Your legs hurt – again and again? This can be caused by a circulatory disorder, which is also known as shop window disease. Better not to ignore the signs.
When walking, your legs hurt so much that you have to take frequent breaks, just like window shopping. If this is the case, there may be peripheral arterial disease (PAOD) behind it. This is a circulatory disorder in the legs, colloquially also called claudication or – because smokers are particularly affected – smoker’s leg.
Numbness and poorly healing wounds
According to the German Society for Vascular Surgery and Vascular Medicine (DGG) you should take early signs seriously and have them clarified immediately. Because if the disease progresses far, there is no way around complex vascular interventions.
The most common sign is muscle pain that occurs when walking for a long time or climbing stairs – in the calves, thighs, but also in the buttocks. Numbness and weakness in the legs also indicate PAOD. According to the DGG, cold, pale feet and poorly healing wounds are further signs.
The general practitioner can use an ultrasound measurement of the arteries to determine whether PAOD is really behind the symptoms. The good news: Especially in the early stages, the disease can still be treated well – with medication, for example.
How does peripheral arterial disease occur?
The circulatory disorder, which usually occurs in the legs but can also affect the arms, is in most cases caused by a Arteriosclerosis (atherosclerosis) caused. The vessels narrow due to deposits of calcium, fat and proteins. The blood flow decreases or even comes to a complete standstill in the event of a vascular occlusion. The muscles of the legs (or arms) therefore receive less and less oxygen and lose their efficiency.
Without treatment, PAD progresses. The disease cannot be cured, but the course can be slowed down. First of all, a healthy lifestyle helps: don’t smoke, eat healthy and exercise a lot. Also the blood pressure, blood lipids and blood sugar levels should be within healthy limits or treated appropriately if they are not. This too can slow progression.