The arteries in your legs and feet can get blocked, just like the arteries in your heart. When this happens, less blood flows to your legs. This is called peripheral artery disease (PAD). Occasionally, if your leg arteries are badly blocked, you may develop foot pain while resting or a sore that won’t heal. In this case, you need a procedure to remove the blockages. But usually, people with PAD do not need a procedure.
A procedure only helps for severe symptoms.
If PAD causes severe leg pain when walking, you may stop doing that and other activities. Surgery to bypass the blockage can relieve these symptoms. So can another procedure known as angioplasty.
Most people do not have symptoms.
For most people, PAD does not cause symptoms. Those who do develop symptoms might get a heavy, tired feeling or cramping in the legs while walking that only goes away when they stop walking. Taking medicine, stopping smoking and walking more can actually reduce your symptoms and help keep PAD from getting worse.
Some doctors mistakenly recommend having surgery or angioplasty even if you do not have symptoms, or have minimal symptoms. However, this does not make people with PAD feel better or prevent future leg problems. Most people with PAD never develop problems that need surgery or angioplasty. This is because they do not have severe symptoms or because medicine and exercise work well enough to treat the pain and allow a normal lifestyle.
When do you need a procedure for PAD?
You and your doctor should consider surgery or angioplasty if:
See your doctor right away to be evaluated for a procedure if you have any of these signs:
Conditions: peripheral arterial disease (PAD), claudication
Procedures: angioplasty, arterial bypass surgery