Claudication

Limping, impairment in walking.


Pain or fatigue of muscles, particularly experienced in the leg muscles upon walking, that is caused by inadequate circulation and usually results from atherosclerosis of the arteries supplying blood to the muscles. Sometimes referred to as “intermittent claudication,” it is induced by walking and is relieved by rest.


The fact of limping or being lame.


Limping or lameness. In intermittent claudication pain, especially in the leg muscles, occurs with walking because the blood supply to these muscles is inadequate; the pain disappears with rest.


Pain or cramping in the limbs, usually the feet and legs, caused by atherosclerosis (narrowing or blockage of the arteries by deposits of fat and other materials). People with severe claudication may have to use a cane, walker, or wheelchair and are at increased risk of developing gangrene, for which amputation may be required.


Intermittent claudication is a cramping pain, induced by exercise and relieved by rest, that is caused by an inadequate supply of blood to the affected muscles. It is most often seen in the calf and leg muscles as a result of atheroma of the leg arteries. The leg pulses are often absent and the feet may be cold. The treatment is that of atheroma.


A cramp-like pain that occurs in the legs on walking. It may cause the sufferer to limp or, if severe, stop him or her from walking. The usual cause is narrowing or blockage of the arteries in the legs due to atherosclerosis: smoking is a contributory factor. Intermittent claudication occurs when a person has to stop every so often to let the pain — caused by the build-up of waste products in the muscles — to subside. The condition may be improved by exercise, for example, for an hour a day (resting when the pain starts). Pentoxifylline, a vasodilator, may help, as may calcium-channel blocking drugs. Patients must avoid all tobacco products.


Episodes of lameness or pain primarily experienced in the calf muscles, triggered by walking due to insufficient oxygen supply to the muscle.


Claudication refers to a muscle pain resembling a cramp, commonly occurring in the legs. This discomfort is primarily caused by insufficient blood supply to the affected muscle due to the blockage or narrowing of arteries, typically resulting from atherosclerosis. In the case of intermittent claudication, individuals experience pain in their calf muscles after walking a specific distance, which can be alleviated by resting.


Another less common factor contributing to claudication is spinal stenosis, which refers to the narrowing of the canal through which the spinal cord passes. This narrowing exerts pressure on the nerve roots that extend into either leg.


 


Posted

in

by

Tags: