Many people suffer from ‘poor circulation.’ It’s a common term – but what does it really mean and how does it affect one’s health?
To begin, the circulatory system consists of the heart and blood vessels that move blood throughout the body, providing oxygen, nutrients and hormones to muscles, tissues and organs, and in turn, removing waste products, such as carbon dioxide.
Jones Thomas, M.D., a vascular surgeon with INTEGRIS Health Cardiovascular Physicians in Oklahoma City, says a diagnosis of poor circulation starts with a thorough review of one’s medical history, alongside a physical exam.
“Poor circulation can be due to multiple causes including poor heart function or blockage of blood vessels,” says Jones. “Poor circulation can manifest with various symptoms depending on the location and organs involved. One of the most commonly encountered situations with poor circulation is in the legs, and symptoms initially start with aching, cramping and tiredness of the feet and calves that comes on and worsens with walking, and improves with rest.”
However, patients with more advanced issues involving poor circulation may experience cramping and aching pain even while resting, as well as wounds on the feet that won’t heal. In addition, Jones says poor circulation in other areas of the body may show other symptoms. For example, poor circulation involving the heart could result in chest pain during exertion, involving the brain could result in strokes or mini strokes, and involving the abdomen/intestines could result in pain while at rest or while eating.
Despite where a person is experiencing discomfort, it’s important to not ignore the symptoms of poor circulation, but rather work to find the root cause.
“It is unlikely that blood vessels from only one part of your body would be affected with narrowing or blockages,” says Jones. “If you have poor circulation in one part of your body, it is likely that [narrowing vessels] are found throughout your body at various degrees of severity. Diseases including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or kidney disease can contribute to and accelerate narrowing and blockages of blood vessels throughout the body. If poor circulation is suspected, it is important to be evaluated for these other medical issues.”
For those wanting to try and improve their circulation, Jones says that in general, plaque buildup in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, cannot be reversed with diet or medications.
“However, progression of plaque buildup can be slowed down or even stopped by optimizing cardiovascular health factors such as blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as decreasing injury to the blood vessels from toxins, such as found in cigarettes,” he says, adding that smoking has by far the most detrimental effects on blood vessels and the circulatory system.
Jones says diet and exercise can strengthen your heart and muscles to work more efficiently, even in the setting of some mild to moderate vascular disease.
“Maintaining a healthy circulatory system goes hand-in-hand with maintaining a healthy lifestyle – cutting down on extra or unhealthy sugars, fats and toxins, exercising more and optimizing cardiovascular risk factors as discussed above,” says Jones.
