Symptoms of Poor Circulation In this article, we will focus on the symptoms of poor circulation and when you should seek medical help. Signs of Poor Circulation 1. Varicose Veins If the valves in the veins of the legs are damaged, your blood will find it difficult to get back to the heart. This results in engorged veins and will eventually cause varicosities in the legs. Varicose veins are more common to those who regularly stand for long periods. 2. Painful Muscle Cramping The most common symptom of poor circulation is claudication, described as muscle discomfort or painful cramping, particularly in the legs. This is felt when you exercise or walk and usually disappears after resting your legs. The muscles that are most involved are the hips, thighs or calves. Claudication happens if there is a hindrance to the normal blood flow. For example, in atherosclerosis, where there is a buildup of cholesterol plaques in the blood vessels, the muscles cannot get enough blood during physical activity. The cramping pain is the muscle’s way of warning you that it is not getting enough blood during exercise to meet its increased demand. 3. Numbness or Weakness Reduced blood flow to different body parts may cause slow and irreversible damage to the nerves, which may be felt as tingling, numbness or weakness in that area. This is particularly alarming because having numbness on the extremities decreases your skin’s sensitivity to pain. As a result, there may be instances where your skin has already been damaged or wounded, but you cannot feel it. 4. Temperature Differences in the Extremities Poor circulation can lead to fluctuations in your skin’s temperature regulation. For example, reduced blood flow to your hands or feet may make them colder than the other parts of your body. To assess the temperature of your skin, you can use the back of your hands for a more accurate assessment. 5. Wounds That Do Not Heal or Heal Slowly Wounds heal by the different components and cells delivered through the bloodstream to the affected area. When blood flow is compromised, the healing process takes much longer and may even lead to infections. Even the slightest break in the skin may lead to catastrophic changes that could lead to amputation, especially in people with diabetes. 6. Change of Skin Color When there is insufficient blood flow, the skin may appear pale or blue (cyanosis). The change of color in the skin indicates that the oxygen-rich blood is unable to reach those tissues. The commonly affected body parts that may have this symptom are the toes, fingers, palms, soles and lips. [youmaylike] 7. Poor Hair or Nail Growth Hair and nails need the nutrients in your body to keep them healthy. Nutrients are delivered to the hair and nails through the blood. Therefore, any blockage or hindrance of the normal circulation of blood may affect the growth of healthy hair and nails, which can lead to hair loss or poor nail growth. 8. Shiny Skin on Legs Shiny skin on the legs can indicate that the skin stretched due to excess fluids in the legs. Poor circulation can cause blood pooling in the legs, resulting in fluid leakage from the blood vessels to the surrounding tissues. In turn, the skin will stretch, giving it a shiny appearance. 9. Weak Pulses When blood flow is restricted, the usual, brisk pulses on the extremities become weaker. Doctors usually include this in their physical examination to rule out any peripheral arterial disease. 10. Erectile Dysfunction in Men The penis is made up mostly of blood vessels. Penile erection happens because the arteries of the penis are filled up with blood to elongate and stiffen the organ. When there is poor circulation, blood cannot fill up the blood vessels in the penis. Most cases of impotence are a complication primarily of the arterial system. What is Poor Circulation? Poor circulation is not a condition in itself, but having any of its symptoms may indicate more serious conditions, such as: Peripheral artery disease (PAD). Uncontrolled diabetes. Blood clots. Atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty deposits in the vessels). Heart conditions. Having poor circulation may not be apparent initially. Still, whether you experience symptoms or not, it is important to be aware of them early on to help detect the underlying cause. For example, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and obesity are all factors that increase the likelihood of a person experiencing poor circulation symptoms. In Review The symptoms of poor circulation may vary for each person. In general, conditions that cause poor circulation are easier to treat when your doctor detects it early. If you experience any of these symptoms and suspect that it may be caused by a dysfunction in your normal blood circulation, it is essential that you see your doctor for assessment and treatment right away.
