Are There Any Limitations With a Pacemaker?
You’re getting a pacemaker to regulate the rhythm of your heart, and you want to know whether you need to make any changes to accommodate the new addition. There are a few, which we review here.
Why Do My Legs Feel Tired, Achy, and Heavy?
You’ve been on your feet all day, or you’ve gone for an unusually long walk, and your legs feel tired and achy. These are perfectly normal results of muscle fatigue, and the symptoms should clear once your legs get some much-needed rest.
If, however, you’re dealing with tired, heavy, or achy legs more days than not, and even the smallest amount of exercise spurs the symptoms on, a cardiovascular issue might be to blame.
As heart health experts, the team here at Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists is all too familiar with the many ways that cardiovascular issues can present themselves, and tired, heavy, and achy legs are on that list.
Let’s look at some of the cardiovascular culprits behind this common issue.
Chronic venous insufficiency
Getting blood to and from your legs is more challenging than other body parts because of distance and gravity.
To aid in the return trip of blood to your heart, the veins in your legs contain tiny, one-way valves that open and close as blood flows upward, preventing it from spilling backward. If these valves weaken, blood isn’t getting back up to your heart and lungs for oxygen as efficiently.
Called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), this condition affects about 6 to 7 million Americans, and a common sign of the problem is legs that feel heavy, achy, or tired.
An outward sign of CVI is varicose veins, which occur when blood pools and engorges a vein, forcing it to the surface of the skin
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Now, let’s head in the other direction, away from your heart. Your arteries are responsible for delivering oxygenated blood to your body, but if the arteries are blocked or narrowed, the amount of blood that flows through is limited.
The effect of this limited blood flow is often felt in your legs, which aren’t getting enough oxygen. When this occurs, any activity can lead to legs that feel heavy, fatigued, and uncomfortable, if not painful.
PAD affects between 7 to 12 million Americans, and about half develop symptoms in the legs.
Heart failure
If you have heart failure, a condition in which your heart isn’t able to pump enough oxygenated blood to your body, it can lead to edema, or fluid buildup in your legs.
As a result of the edema, your legs can feel very tired and heavy.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
This is a condition in which you have a clot in one of the deep veins in your leg, usually only on one side. When this occurs, you can experience pain in that leg, often described as throbbing or aching.
As noted, several potential cardiovascular-related issues can lead to sluggish and uncomfortable legs. That said, plenty of other issues, such as a compressed nerve in your back, can also lead to leg symptoms.
From where we stand, tired, heavy, and achy legs are often the first signs of a cardiovascular issue, so we urge you to get checked out if the symptoms are ongoing.
To rule out or confirm a cardiovascular issue, you can start by contacting our office in Mountain View, California, to set up a consultation.
You Might Also Enjoy...
I Can't Catch My Breath When I Exercise. Is This Serious?
You want to get (or stay) in shape, so you make exercise a top priority. These days, however, you’re struggling with catching your breath when you exercise and you want to know why. Let’s take a look.
The 3 Most Important Steps You Can Take to Prevent Heart Disease
Consider this: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States, yet 90% of heart disease is preventable if you take action in three key areas. We review those areas here.
Why Is High Blood Pressure Dangerous?
You hear a lot about high blood pressure being bad, but why exactly is that? Here, we get back to basics to explain why this condition is linked to so many serious issues, including heart attack and stroke.
Heart Disease Runs in My Family: Am I at a Higher Risk?
We inherit a lot of things from our family that range from eye and hair color to certain health issues and risks. When it comes to heart disease, family history can play a large role.
3 Effective Treatment Options for Arrhythmia
Millions of Americans live with an arrhythmia — or irregular heart rhythm — and most don’t require intervention. That said, plenty of people do have potentially problematic arrhythmias and here’s how we treat them.