I Have Resting Leg Pain: Could It Be PAD? 

Leg pain is common, affecting virtually everyone from time to time and usually tied to overexertion. Putting your feet up and having a good night’s sleep typically improves the condition. 

When your leg pain starts after bedtime and is more than occasional, it can be a sign of serious blood flow deficiency. It’s time to visit Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins in Miami, Florida, for diagnosis and treatment of critical limb ischemia. 

Signs of critical limb ischemia

Also known as resting leg pain, critical limb ischemia doesn’t always create pain symptoms at night. You could have other signs of the condition, such as cold feet or legs. The skin of your feet and lower legs could be hairless and shiny. 

Sores in the area may take a long time to heal, and your toenails might get thick. Finding a pulse in your feet or legs could be difficult, and skin in the area could become discolored. Leg pain that emerges when you’re walking or running, called claudication, is also possible.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, including resting leg pain, you could have restrictions in blood flow through the arteries of your legs, a condition called peripheral artery disease (PAD). 

The relationship between PAD and resting leg pain

September is PAD Awareness Month. While it’s thought that 10 million Americans suffer from the condition, it’s often undiagnosed or mistaken for another condition. Once it’s diagnosed, PAD can be treated, usually with some combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery. 

Critical limb ischemia is a direct result of PAD. It develops when you suffer from narrowing arteries for long periods of time, from months to years. 

Causes of PAD

The most common cause of PAD is atherosclerosis, the buildup of cholesterol plaques on arterial walls. This buildup reduces blood flow through the arteries, compromising blood supply to the lower legs and feet. 

PAD can sometimes result from other conditions. These less common causes include: 

• Exposure to radiation
• Inflammation of blood vessels
• Injuries to the feet and legs
• Changes to ligament and muscle tissue

Your risk of developing PAD increases with certain factors, including: 

• Atherosclerosis
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Getting older

If you have a family history of PAD, high cholesterol, heart disease, or stroke, you could be more likely to develop PAD and critical limb ischemia. 

Complications of resting leg pain

If your leg pain is due to critical limb ischemia, you’re at risk of serious, life-threatening complications without treatment. Patients who have the condition can die from heart complications and strokes caused by deep vein thrombosis. 

Consult with the PAD specialists at Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins at our nearest Miami location. You can request an appointment online or by phone, so plan your visit today.