CP and CPPS: What is It?
Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a condition that affects the urinary or genital organs. The disease is an inflammation of the prostate and irritation of the nerves around it characterized by chronic pain and discomfort intervals.
The disease is poorly understood and presently has no cure. It causes erectile dysfunction, urinary and bowel problems that undermine a man’s quality of life and often lead to depression.
Symptoms and Causes of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common form of prostatitis. Some symptoms include:
- Pelvic pain
- Sexual dysfunction, including painful ejaculations
- Difficulty or pain passing urine, voiding challenges, or burning sensation while urinating
- Irregular intervals of pain in the bladder, testicles, and penis and up to the anus
For a person to get a CPPS diagnosis, the pelvic pain must have persisted for at least six months. While the exact cause of CPPS is unknown, doctors think either a recurring infection or inflammation of the prostate due to physical trauma may be the cause of it. The initial infection or physical trauma to the pelvic goes undetected, causing nerve damage to the genitourinary (urinary and genital organs) area. With time, the damage spreads to the bladder, ligaments, and pelvic floor muscles. If treatment is not given immediately, it results in pain sensitivity in the pelvic area.
Some risk factors of CPPS include occasions for bacteria entering your body, such as:
- A catheter or an equivalent device that’s placed in the urethra to help drain urine.
- Urinary tract disorders such as urinary tract infections (UTI) or interstitial cystitis, among others.
Diagnosis
A CPPS diagnosis entails using a scoring matrix to eliminate other diseases and checking against any prevalent comorbidities. The tool used to score the symptom is called the International Prostate Symptom Score.
Another tool called the UNPOINT is increasingly becoming popular in the diagnosis of CPPS. The tool classifies the symptoms according to:
- Urinary
- Psychosocial
- Organ-specific
- Infection
- Neurological/systemic
- Tenderness
After the scoring, the doctor or examiner will then undertake physical examinations to assess the abdomen and external genitalia. The examiner may also perform a digital rectal examination. The digital exam will show if the prostate is tender on palpation. It also enables the doctor to examine the pelvic floor muscles and their ability to contract or relax.
Lastly, the medical examiner may want to rule out other pain-causing pathogens. The examiner may carry out additional tests such as:
- Urine dipstick test or an early morning urine specimen
- Urethral swab and culture if urethritis becomes a concern
- Uroflowmetry to calculate the flow rate of your urine
- Retrograde urethrography and a bladder scan to determine the ease at which urine flows from the bladder
- Cystoscopy to examine the lining of the bladder and exclude other causes such as a stricture
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) to help rule out the possibility of pus in the prostate
- A blood test to measure prostate-specific antigen PSA levels to rule out prostate cancer
Afterward, the examiner will check for evidence of sexual abuse and will test for depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as comorbidity. He or she may also subject you to a self-assessment questionnaire to better understand your pain levels and mental health.
Treatment Options for CPPS
CPPS is treated using antibiotics, anti-inflammation medication, or alpha-blockers.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections that may be the underlying cause of CPPS. However, there is some controversy around using antibiotics because doctors prescribe them even when patients do not test positive for bacterial infection.
The doctors who prescribe antibiotics without a negative test believe bacteria may be present in the prostrate's glands or stroma without entering the urinary tract.
However, antibiotics can only be used for a limited time, usually four weeks, especially for newly diagnosed patients. The antibiotics used in this case are those with non-inflammation properties.
Anti-inflammation Medication
Aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen reduce the pain men experience when dealing with chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome. However, NSAIDs are not effective by themselves and are used together with alpha-blockers.
Alpha-Blockers
Doctors use alpha-blockers to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) prescribed for CPPS because it relaxes the urinary tract muscles, allowing the free passing of urine. However, research shows that men newly diagnosed with CPPS are more likely to respond positively to alpha-blockers. The effectiveness of alpha-blockers diminishes after a six-month treatment course.