Leg pain: clogged arteries

Dr. Fernando Quiros Mata, specialist in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery

Why do legs hurt due to circulatory causes?

If we are faced with a muscular pain that, perhaps, is a previously unknown lesion, and it presents itself as a somewhat atypical pain, we could indeed have an annoying lesion. If we eventually consult a doctor, he/she will give us a treatment and most probably we will recover without any major problem.

However, within the circulatory causes of pain in the legs there could be conditions that lead to a greater risk to the limb or even the life of the person. The important thing is to orient ourselves in knowing whether or not there are some circulatory causes of pain that imply to turn on an alarm that we need to consult in a timely manner. This way we solve the conditions of the problem before it progresses.

Let us remember that the circulatory system is largely composed of a complex network of ducts that are the arteries and veins. he arteries are the ones that bring blood to the legs and therefore, it is essential its proper functioning, because in difficulty it is as if we run out of fuel for the engine of the vehicle. And from the legs, through the veins, the blood goes to the heart.

What is arterial insufficiency?

The circulatory system of the human body is divided into three parts, the heart as the pump that drives the blood throughout the body, the arteries that carry blood to the legs and veins that returns it to the body.

Thus, in the event of a circulatory problem that obstructs or creates a narrowing in the lumen of the arteries, the leg would be partially or totally without the necessary blood supply to support the tissues, which is a very serious condition.

If that happens, the engine of the vehicle, drowns and shuts down, right? But, in people's legs it does not work like in the engine. When blood does not arrive, the tissues immediately begin to die and the situation can have implications and, if not treated, can even lead to death.

The main cause of arterial insufficiency in more than 90% of cases is a disease called atherosclerosis. This is a condition that damages the arteries of the human body. The lumen becomes narrowed or obstructed. It is as if we had a pipe full of corruption which limits the passage of water in the pipe. In the case of the arteries are conditions that cause material to be deposited inside them which inflame them, narrow them and come to define how much blood reaches our extremities.

A systemic condition, that is, it affects the entire circulatory system of the human body, not just the legs.

So what are the main risk factors for xerosis?

• Obesity and sedentary lifestyle that go hand in hand with more diseases.
• All those foods that are high in fat that allow the accumulation of triglycerides and cholesterol.
• Arterial hypertension
• Diabetes
• Smoking

How to prevent it:

• Exercise therapy, supervised
• Quality of life

It is important to take this possible health condition quite seriously and know how to recognize certain patterns in the symptoms in order to decide who to consult promptly.