Poor Circulation

Poor Circulation in Legs: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment

Blood is the body’s delivery system for oxygen and nutrients. For the body to thrive, blood needs to circulate without restriction between the heart, lungs, and various other organs and tissues. Symptoms of poor blood flow are most often noticed in the legs, but circulatory problems can impact overall health in various ways.

If you notice common symptoms of poor circulation, such as tingling or numbness in your legs and feet or a feeling of heaviness in the legs, there may be a problem with your circulatory health. These problems are often related to damaged veins or arteries, making blood circulation difficult. Understanding what leads to poor circulation and what treatments are available to restore healthy circulation is important.

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What Is Poor Circulation?

Poor circulation is a condition in which blood flow to certain body parts is reduced. As a result, the delivery of vital oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs is impaired, as is the removal of metabolic waste products. Understanding the symptoms and signs of poor blood flow in the legs and feet can help avoid progression.

Symptoms of Poor Blood Circulation in the Legs

The heart pumps blood throughout the body, including down to the legs. When that blood travels back to the heart through the leg veins, it’s working against gravity. As a result, veins in the legs have a tough job and are particularly vulnerable to damage. Vein disease most often occurs in the lower extremities and is a key reason for circulatory problems. These are the signs of poor circulation in the legs and feet:

Cold Feet

Healthy blood flow is a major way the body maintains an even temperature. Reduced blood flow to the extremities can cause them to feel colder than body parts closer to the core. This is most likely to occur in the feet and legs but can also affect the hands.

Swelling of the Legs, Ankles, or Feet

When your veins can’t push blood upward toward your heart, it can collect in your lower extremities. This blood pooling puts extra pressure on the area, causing fluid buildup and swelling. This can also make the legs feel heavy or fatigued. 

Muscle Cramping in the Calves

Muscles require good blood flow to supply nutrients and prevent waste products from building up. When blood flow is inconsistent, muscle aches, pains, or cramps may occur, especially in the lower legs. Muscle cramps due to poor circulation tend to occur at night while resting. 

Numbness and Tingling

Poor blood flow can impact the nerves, leading to a tingling or numbing sensation in the legs, feet, or hands. Since movement helps with blood flow, this sensation usually occurs in the morning or after sitting or lying down for long periods.

Changes in Skin Color

When blood doesn’t flow properly in the legs, fluid or materials from the buildup of blood can leak into the skin, leading to skin discoloration. The lower legs might appear splotchy, with dark red or brown areas. 

Venous Ulcers

The body’s ability to heal from an injury depends on good blood flow because repairing damage requires lots of nutrients. When poor circulation impairs healing, a break in the skin on your leg can become larger and more painful and may form an ulcer. Without treatment, venous ulcers take a long time to heal or may not heal at all.

Varicose Veins

When blood pools in your veins due to poor circulation, it puts pressure on them and causes them to expand. Over time, varicose veins can develop, becoming thicker and bulging through the skin. 

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Other Symptoms of Poor Circulation

Because proper circulation is important for the whole body, problems with blood flow can lead to health issues in areas besides the legs. Therefore, people with poor circulation may experience a wide range of symptoms. Weaker nails and hair, gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, or problems with memory and concentration can all be symptoms of bad circulation.

Certain conditions related to poor circulation, including vein disease and atherosclerosis, can increase the risk of developing blood clots. This can further restrict blood flow and can lead to serious conditions, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism. 

What Leads to Poor Circulation?

Poor circulation usually starts with an issue with the blood vessels. There are two main ways this can happen: The veins become damaged, a condition called vein disease, or the arteries narrow and harden, a condition called atherosclerosis. 

Risk Factors for Poor Circulation

Many factors can contribute to these types of circulatory issues. High blood pressure or being overweight both put greater physical stress on the veins and can cause damage over time. Since movement helps keep blood flowing, a sedentary lifestyle also stresses the circulatory system more.

Blood vessels are also affected by what’s in the blood flowing through them. The content of the diet, for example, can contribute to plaque buildup on the inside of arteries. Smoking and diabetes can both lead to higher concentrations of chemicals in the blood that can damage veins. 

