A vascular doctor is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of arteries and veins. They can help you with a variety of issues that affect your blood vessels. Your family doctor can recommend a vascular doctor to help you with your specific issue.
Poor circulation most often requires a cardiologist for accurate diagnosis and treatment, and it is not easy to treat poor circulation without the assistance of a cardiologist. Therefore, it is important to see a cardiologist anytime multiple symptoms of poor circulation are present.
How is poor circulation treated? Your provider may order medicine for you or do surgery to: Open blocked arteries (angioplasty) or go around them (bypass). Remove a blood clot (catheter-assisted thrombus removal).
Start doing daily stretching, exercises, or yoga to increase blood flow. Do aerobic or cardio exercises to get your blood moving and your heart rate up. Wear compression stockings to encourage the blood to move from your legs back up to your heart. Eat a healthy diet to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Your extremities can display tingling or numbness, swelling, and heaviness. Poor circulation can even lead to gangrene of the extremities, which is the death of body tissue, which can potentially lead to amputation in severe cases. When blood isn't flowing properly, your extremities will fluctuate in temperature.
Potassium (Vitamin K)
Potassium is an essential mineral for many important bodily functions, including blood circulation. It keeps the blood vessel walls strong and can even help prevent bulging veins. Potassium can be found in a variety of healthy and tasty foods like bananas and avocados.
The narrowing of the arteries causes a decrease in blood flow. Symptoms include leg pain, numbness, cold legs or feet and muscle pain in the thighs, calves or feet. The arteries which supply blood to the leg originate from the aorta and iliac vessels.
A leg arterial exam is a test that looks at the blood circulation in the arteries of your arms or legs to see if there is any blockage.
The test: Gather a few pillows or cushions and use them to prop up both legs so they're at a 45-degree angle while you lie on your back. As you're resting, notice if your legs become paler or retain their original color throughout the span of a minute.
A simple, painless and noninvasive test called a duplex ultrasound can determine if you have bad circulation and the severity of the condition. Based on the severity of your condition, a vascular specialist doctor will determine the best treatment option for you.
Your first step in treating poor blood circulation is a visit to your vascular specialist. They may recommend an exercise and diet program and medication, but some patients see the most benefit from a vascular treatment such as angioplasty or bypass surgery.
Drinking plenty of water helps to improve your vein health in two ways: improving the overall circulation of the blood by thinning it and strengthening the muscles that support your veins.
MASSAGE AND BLOOD CIRCULATION
Good circulation brings damaged, tense muscles the oxygen rich blood they need to heal. Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique actually moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in.
Sleeping on your left side to make it easier for blood to flow in and around your heart. Keeping your arms at your sides instead of under or behind your head. Making sure your pillow supports your neck and spine and keeps them neutrally aligned.
The classic symptom of PAD is pain in the legs with physical activity, such as walking, that gets better after rest. However, up to 4 in 10 people with PAD have no leg pain. Symptoms of pain, aches, or cramps with walking (claudication) can happen in the buttock, hip, thigh, or calf.
Vascular pain often feels like an uncomfortable heaviness or throbbing sensation. It can also feel like an aching sensation. It usually affects your legs and can be worse with walking or exerting yourself.
Magnesium plays a role in blood circulation and neurotransmitter function and can help control pain by releasing pain-reducing hormones and constricting blood vessels.
Packed with potassium, bananas can help improve blood flow by lowering blood pressure. Too much sodium in your diet can cause high blood pressure, but potassium helps the kidneys remove extra sodium from your body, which then passes through your urine. This helps relax blood vessels and enable blood flow.
Magnesium glycinate is a good option as it is well absorbed and bioavailable. This makes it ideal for those needing to correct a deficiency.
Risks include cardiovascular failure, stroke, and complications such as infected skin ulcers or blood clots. If you have poor circulation, wounds heal more slowly and it takes longer to recover from illnesses. Elderly people with this condition and who are immobile are at greater risk of stroke and blood clots.
The most common conditions include obesity, diabetes, heart conditions and arterial issues. In fact, poor circulation can be a sneaky symptom of a serious vascular condition called Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).