Could Your Leg Pain Be a Circulation Problem? What Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati Patients Should

Leg pain might not seem as alarming as chest pain, but that doesn’t mean it’s something you should ignore. That discomfort in your legs could be your body trying to tell you something.

Sometimes, leg pain comes from something simple like a strained muscle. But it could be the result of a bigger, more concerning issue. Specifically, it might signal a problem with your circulation. 

At Vascular & Interventional Associates, we help patients in the northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio, area figure out what’s going on with their leg pain. Our providers specialize in addressing the causes underlying pain in your legs, including conditions like peripheral arterial disease (PAD), varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

When circulation problems cause leg pain

When blood can’t flow through the vessels in your legs properly, a range of unwelcome symptoms can arise. Beyond the local issues like pain, the circulation problem might pose a bigger risk to your overall health.

Some of the most common circulatory-based causes of leg pain include:

Peripheral arterial disease

PAD develops when plaque (fatty deposits) builds up inside the arteries in your legs. In addition to leg pain, the resulting reduction in circulation can cause issues like:

• Numbness
• Coldness
• Hair loss
• Slower healing in any injuries on your legs

While this condition is a problem in and of itself, PAD might also indicate that you have a bigger issue. You may have plaque in other arteries, including the ones that supply your heart. 

Varicose veins

Sometimes, the circulation problem only affects one or a handful of blood vessels. For example, the valves in certain veins might break down.

The one-way valves in your leg veins help your blood defy gravity, flowing back up to your heart. When a valve malfunctions, the backflow of blood can contribute to leg pain. You might also be able to see the vein bulging under your skin. The problem vein is called a varicose vein.

Deep vein thrombosis

DVT only affects one blood vessel, but that doesn’t make it a small problem. You’re diagnosed with this condition when a blood clot develops in one of the vessels in your legs. In addition to pain, you might feel warmth or see swelling around the affected vein.

The big risk with DVT comes from the clot itself. It can break free from the wall of the vein in your leg and travel to your lung, causing a pulmonary embolism.

What to do about circulation issues in your legs

Leg pain from circulation issues isn’t something to ignore. Our team at Vascular & Interventional Associates can help you figure out what’s causing that discomfort so you can be proactive about protecting your health. 

We offer targeted care including:

• Angioplasty and stent placement to open arteries affected by PAD
• Ablation and sclerotherapy to treat varicose veins
• Clot-busting medications and stents to address DVT

Could your leg pain be a problem with circulation? Patients in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati know they can get the care they need to not only soothe leg pain but also address the underlying issue when they see the experienced team at Vascular & Interventional Associates. 

Schedule an appointment today at our office in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.