Are You Experiencing Poor Circulation?

Poor circulation can develop in anyone, but it's more common in middle age and in those who are overweight, have diabetes or smoke. A number of conditions can cause poor circulation, and it's often a warning sign that you have an underlying medical condition that requires treatment. Poor circulation can be defined as the insufficient flow of blood to some parts of your body. This leads to impaired cell functioning in the affected parts of your body due to cells not getting the amount of oxygen they require. Read on to learn about the symptoms of poor circulation, common causes and treatment options.

Symptoms Of Poor Circulation

Poor circulation often affects the parts of your body that are furthest away from your heart, such as your toes and fingers. It's typical to feel tingling, numbness or pain in the affected areas and these parts of your body will also feel cold and the skin may appear pale or even blue. Other symptoms of poor circulation include localised swelling, muscle pain or weakness, bulging veins and chest pain.

Common Causes Of Poor Circulation

Common conditions that reduce blood flow efficiency include high blood pressure, diabetes and atherosclerosis. High blood pressure weakens the walls of your blood vessels and inhibits blood flow, while high levels of glucose in your blood can cause structural damage to your blood vessels. Atherosclerosis causes your arteries to narrow, which impedes the flow of blood. Deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins can also cause poor circulation, as can Raynaud's disease. This is a condition that causes the narrowing of the blood vessels in your fingers and toes when you experience stress or are exposed to low temperatures.

Treating Poor Circulation

In order to treat poor circulation effectively, your doctor will need to identify what's causing it. They will run blood tests to check for diabetes, high cholesterol and organ function, and you may be referred for an angiography. This is a diagnostic imaging procedure that looks at how well blood is flowing through your heart and blood vessels. A stress test may also be recommended, and this measures how well your heart pumps blood around your body while you are performing physical activity, such as walking on a treadmill.

Treatment for poor circulation can include medication to control your blood pressure and blood glucose levels, statins to prevent any further narrowing of your arteries and blood thinning medication to prevent blockages and clots. Surgery may be required to remove varicose veins or to open up blocked arteries and restore sufficient blood flow. Your doctor can also give you lifestyle advice and can refer you to appropriate support services, such as a dietician or smoking cessation clinic.

If you're experiencing poor circulation, don't brush it off as a minor inconvenience. Make an appointment with a doctor to establish what's causing it and get a treatment plan in place.

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