The Dangers of Resting Pain
If you have Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), you may be experiencing intermittent pain, cramping, or fatigue while walking or doing something active. It is essential to monitor PAD! If ignored, PAD can deteriorate into Critical Limb Ischemia. Simply put, ischemia is a decline in the supply of blood and oxygen to a part of the body which may result in tissue death. A decrease in circulation causes pain when a person is resting. Patients with PAD are typically affected in their legs and feet.
Ischemic rest pain is extremely dangerous and puts patients at risk for limb loss and gangrene. Ischemic rest pain will commonly wake a person up during sleep because of the intense discomfort. With PAD comes claudication, where pain, cramping, or limping is experienced when walking and is relieved by resting. When the pain happens when a patient is resting, this is a sign that the blockage has reached a critical stage.
Resting pain generally occurs at night when a person is asleep. The reason for this is because blood pressure is at its lowest when we sleep. The decrease in blood pressure affects circulation, especially when there is a blockage in the lower extremities. Arterial obstruction will cause a decline in vascular perfusion (the passage of blood to an organ or tissue) when blood pressure drops. This drop in perfusion robs the affected tissue of oxygen and blood nutrition, which causes agony at night.
Some patients will describe resting pain as being awakened from their sleep and noticing that the front of their feet really hurts. They also feel like their foot has been dunked in ice, and they have to sit up and put their leg over the bed. This is caused by not having enough blood flow.
This rest pain is a sign that you need to be immediately evaluated by a vascular surgeon. Rest pain can be a sign of severe blockage and can result in amputation. Time is of the essence! If you are experiencing nightly wakeup calls due to pain, get evaluated as soon as possible by an experienced vascular surgeon who specializes in PAD and ischemic resting pain, like Dr. David Nabi.
Getting a consultation and treatment by a specialist can prevent the loss of your limbs.