Matters of the Heart

Did you know that your feet can hold clues about potential problems with your heart? Yes, our often-neglected feet that are often shoved into shoes most of the day can provide critical signs of heart issues. When talking about “matters of the heart” it’s not as romantic to consider our feet, but they are definitely worth taking a look at every once in a while (and by once in a while we mean daily). 

This month our office is celebrating heart health by emphasizing the importance of checking our feet for signs of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD is a condition that occurs when arteries of the lower extremity start to narrow due to plaques. This affects blood flow to the lower limbs and feet.

The more common symptoms of PAD are pain in your calf area while walking, pain in legs and/or feet when elevated, loss of hair on the feet (particularly if you are a hairy person in general), change in color of the feet, or cuts or wounds that are slow to heal. These are just a few signs.

Risk factors include:

•History or current use of tobacco products

•Diabetes

•Hypertension

•High cholesterol

•Individuals over the age of 50

•Family history

•Sedentary lifestyle 

If you are concerned that you may have PAD you should call and schedule an appointment with our office. You will be glad you did. The earlier PAD is diagnosed the more effective your treatment options can be.