Do you have peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
What are the signs of PAD? Ask yourself:
• Do your legs hurt, feel tired, or cramp when you walk or lay in bed?
• Do you have sores that are slow to heal?
• Do you think, or have been told you have neuropathy?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you should talk with a doctor about your symptoms.
People often dismiss the symptoms of this dangerous disease as “a sign of getting older.” But it’s not. “If you find yourself needing to rest because your leg cramps when you walk a short distance, or at night you need to stand up to relieve a cramp in your foot, that’s your body telling you it needs help,” says Dr. Ryan O’Hara, MD of Comprehensive Integrated Care (CiC). PAD (peripheral artery disease) restricts blood flow to the legs and feet. It’s often confused with neuropathy, as the symptoms are similar, and include difficulty walking without taking a break, burning, tingling, numbness, or pain.
“I can’t stress enough how important it is to diagnose what’s causing the pain,” says O’Hara. Oftentimes, it’s PAD, a build-up of fatty material inside the arteries that limits blood flow.
“Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your legs and feet, which they need to stay healthy,” explains Dr. O’Hara. “If an artery is blocked, oxygen and nutrients can’t get to cells, causing them to die.”
Without proper blood supply, nerves and muscles start burning, tingling or cramping. The good news is that PAD is treatable. Specialists like Dr. O’Hara are able to perform a minimally invasive procedure in an office setting. “Using image guidance, through a tiny nick in the skin we’re able to see if there is a blockage, remove it and then blood flow improves,” Dr. O’Hara says. Patients are able to get back to their everyday lifestyle with almost no downtime. Most insurances, including Medicare, cover treatment.
“I want patients to know that they don’t have to live with these symptoms. This is something we can fix.”
Dr. O’Hara can be reached at (801) 810-2999 or cicmedical.com.
Editor’s note: The claims, facts, and information in this sponsored article have not been verified by LDS Living, and LDS Living does not endorse any claim or product herein.