Symptoms of Poor Circulation

Poor circulation is also known as Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and is a type of heart disease that causes problems with blood flow. According to the Mayo Clinic, people with diabetes and other types of heart disease such as high blood pressure are at an increased risk of developing PAD. Some people with poor circulation may not have any symptoms, and the severity of symptoms can worsen over time and differ from person to person.

Cramps

• Intermittent claudication is painful cramping in the calf of the leg in people with poor circulation. It usually happens after walking or stair climbing.

Numbness

• People with PAD may have numbness in the leg and foot that may come and go and may be in one or both legs, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Pain

• PAD can cause pain in the legs during exercise, while at rest or lying down and may be bothersome enough to cause sleep disruptions.

Coldness

• Poor circulation to the legs may result in coldness of the feet and often occurs in just one leg at a time.

Sores

• PAD may cause sores on the legs and feet that heal slowly or even get worse over time due to inadequate circulation, and people with diabetes may be at even greater risk of sores and wounds on the feet.

Hair and Nails

• Loss of hair on the legs and problems with toenails such as cracking, splitting or falling off may result from poor circulation.

Infections

• People with PAD may be more likely to suffer from skin infections and other types of infections due to a delay in the ability of white blood cells to respond to foreign cells in the body. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these infections are common in people who have had poor circulation for a long time.