If your arteries become narrow because of fatty deposits, or plaque, they cannot carry nutrient-rich blood to parts of your body as efficiently. This health issue is known as peripheral artery disease (PAD) and often causes leg and foot problems. Here's what you should know about this form of peripheral vascular disease and how it's treated. 

Who Is Most at Risk? 

It is possible for anyone to develop PAD via unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as regularly consuming foods high in saturated fat that raise bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Other lifestyle-related risk factors include insufficient exercise, as regular physical activity keeps the arteries dilated and reduces bad cholesterol levels. Smoking also contributes to PAD by damaging the arteries and blood vessels, which allows plaque to stick to arterial walls. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, increase the chance of this disease as well. High sugar levels from diabetes damage the arteries to make plaque buildup more likely. 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?

There are typically no symptoms of the mild form of this disease, though leg pain when walking or climbing stairs can occur. Advanced PAD symptoms from poor blood circulation include leg weakness and skin color changes, leg fatigue when walking, loss of leg hair, and leg coolness. Foot problems can include slow toenail growth, poorly healing sores and wounds, and a fainter foot pulse. Symptoms can also include shiny skin on the legs and erectile dysfunction. 

How Is It Treated and How Can You Prevent It?

Treating PAD often involves taking cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering drugs. Diabetics with PAD benefit from regulating their blood sugar levels, as it prevents further arterial damage. In severe cases, surgery such as an angioplasty where a thin tube, or catheter, is placed in the artery to widen it and encourage healthy blood flow, is necessary. 

Preventive tips include refraining from smoking, exercising regularly, and enjoying a healthy diet low in saturated fat and sugar and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Eating a nutrient-dense diet and staying physically active helps maintain your weight, which reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes, PAD, and other health issues, such as hypertension. 

If you experience foot problems from PAD or anything else, make an appointment at Choice Podiatry Associates. This podiatry center features two convenient locations and has helped area residents throughout Cincinnati, OH, manage foot problems since 1985. Call (513) 984-1911 (Kenwood location) or (513) 574-2424 (Bridgetown location) today to make an appointment, or visit the website for more information.