{"id":68508,"date":"2025-10-09T02:26:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T02:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/68508\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T02:26:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T02:26:08","slug":"vascular-surgeon-warns-chronic-leg-pain-and-numbness-can-be-a-sign-of-blocked-arteries-shares-6-symptoms-of-pad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/68508\/","title":{"rendered":"Vascular surgeon warns chronic leg pain and numbness can be a sign of blocked arteries, shares 6 symptoms of PAD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many people dismiss recurring leg pain<\/a> or cramps as a normal part of aging, especially when the discomfort fades after resting. But experts warn that this pattern – pain that comes with activity and eases with rest – can be an early sign of underlying conditions like Peripheral Artery Disease<\/a> (PAD). Ignoring these signals may allow the condition to progress, increasing the risk of serious complications.<\/p>\n

\"Chronic Chronic leg pain could point towards Peripheral Artery Disease, according to Dr Sumit Kapadia.(Pixabay) <\/p>\n

Also Read | Cardiovascular surgeon shares 3 advanced lab tests for a complete heart profile, that standard lipid panels don’t cover<\/a><\/p>\n

Dr Sumit Kapadia, a vascular surgeon and varicose vein<\/a> specialist with 18 years of experience, is raising awareness about the early warning signs of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which includes chronic leg pain. In an Instagram video posted on September 2, he outlines six early warning signs in the legs that may indicate PAD and emphasises that recognising them promptly can help prevent serious complications later.<\/p>\n

Leg pain isn\u2019t just \u2018getting older\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr Kapadia shares an anecdote about a gentleman who paid a visit to his clinic due to pain in his legs, and said, \u201cDoctor, I thought it was just age catching up with me. My legs hurt when I walked, but the pain went away when I rested. I ignored it for months.\u201d When examined, it wasn\u2019t simply age – it was blocked arteries in his legs. Many people assume arterial blockages only affect the heart, but the legs often give early warning signs. Ignoring them can have serious consequences.<\/p>\n

Early warning signs<\/p>\n

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a condition where arteries in the arms and legs narrow due to plaque buildup, from fats, cholesterol<\/a>, and other substances, reducing blood flow, according to Mayo Clinic<\/a>. Detecting it early is crucial, as it allows for interventions that can sometimes prevent surgery. Here are six symptoms listed by Dr Kapadia:<\/p>\n

Pain or cramps while walking<\/p>\n

Cramping or aching in the legs during walking that subsides with rest is often an early warning sign of blocked arteries, according to Dr Kapadia.<\/p>\n

Numbness or weakness<\/p>\n

The surgeon mentions that reduced blood <\/a>flow resulting from Peripheral Artery Disease can lead to numbness or weakness in the legs.<\/p>\n

One leg feels colder<\/p>\n

Temperature differences between legs may indicate restricted circulation, says the surgeon.<\/p>\n

Slow-healing wounds<\/p>\n

Cuts, blisters, or sores on the feet that take unusually long to heal can be a red flag.<\/p>\n

Shiny skin or loss of hair<\/p>\n

Dr Kapadia mentions that changes in skin texture, thinning hair, or a shiny appearance on the legs may suggest compromised blood flow.<\/p>\n

Also Read | Surgeon explains why women shouldn’t ignore leg pain at night: \u2018Reflects deeper problems in the circulation\u2026\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Weak pulse<\/p>\n

Dr Kapadia suggests that if you notice a reduced, or weaker pulse <\/a>in the lower limbs, it may signal potential arterial blockage due to PAD.<\/p>\n

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Many people dismiss recurring leg pain or cramps as a normal part of aging, especially when the discomfort…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68509,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[46323,7463,46325,103,61,60,17292,46326,46324],"class_list":["post-68508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-blocked-arteries","tag-blocked-arteries-symptoms","tag-blocked-arteries-warning-signs","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-peripheral-artery-disease","tag-peripheral-artery-disease-early-warning-sign","tag-peripheral-artery-disease-symptoms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68508"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68508\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}