Home Remedies and Herbs for Intermittent Claudication

Intermittent claudication refers to pain that occurs due to low blood flow. This typically affects the legs but can happen in the arms as well.¹ It most often happens during exercise, such as walking, but in some cases, the pain can occur when the patient is at rest.^1,2 The pain typically comes and goes.Intermittent claudication is itself a symptom of an underlying condition. It’s most often associated with peripheral artery disease and affects up to half of these patients.² 

What Causes Intermittent Claudication?

Intermittent claudication occurs when blood flow decreases and the arteries become blocked, causing a crampy sensation, usually in the legs.² Intermittent claudication causes most commonly include peripheral artery disease. This condition is a form of atherosclerosis affecting the arms and legs.³ Atherosclerosis refers to hardening of the arteries, causing plaque build-up and narrowed arteries that reduces blood flow. This reduced blood flow results in less oxygenated blood to the muscles, which they need in order to contract.³ Risk factors for peripheral artery disease include:^2,4

• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Unhealthy cholesterol levels
• Old age
• Family history of atherosclerosis
• Obesity

Other intermittent claudication causes can include:³

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Deep venous thrombosis
• Spinal stenosis
• Certain musculoskeletal conditions

Intermittent Claudication Symptoms

Intermittent claudication symptoms include:

• Muscle pain or achiness
• Muscle cramping
• Fatigue
• Nonspecific discomfort

These symptoms usually arise during exercise and go away within a few minutes of rest. Symptoms are most common in the calf muscle where the popliteal artery runs, though it can also affect the major thigh artery, called the femoral artery, which leads to thigh pain. Pain can also occur in the buttocks. 
In most patients, pain affects both legs, but it’s not uncommon to only affect one at a time.² Additional intermittent claudication symptoms can include discolored skin or ulcerations, which happens due to a severe decrease in blood flow.⁵ In severe cases, sores are slow to heal and can become infected, leading to limb amputations.⁶

Treatment for intermittent claudication will depend on the cause as it is a symptom rather than a condition itself. Your doctor may prescribe medications or suggest treatments like angioplasty or vascular surgery.⁷ Lifestyle changes can also help in preventing and treating peripheral artery disease, and certain intermittent claudication herbal remedies may help open blood vessels and reduce pain. Talk to your doctor to receive a proper diagnosis.

References

1. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/claudication/basics/definition/con-20033581
2. http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/peripheral-artery-disease-and-intermittent-claudication
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/claudication/basics/causes/con-20033581
4. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/claudication/basics/risk-factors/con-20033581
5. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/claudication/basics/symptoms/con-20033581
6. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/claudication/basics/complications/con-20033581