“PAD is often called the silent killer because you may have it and not even know,” said Rainwater.
PAD (peripheral artery disease), or poor circulation, is one of those conditions that people tend to ignore. “If you find yourself needing to rest because your leg cramps when you walk even a short distance, or at night you need to stand up to relieve a cramp in your foot, that’s your legs and feet telling you they need help,” said Dr. Joel Rainwater, chief medical officer of Comprehensive Integrated Care (CiC).
“PAD is often called the silent killer because you may have it and not even know,” said Rainwater. Its diagnosis is often delayed and not identified until it has progressed. “It’s not normal to have difficulty walking to your mailbox, it’s not normal to have constant leg pain or cramping.”
These symptoms are also very similar to those of neuropathy, which include difficulty walking without taking a break, burning, tingling, numbness and/or pain. “When I see a patient who has been told they have neuropathy and they’ve been maximized on medication that’s not working, I know there may be something else causing it and one of the big, notorious offenders in that scenario is PAD,” said Rainwater. And in some cases, PAD could be making neuropathy symptoms worse.
PAD is caused by the buildup of fatty material inside the arteries. This build-up occurs gradually and hardens into plaque inside the artery, restricting blood flow. Without an adequate blood supply, the body can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to maintain healthy legs and feet.
“This is something we can fix,” explained Rainwater. “The good news about PAD, is that there’s hope. There is treatment and it’s excellent, it’s been one of the biggest success stories in all of medicine.” Patients are able to get back on their feet and everyday living with almost no downtime, no stitches and no overnight hospital stay. Medicare as well as most insurance plans will cover treatment.
“I’m here to tell patients that there are options, all they have to do is ask. They might have to ask a different doctor, but they don’t have to live with the idea that they’re going to suffer for the rest of their life,” said Rainwater. His best advice: “Go look for answers.” FBN
By Reisha Zang
Reisha Zang is the executive director of marketing and communications at Comprehensive Integrated Care.