Poor circulation in the legs caused by peripheral artery disease can lead to numbness, extreme coldness around the toes, aching knees, tiredness, muscle cramps, and slow healing times. A sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and diabetes can increase the risk. Early diagnosis and treatment are important.
The symptoms of poor circulation in the legs can be alarming, but they are among the many ways the human body signals a problem. Poor circulation is usually caused by peripheral artery disease. Symptoms include numbness or weakness in the legs, extreme coldness around the toes, aching knees, extremely tired legs, and muscle cramps or spasms in the legs.
Peripheral artery disease narrows the artery walls, limiting the flow of oxygenated blood cells to the extremities of the body. A sedentary lifestyle, excessive smoking and diabetes can facilitate the attack of peripheral artery disease. Familiarizing yourself with the symptoms of poor circulation in your legs allows for early diagnosis and treatment.
Numbness and floppiness are common signs of poor circulation in the legs. The feeling of numbness tends to be more intense when standing for long periods of time or when going from a sitting position to a standing position. Severe numbness could also make the limb feel desensitized all over.
Severe cold in parts of the leg is often associated with poor circulation. A cold sensation is usually localized around the toes. A cold is caused by blood having a hard time circulating all the way through your toes. Sometimes the person suffering from poor circulation will not notice the extreme coldness of their toes. A doctor or trusted friend may be more likely to feel cold in your toes when touching them.
A feeling of extreme tiredness, associated with joint pain, is usually associated with poor circulation in the legs. The narrowed walls of the arteries will struggle to keep the muscles oxygenated, which can lead to an intense feeling of fatigue, even after walking a short distance. Sometimes the feeling of tiredness can arise spontaneously.
Poor circulation can also cause cramps and muscle spasms. These cramps tend to be located in the calf, hip or thigh area, but can occur anywhere in the leg. Cramps tend to come on randomly. The poorly oxygenated muscles contained in the legs can cause painful muscle spasms. The skin around the legs will also tend to have a blue tinge due to restrictive and poor blood circulation.
Another hallmark of poor circulation in the legs is the occurrence of unusually long healing times. Proper blood flow facilitates proper healing of cuts, bruises and skin abrasions. A leg suffering from poor circulation will have difficulty supplying cells that can help repair damaged skin. Random bruising may also occur. Poor circulation makes the skin susceptible to damage from even the slightest bump.
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