Peripheral Artery Disease is a situation where the arteries and the extremities build up plaque.As you know, plaque build up can occur in the Coronary Arteries and lead to a heart attack. A lot of folks don’t know that this same process, known as Atherosclerosis can actually occur in the leg arteries.

Some of the symptoms you might experience if you have Peripheral Artery Disease include claudication. Often times people compare this to a cramping like sensation. This can sometimes be misconstrued for back problems or nerve problems. Typically the pain will come on with exertional activity such as simple walking and then is relieved with immediate rest.

Other symptoms can include changes in skin color and skin temperature, and sores that do not heal. The end result is a non-healing wound which becomes infected and then eventually requires amputation.