Vascular disorders are common and often create a barrier for people to live the life they would like. Veins and arteries are vitally important to the function and wellbeing of every individual. As such, when the flow of blood is disrupted, a person can experience disability, distress, and become discouraged regarding their functional ability. In most cases, vascular disorders are incredibly treatable, even without surgery.
Peripheral Arterial (Vascular) Disease (or PAD/PVD), is a common condition where narrowed arteries in the leg or legs prevent regular blood flow. This usually causes pain and/or cramping in the muscles of the hip, thigh, or calf when walking or exercising.
Venous insufficiency occurs when the valves in the veins are not functioning properly (or insufficient), and the blood which should be going back to the heart pools in the legs. This can also be caused by compression of veins in the pelvis, which causes back-pressure.
People mostly know varicose veins as the large, bumpy veins seen snaking down the leg. These enlarged veins are caused when the valves in the veins–that help move the blood from the feet back upward toward the heart—don’t work properly.