Doug Fugate loves to travel. But going places can require lots of walking and long-stretches of sitting — in cars, trains, or airplanes. And that can be tricky because Fugate has peripheral artery disease (PAD), in which narrowed arteries prevent blood from flowing easily to his legs and arms. Fugate, who’s 58 and lives in … Read more
At first, Douglas Salisbury’s peripheral artery disease, or PAD, crimped his sex life in small ways. “Cramping in my calves during sex was the most obvious related issue,” says the 60-year-old retired chemical dependency counselor. Salisbury managed the cramps by drinking extra water before sex. He also tried applying ancient magnesium oil to the skin … Read more
Can you walk more? That may be the last question that you want to hear when you have a blood vessel condition called peripheral arterial disease, or PAD. Even walking short distances, as you likely know, may cause your legs to cramp up. But doctors say that if you push yourself to move more often … Read more
Long walks around his hilly Pittsburgh neighborhood turned scary for Jagdish Bhatnagar when his left calf started hurting so badly, he had to rest on the side of the road. Diagnosed in early 2021 with peripheral artery disease (PAD), the 83-year-old retired medical physicist knew blocked blood vessels in his leg were causing his severe … Read more
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) develops over time. And in the early stages, you may not realize it’s happening. But there are things you can do to lower your odds of ever getting PAD. The first step is to understand how it takes hold, if you’re at risk, and how it happens. PAD happens when certain … Read more
Rodney McKinley found out he had peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in 2011, when his frequent walks dissolved into searing pain. “When I would lay down in bed to sleep, it felt like someone had a blowtorch under my toes,” he says. McKinley had bypass surgery in his groin — with 32 staples — and two … Read more
Cheryl Wilson went from running 5K races to struggling to walk a few blocks. When it happened, Wilson, a 63-year-old wellness coach from Chesapeake, VA, shrugged it off as a charley horse. But the pain persisted for weeks and made walking unbearable. So Wilson finally went to see her doctor. “Anytime I walked a short … Read more
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects your blood flow. But its signs and symptoms can show up on your skin. Many people with PAD notice changes on the skin of their feet and legs, such as: Cool to the touch Redness or changes in color Changes in texture (skin can be brittle or shiny in spots) … Read more