Claudication is a health condition in which the cramping pain is felt in the lower leg following exercise. Claudication is caused by obstruction of arteries or inadequate flow of blood to the muscles. The pain is felt while walking and subsides with rest. This condition is influenced by narrowed or hardened arteries, which is associated with building-up of plaque inside the arteries. Although the narrowing of blood vessels commonly occurs in the thighs and behind the knees, the the plaque build-up can also occur in other parts of the body including aorta and groin. Claudication is a symptom present in people with conditions such as peripheral artery disease, spinal stenosis, and vasculitis. It is common among women aged between 40 and men above 60.
Peripheral artery disease occurs when narrowed blood vessels reduce the flow of oxygen rich blood to the limbs. The narrowing of blood vessels in PAD is caused by damage in the inner layers of the arteries. The blocked blood vessels can also burst causing blood clot which further hinders the normal flow of blood to the arteries. Spinal stenosis is a health condition caused by the narrowing of the spinal cord. This condition causes the nerves and the spinal cord not to have enough space. In other words, wear and tear on the spine prompts the formation of bone spur that can grows into the spinal canal. As a result, people experience numbness, cramping pain, and weakness.
Vasculitis is a condition that describes the inflammatory of blood vessels. The exact cause of vasculitis is not known. However, some specialists relate the condition with genetic makeup, others claim that it occurs when the immune system of the body attacks the blood vessels by mistake. Vasculitis causes thickening, weakening, or narrowing of the walls of the blood vessels. g