Maintaining healthy habits can help prevent circulatory issues or prevent them from getting worse. But as with all areas of health, factors beyond our control, including age and genetics, also impact circulation. 

Vein Disease

Vein disease, also known as venous insufficiency, occurs when the tiny vein valves that keep blood flowing in one direction become damaged and malfunction. An estimated 150,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with vein disease each year. This condition is often associated with varicose veins and spider veins, leg swelling, cramping, and heaviness.

Atherosclerosis

When fatty deposits build up along the walls of the arteries, the blood flow passage begins to narrow, restricting circulation and making the arteries less flexible.

Atherosclerosis in the upper and lower limbs can cause peripheral artery disease (PAD). Some people with PAD will experience symptoms that are similar to vein disease symptoms, including leg pain, numbness, and weakness. 

What Should You Do if You Notice Signs of Poor Circulation?

There are a few ways to address blood flow issues. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and keeping conditions like diabetes and hypertension under control can benefit circulation and overall health. Compression stockings can also help circulation by preventing blood from pooling in the legs.

It’s a good idea to ask a doctor about circulation-related health concerns. Because symptoms of poor blood flow can be related to conditions like vein disease, specialized treatment may be the best way to alleviate symptoms.

Consult With a Vein Specialist

If symptoms persist, it may be time to schedule an appointment with a vein specialist. A vein doctor will examine your veins to determine why you have blood circulation issues. Our doctors use ultrasound imaging to examine the health of the veins and track the flow of blood through them. They use this information to form a diagnosis and develop treatment options. 

Treatments for poor circulation are available. At USA Vein Clinics, our doctors treat vein disease using non-surgical procedures that can be performed in our outpatient treatment centers. 

Vein Treatments 

Our doctors provide a range of minimally invasive treatments to address damaged veins. These procedures work by identifying a damaged vein and closing and sealing it off, allowing the body to restore blood flow from the other healthy veins. These treatments typically take less than an hour and allow the patient to go home directly afterward.

Vein ablation procedures involve insertion of a tiny tube into the problem vein, which is used to cause the damaged vein to close. Common methods to close the vein use either laser light, radio waves, a chemical agent, or foam supplied through the inserted tube. The tube is then removed and a small bandage is placed over the entry incision. The closed vein is eventually reabsorbed into the body.

Varicose and spider vein treatments we offer:

• Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT)
• ClariVein®
• Varithena Vein Treatment
• Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy
• VenaSeal™ Treatment
• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)

Our trusted doctors recommend the best treatment for each patient’s unique needs, including referrals to another specialist if appropriate. We aim to alleviate our patients’ symptoms and ensure they can return to enjoying life.

Find a vein center near you today and schedule a consultation with one of our expert vein specialists. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Poor Circulation

What are the symptoms of poor circulation?

Poor circulation can lead to various symptoms, including tingling in the hands and feet, muscle cramps, or signs of damage to the veins, like raised varicose veins or swelling in the legs. People can also experience more generalized symptoms of poor blood flow, like low energy levels, digestive problems, or cognitive issues.

What are the health risks of poor circulation?

All of the body’s systems depend on circulating blood, and so poor blood flow can affect health and well-being in many ways. The health of the legs and feet is most often affected. Poor circulation also increases the chance of developing blood clots, which can result in serious health risks like deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

How to treat poor circulation?

Maintaining healthy habits with a balanced diet and regular exercise can help circulation. In cases where damaged blood vessels are the cause, vein specialists can provide a range of treatments that can improve circulation.

What leads to bad circulation?

Conditions that affect blood flow through the veins and arteries can lead to bad circulation. 

Many conditions, like high blood pressure, diabetes, or arterial plaque development, can narrow the arteries or damage vein valves and walls, both restricting blood flow.

How do you know if you have poor blood circulation?

Many potential signs of poor circulation are easily noticeable, like cold feet, tingling sensations, or swelling in the lower extremities. Other conditions connected to circulation have many possible causes, such as fatigue. Visiting a doctor or vein specialist can help determine the reason for these symptoms, and if vein damage is discovered, provide appropriate treatment.

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