What Your Leg Pain Might Be Telling You

It’s easy to dismiss troublesome leg pain as a part of the aging process, or even arthritis. But pain that occurs in your leg muscles, not in the joints like arthritis, shouldn’t be ignored. This pain could actually be the sign of a condition called peripheral vascular disease (PVD), sometimes referred to as peripheral arterial disease.

What is PVD?
PVD is a common blood-vessel disease that is linked to stroke and heart attack. It usually occurs because leg arteries have become narrowed or clogged and are restricting proper blood flow. Arteries typically narrow because of a buildup of fatty deposits.

What does it feeL Like?
PVD is a disease without many symptoms. In fact, some experts have pegged it as a women’s health concern because many women don’t show symptoms or often write them off. "Early diagnosis is essential to minimize one’s risk for future complications including stroke, heart attack, and limb loss," says Frank J. Sharp, M.D., medical director of Jersey Coast Vascular Institute (JCVI) and chief of surgery at Ocean Medical Center. Dr. Sharp is a board-certified vascular surgeon.

Dr. Sharp stresses the importance of recognizing the symptoms of PVD and urges those who experience such symptoms to see their physician immediately. Call your doctor if you experience:

• pain, cramping, or fatigue in the legs or hips while walking that subsides after a few minutes of rest
• foot sores that won’t heal
• aching in the foot while at rest
• a leg or foot that feels colder than the rest of the body

A noninvasive vascular test, called the ankle-brachial index, is performed in the doctor’s office and can detect PVD. Your doctor will decide if it’s right for you based on your symptoms and risk factors. Risk factors include being age 50 or older; having diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol; and smoking. "With breakthrough technologies and the skilled capability of our team, PVD can be accurately diagnosed and appropriately treated right here at JCVI, located on the campus of Ocean Medical Center," says Sharp.

In most cases, PVD can be managed with lifestyle changes or drug therapy. In advanced cases, surgical and endovascular procedures can help open or bypass blocked arteries.