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Intermittent claudication is a symptom and is by definition diagnosed by a patient reporting a history of leg pain with walking relieved by rest. However, as other conditions such as sciatica can mimic intermittent claudication, testing is often performed to confirm the diagnosis of peripheral artery disease .
Claudication that appears after a short amount of walking may sometimes be described by US medical professionals by the number of typical city street blocks that the patient can walk before the onset of claudication. Thus, "one-block claudication" appears after walking one block, "two-block claudication" appears after walking two blocks, etc.
Neurogenic claudication (NC), also known as pseudoclaudication, is the most common symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and describes intermittent leg pain from impingement of the nerves emanating from the spinal cord. [1] [2] Neurogenic means that the problem originates within the nervous system.
Symptoms may also include intermittent claudication or pain at rest. In late stages, paresthesia is replaced by anesthesia (numbness) due to death of nerve cells. [ 11 ] In severe cases, gangrene can occur suddenly and spread rapidly, [ 12 ] and should be treated within six hours of ischaemia.
Critical limb ischemia is diagnosed by the presence of ischemic rest pain, and an ulcers that will not heal or gangrene due to insufficient blood flow. [3] Insufficient blood flow may be confirmed by ankle-brachial index (ABI), ankle pressure, toe-brachial index (TBI), toe systolic pressure, transcutaneous oxygen measurement (TcpO2 ), or skin perfusion pressure (SPP).
Of patients with intermittent claudication, only "7% will undergo lower-extremity bypass surgery, 4% major amputations, and 16% worsening claudication", but stroke and heart attack events are elevated, and the "5-year mortality rate is estimated to be 30% (versus 10% in controls)". [84]
The symptoms are caused by ischemia of the tissues. Intermittent claudication is manifested by pain, (cramping), numbness, and fatigue in the muscles on exercise. These symptoms are relieved by rest. There may be “rest pain” at night when in bed. Also increased sensitivity to cold, muscular weakness, stiffness of the joints, and paresthesia .
Compartment syndrome usually presents within a few hours of an inciting event, but may present anytime up to 48 hours after. [9] The limb affected by compartment syndrome is often associated with a firm, wooden feeling or a deep palpation, and is usually described as feeling tight.