treatment for other risk factors, such as diabetes and obesity.
