4 Conditions that Impact Your Leg Circulation

Your entire body relies on the circulatory system to provide its tissues with oxygen and nutrients, so if a part of the system doesn’t work properly, you have a serious medical problem. Unfortunately, a number of conditions can negatively impact the circulation in your legs, which can lead to more serious issues.

At Northwest Houston Heart Center, cardiologists Dr. A. Adnan Aslam and Dr. Roy Norman diagnose and treat leg circulation problems at their offices in Tomball, Cypress, Magnolia, and The Woodlands, Texas. Fortunately, treatments are available for a number of problems that can prevent you from having healthy circulation.

Circulatory system overview

Your circulatory system is a closed loop with two main parts. The arteries are the blood vessels that take oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood pumped out by the heart and distribute it to all the body’s tissues. The veins are the blood vessels that return the blood, minus the oxygen and nutrients, to the heart.

The trouble for the veins in the lower body is they have to fight gravity all the way back to the heart. The body has devised two workarounds to sidestep the problem. First, the calf and thigh muscles contract as the blood comes by, compressing the veins and pushing the blood forward. Second, the veins contain one-way valves that snap shut as the blood flows past and prevent it from backtracking along its course.

The valves, though, are delicate, and if your blood pressure is too high, they can become  damaged. Damaged valves can’t close completely, and this leaves the blood free to move backward, pooling around the valve. Blood flow becomes sluggish, and the engorged veins protrude on the lower legs and thighs, creating varicose veins.

The condition of sluggish blood flow (poor circulation) is known as chronic venous insufficiency. Almost 40% of Americans experience CVI during their lives.

Varicose veins, with their colored, snake-like appearance, are unquestionably a cosmetic concern, but they may also be painful and itchy and lead to an aching heaviness in the legs. They can also lead to later stages of vein disease that produce more health complications that are harder to treat, making them a medical condition that requires treatment.

4 conditions that impact your leg circulation

The first two conditions impacting leg circulation we’ve already mentioned — CVI and varicose veins. With sluggish flow and compromised veins, you’re setting your circulatory system up to fail in its job of providing sufficient blood and nutrients to the body’s tissues. Varicose veins can also leak fluid into the surrounding tissue, causing redness, warmth, itchiness, and edema (swelling), setting you up for additional venous problems.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a third condition that impacts circulation. When blood flow is sluggish, it clots more easily, and DVT is a condition in which large blood clots form in the deep veins of the leg. The clot itself can worsen CVI, but the primary cause for concern is if a piece or the whole clot breaks free of the vein wall. No longer moored, it’s free to travel in the bloodstream. If it ends up in the lungs, it can block your airway, a condition known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE is a life-threatening emergency. Call 911.

A fourth condition impacting leg circulation has a different origin than the other three. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a buildup of plaque on the artery walls. Fats, cholesterol, cell debris, calcium, and proteins form a sticky plaque that hardens over time, narrowing the artery and making the heart have to work much harder to pump blood to the extremities. This condition is known as atherosclerosis.

PAD can cause cramps or other discomfort in your legs when you walk, and in advanced stages, it may lead to open, infected sores (venous ulcers). PAD can also block the arteries in the neck; if it does, it increases your risk for stroke.

PAD produces no symptoms in its early stages, but it can be caught early on with regular screening. When it’s detected early, it can be treated effectively and completely, lowering your risk for adverse events.

If your legs are uncomfortable, or if you have risk factors for vein disease (e.g. high cholesterol or triglycerides, past heart attack or stroke, poor lower-body circulation), it’s time to come into Northwest Houston Heart Center for an evaluation and effective treatment to restore circulation. Give us a call at any of our locations, or book online today. You can also text us at 832-402-9518.