Symptoms of PAD You Need to Know

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) develops when arteries that carry blood to your arms and legs get narrower or blocked due to plaque buildup. 

PAD restricts blood flow, and one of the most well-known symptoms is leg pain during exercise. However, the condition can also present in other ways.

Limited blood flow can cause discomfort and raise your risk of serious complications like non-healing wounds, infection, and even a heart attack or stroke. Being alert to a range of symptoms is key to early detection and effective management.

Our team at Vascular & Interventional Specialists helps people recognize warning signs of PAD and find the right path to treatment, so here’s a look at the symptoms of PAD beyond the classic calf cramps you may have heard about or experienced.

1. Pain or discomfort in your legs while at rest

While intermittent leg pain during walking or activity is talked about a lot, PAD can also cause discomfort when you’re not moving, especially as the disease progresses. Rest pain typically feels like:

• A persistent ache, burning, or throbbing in your feet or lower legs
• Pain that worsens when lying down and improves when you dangle your legs off the edge of the bed
• Nighttime discomfort or leg cramps that interrupt sleep

These sensations can happen when blood flow at rest is insufficient to meet your muscles’ needs, and it can be a sign of more advanced PAD that requires prompt evaluation.

2. Skin changes on your legs or feet

Your skin, like your other tissues, relies on blood flow to stay healthy, and restricted blood flow due to PAD can affect its appearance and integrity. Watch for changes like:

• Pale, bluish, or discolored skin on your feet or lower legs
• Cool to the touch compared with other areas of your body
• Shiny or tight skin texture
• Thinning hair on your legs

These changes reflect poor circulation and are easy to overlook until someone points them out. Early recognition can help you get the correct diagnosis and start the intervention that fits your needs.

3. Slow- or non-healing sores

One of the most concerning signs of PAD is sores or ulcers on your feet or lower legs that seem to be healing very slowly or not at all. 

Wound healing requires adequate blood flow, and PAD can cause issues like chronic wounds, ulcers that don’t respond to typical care, and an increased risk of infection.

If a small cut or blister isn’t improving within a few weeks, or if the edges look discolored or pale, it’s time to seek a vascular evaluation. Healing problems are often what lead people to seek care, and recognizing the warning signs early can make a big difference in outcomes.

You might also notice changes in your toenails. They may appear brittle or thickened, and you may have sores around the nails that are slow to heal or frequent fungal infections. 

These signs in particular are subtle and often attributed to general aging or fungal issues, but they can point to an underlying vascular issue like PAD.

4. Numbness or weakness in your legs

Along with your muscles and other tissues, PAD can affect your nerves by limiting the oxygen and nutrients they receive. Lack of blood flow to nerves can produce sensations like:

• Numbness or tingling in your feet or lower legs
• A “heavy” feeling or unexplained weakness
• Difficulty walking or standing for extended periods

If you notice these symptoms, especially alongside other signs of poor circulation, it’s important to bring them to our attention.

Why recognizing PAD symptoms matters

Many of the most common symptoms of PAD affect your legs, but it’s not merely a “leg issue.” PAD is caused by atherosclerosis (plaque buildup) in peripheral arteries, and it often coexists with plaque in coronary (heart) and carotid (neck) arteries.

This means PAD is a marker of systemic vascular disease, and having it may increase your risk for heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrhythmias, and other serious complications. 

It can sound scary, but early detection enables a proactive care plan — one that may include lifestyle changes, medications, or even vascular procedures to help restore blood flow.

So, if you experience persistent leg pain with activity, rest discomfort, skin changes, non-healing sores, or leg numbness or weakness, it’s time to talk to a specialist. 

At Vascular & Interventional Specialists, we assess PAD comprehensively, interpret your symptoms in the context of your overall cardiovascular health, and recommend personalized treatment plans.

Schedule an evaluation at Vascular & Interventional Specialists in Miami, Florida, and take the first step toward protecting not just your legs, but your heart and long-term health.