 Foot pain can be a sign of an unpleasant condition known as peripheral artery disease (PAD) which can become fatal. PAD often leads to other serious conditions, including coronary heart disease, and can put people at higher chances of strokes. It is a common condition where a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to leg muscles, NHS says. There are three main signs, which doctors say must be treated from the offset to avoid the PAD becoming severe. If you experience recurring leg pain when exercising, you should visit your GP. These symptoms are; Foot pain can range from mild to severe, and usually goes away after a few minutes when you rest your legs. Both legs are often affected at the same time, although the pain may be worse in one leg. Ulcers are open sores. If you spot these on your feet and legs, and do not heal after a short period, you should see your doctor. Gangrene is severe pain caused when limbs swell and produce smelly pus. When PAD develops, the skin on the toes and lower limbs can become cold and numb, and turn red and then black. Changes in skin colour may be harder to see on brown and black skin, NHS says. Visit your GP if you do spot changes. Lifestyle changes help alleviate pain caused by PAD. Doctors stress the importance of healthy diets and losing weight to reduce the chances of PAD getting worse. Otherwise, it can cause strokes, heart disease and other fatal illnesses. If you experience any of the further symptoms below, also consider cutting down on alcohol consumption and doing more exercise, NHS says. PAD affects blood vessels, and is often diagnosed when these are blocked somewhat by fatty deposits. This is caused by high levels of cholesterol. Approximately 6.5 million people aged 40 and older in the US have PAD. There is little data on nu){kind=link}
High levels of cholesterol can block the arteries, and when less blood is able to flow through them, people are vulnerable to illnesses like peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Foot pain can be a sign of an unpleasant condition known as peripheral artery disease (PAD) which can become fatal.
PAD often leads to other serious conditions, including coronary heart disease, and can put people at higher chances of strokes. It is a common condition where a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to leg muscles, NHS says.
There are three main signs, which doctors say must be treated from the offset to avoid the PAD becoming severe. If you experience recurring leg pain when exercising, you should visit your GP.
These symptoms are;