Imagine this: after walking just a few hundred meters, you are forced to stop. You pretend to talk on the phone or look at a shop window, just to wait for that sharp pain and heaviness in your legs to fade. Sounds familiar?
Many people mistakenly put this down to fatigue or old age. However, this is actually a serious red flag from your body. In medicine, this symptom is called “intermittent claudication,” and it is the primary sign of atherosclerosis of the lower extremity arteries.
What is Happening inside Your Vessels?
Arteries are the “highways” of our body, delivering oxygen-rich blood to the muscles. In atherosclerosis, cholesterol plaques accumulate on the arterial walls. Over the years, they narrow the vessel’s lumen, blocking the free flow of blood.
At rest, your legs need very little blood, so you feel fine.
When walking, the muscles require twice as much oxygen, but the narrowed vessel cannot deliver it. The muscles begin to “suffocate,” which triggers a sharp, cramping pain.
⚠️ Attention: If left untreated, the pain will start to bother you even at rest, especially at night. Neglected atherosclerosis leads to skin ulcers, tissue death, and, in the worst-case scenario, amputation (loss of the leg).
Who is at Risk?
Vessel blockage accelerates if you smoke (the most significant risk factor), have diabetes, suffer from high blood pressure, or lead a sedentary lifestyle.
How to Get Your Light Walk Back: There is a Solution
Atherosclerosis is not a life sentence when an experienced specialist takes charge. Modern medicine makes it possible to stop the disease and fully restore blood flow using minimally invasive methods (stenting, angioplasty) without large incisions.
But the first and most crucial step is accurate diagnosis.
🎯 The Guardian of Your Mobility and Safety: PulseMed MC
Don’t wait until the disease robs you of the joy of moving freely. At PulseMed Medical Center, the extensive expertise of vascular surgeon Ani Abovyan, combined with the clinic’s latest-generation duplex (ultrasound) equipment, allows us to assess the true condition of your vessels within minutes and create a personalized, effective treatment plan.
By choosing us, you get:
Top-tier expertise by vascular surgeon Ani Abovyan.
Accurate diagnosis—painless and error-free.
A clear roadmap to prevent disease progression and complications.
📅 Don’t Waste Time: Book Your Visit Now
Vascular problems only worsen over time. Don’t let pain dictate your daily schedule.