If you have a minor injury or your leg suffers from excess use, the pain will subside within a few hours or days of rest, and you can rely on home remedies. However, you may also have a severe condition causing the St. Louis leg pain, especially when your discomfort appears at night. In such a situation, you need to seek a quick medical diagnosis and treatment for the underlying condition to alleviate your pain and prevent a complicated leg problem.
When your legs and feet pain appears at night, which leads to interruption of your sleep or trouble sleeping, this may be a sign you have Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). Of course, remember that PAD may also be due to other health conditions and old age.
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Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
If you have PAD, you will often feel the pain emanating from the muscles or regions of your calf, buttocks, or thighs. Although the pain may be mild, it may also be severe, making you have difficulty walking even a short distance.
Since peripheral artery disease is an illness that progresses, it affects people differently. Others may only experience the associated discomfort during the day, while in others, it occurs at nighttime.
The pain of the condition may appear when you engage in physical activity or perform exercises. Often, taking a rest from your strenuous activity will cause alleviation of pain. However, resting will not tackle the pain when you have severe blood flow issues in your legs.
The leg discomfort you may have at night is a sign that your peripheral artery disease is severe, medically referred to as critical limb ischemia (CLI). CLI refers to severe blockage of arteries from your hip to the toes, leading to a significant blood flow reduction. With critical limb ischemia, the pain emanating from your legs and feet may persist for minutes or hours.
Causes of PAD
In the country, peripheral artery disease affects nearly 12 million people aged 50 years and above.
Peripheral arterial disease is a circulatory disease resulting from the blockage and narrowing of peripheral arteries. A peripheral blood vessel exists further away from your heart, most commonly serving your legs.
The hardening of your arteries happens due to atherosclerosis, a condition referring to cholesterol, fats, and other substances accumulating in and on the arterial walls. The plaque buildup reduces the supply of blood, oxygen, and other nutrients from the heart to the rest of your body, including your legs.
The exact cause of the hardening and blockage in or on arterial walls is unknown. Still, some researchers believe that plaque buildup may be due to damaged walls of blood vessels. The damage may result from smoking, elevated blood pressure, and high cholesterol deposits.
As a result, you may have atherosclerotic heart disease that can also lead to a heart attack. And if the peripheral arterial disease is severe, it can cause your death or lead to leg amputation.
Other signs and symptoms of the peripheral arterial disease may include toenails that grow slowly, persistent sores, and leg tiredness.
Contact Midwest Institute for Non-surgical Therapy today for professional diagnosis and treatment of your leg pain.
