About Leg Claudication
Leg Claudication is a painful condition which is normally caused by poor circulation of blood to the legs mainly while exercising. It is also known by the name of intermittent claudication due to the intermittent nature of pain as the pain only flares up during activities and resolves when the individual is resting. This condition does tend to worsen, and if left untreated, the individual may start experiencing pain while at rest as well.
Leg Claudication is normally considered as a symptom of peripheral artery disease rather than a disease condition itself. Peripheral Artery Disease is a condition in which there is narrowing of the blood vessels which supply blood to the legs resulting in very little blood flowing through the legs causing the pain classic for Leg Claudication. Peripheral Artery Disease may be a potentially serious disease condition but is definitely treatable and with prompt treatment the affected individual can get rid of the Leg Claudication.
What Causes Leg Claudication?
As stated, Leg Claudication technically is a symptom of another condition called peripheral artery disease. In peripheral artery disease, there is damage done to the blood vessels and arteries that supply blood to the lower extremities. This damage to the blood vessels is done because of deposition of fat, cholesterol, and other materials called plaques along the walls of the vessels and arteries. This results in the arteries and vessels getting narrowed. This condition in medical terminology is called as atherosclerosis. As the condition advances and the deposition of the fat and plaque increases, the arteries and vessels get so narrow that blood is not able to pass through these arteries and vessels. As a result of this, less of oxygenated blood reaches the lower limbs causing pain when using the limb.
Other than atherosclerosis, there are also certain other medical conditions that can cause Leg Claudication. These medical conditions are spinal stenosis, peripheral neuropathy which is usually a complication of diabetes, and deep venous thrombosis or blood clot in the lower extremities.
In conclusion, Leg Claudication is more of a symptom than a disease condition and is caused mainly due to fat and cholesterol deposition in the blood vessels and arteries which leads to narrowing of the arteries and vessels as a result of which the lower limbs are deprived of the required oxygenated blood for normal functioning. This condition is called peripheral artery disease, although there are other disease conditions like DVT which may also cause Leg Claudication.
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