It may be astonishing, but our bodies contain approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels. The blood vessels carry blood to each part of the body, ensuring that all important nutrients and oxygen get to their destinations. However, whenever the circulation is poor, it will slow or even block the blood flow to other body parts. This implies some cells in the body cannot get all the nutrients and oxygen required.
Good blood circulation is very important as it helps the body function well. So, in this guide, you will learn the causes, symptoms, and remedies for poor circulation.
What’s Poor Blood Circulation?
Bad blood circulation usually occurs when something blocks or damages the circulatory systems that carry blood, nutrients, and oxygen to all body parts. If the heart, arteries, veins, blood vessels, and capillaries are healthy, the body cells will easily get everything they require efficiently. This process of bringing nutrients and oxygen to body cells and removing waste will only continue effectively if your circulatory system is working properly without any issues.
However, problems start occurring if some parts of the delivery system or valves controlling the direction of blood vessels encounter issues. It’s like roadblocks that get in the way, hindering tasks to be performed. Similarly, if there are obstacles in the blood vessels, it will be difficult for blood to flow through to reach other body parts, like toes or fingers, that are far away from the heart.
With poor blood circulation, your cells are not getting the sufficient oxygen required, thus impeding their proper functionality. This may result in health issues.
Signs of Poor Blood Circulation To Remember
1.Numbness or tingling sensation
A major sign of poor blood circulation is numbness or tingling feeling in hands and feet. When blood flow is restricted, it can’t reach the extremities. This will cause sensations of needles and pins in those areas.
2. Cold feet and hands
Poor circulation can also make the hands or feet to be much colder than other body parts. If blood isn’t flowing properly to the cells, you may experience temperature changes in the skin and the nerve endings of your feet and hands.
3. Memory loss
Memory loss happens when there is poor blood flow to the brain. Even though it can also be caused by other factors like aging, stress, Alzheimer’s disease, stress, or even lack of sleep, insufficient blood in the brain can also result in memory lapses. Disruption of oxygen and blood can lead to vascular dementia. Understanding poor blood circulation treatment can help in regaining memory loss issues.
4. Digestive problems
For digestion to occur, there needs to be good blood flow. So, poor circulation will interfere with digestion, thus leading to gastrointestinal problems. Some digestive issues may be the signs for poor blood circulation include diarrhea, abdominal pains, cramping, etc.
5. Muscle cramping
Another sign of poor blood circulation is pain in the feet, arms, legs, and hands. You may feel your hands or feel aching or throbbing especially when blood flow returns. Besides, if the blood doesn’t circulate properly, nutrients and oxygen won’t reach the tissues effectively, which can result in cramping and stiffness.
6. Changes in skin color
Skin color changes like blueness or paleness can also indicate signs poor blood circulation. If blood flow to the skin is interfered with, it can lead to a lack of oxygen or nutrients reaching skin cells, resulting in changes in color. In addition, poor circulation will cause the skin to appear discolored.
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Reason for Poor Blood Circulation
Bad blood circulation is not a condition on its own, but it comes from various conditions. The common cause of poor circulation ranges from medical conditions to lifestyle factors. Let’s discuss the most common causes of bad circulation.
1.Peripheral artery disease (PAD): One major reason for poor blood circulation is peripheral artery disease. PAD is basically a circulatory condition that narrows the arteries, thereby causing poor blood circulation in the extremities, especially the legs. It reduces blood flow and can lead to pain. Insufficient blood flow will cause numbness, pain, and swelling. Delayed treatment might result in stroke as the opaque occurs in the carotid arteries. If carotid arteries have a lot of plaque, you risk developing a heart attack.
2. Blood clots: When blood clots, the flow of blood is interrupted partially or entirely and it can occur anywhere in the body. If the blood clots happen in the arms or leads, there will be circulation problems. Often blood clots occur due to various reasons and can be fatal. Mostly, it could result in a heart attack or even a stroke.
3. High blood pressure: Another reason for poor blood circulation is high blood pressure. When blood pressure remains high all the time, it can destroy the blood vessel walls, which makes them very narrow and less flexible. The narrowing of the blood vessels will restrict the flow of blood, thus leading to poor circulation to various body parts.
4. Smoking: This is a significant cause of poor circulation. Chemicals found in tobacco smoke can destroy the lining of the blood vessels, thereby making them narrow and less elastic. Blood flow to the body parts will be restricted and can, in turn, lead to PAD, where the flow of blood to the limbs is reduced.
5. Obesity: Obesity is also one of the common causes of poor circulation since excess body weight tends to strain your cardiovascular system and affects blood flow throughout the body. Excess weight puts pressure on blood vessels, resulting in conditions like high blood pressure. Also, obesity is linked to the build-up of fats in arteries, which may interfere with blood flow.
Poor Blood Circulation Treatment
Mostly, poor blood circulation treatment depends on the main cause and how severe the condition is. However, there are general remedies for poor circulation you can adopt to help out with the situation. For instance, you can start wearing compression socks to relieve the swollen legs.
Also, taking part in an exercise program to increase blood circulation can be helpful. Adopting better lifestyle changes to manage diabetes can be a good tip to try out. Talking with your doctor will help you find a proper poor blood circulation treatment that can work out for you and remedy the situation.
Conclusion
A handful of medical problems may result in bad blood circulation. But, you can still improve it by following the remedies for poor circulation stated. Working on your lifestyle habits, staying hydrated, managing stress, exercising, etc, can help improve blood flow. If they don’t work, you should talk to your doctor to get other treatments or surgery.
