Poor foot circulation is actually the result of a combination of problems that make up Peripheral Vascular Disease. This is a medical condition to be taken seriously and is often treated by both a Podiatrist and the person’s medical doctor.
Peripheral Vascular Disease is simplified down to the fact that there is an overall lack or low blood flow to the lower extremities. This is a result of numerous different health problems. The most threatening of these health issues is what is commonly referred to as “hardening of the arteries”. The correct terminology is Arthrosclerosis. This requires immediate attention. Proper blood flow to the foot is vital to the healing process. This means that a lack of blood flow could result in an injury to the foot becoming much worse than what it would have been. It is for this very reason that both medical doctors and Podiatrists must work together in order to solve the problem of poor foot circulation.
If there is a tingling or numb feeling in the feet or lower portion of the leg then a medical doctor should be seen first. Peripheral Vascular Disease can require something simple like medication or more extreme cases could need surgery. This is where a surgical vascular doctor would come into play. There is nothing that a Podiatrist can do for the disease itself.
After the procedure has been completed to deal with the disease, the Podiatrist can aid in recovery and in helping to prevent further injury during the recovery process. While the foot has limited circulation, any ailments, even those such as corns and bunions can become potentially harmful for the person and their foot. This is where the Podiatrist must eliminate as many possible harmful issues as possible. It is a basic tag team effort between them and the medical doctor to treat the symptoms as well as the problem.
An example of how the Podiatrist can help to head off serious infections and such is by a simple procedure of cutting toenails. It is dangerous for someone with Peripheral Vascular Disease to clip their own toenails because if they nick or cut themselves they can have a health threatening infection. This happens because of the lack of blood flow to the foot. This is why it is vitally important for both types of doctors to work together when this disease is found.