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"Stiffened toes may be a sign of a 'leg terrier', everyone should be careful!" The doctor's voice clearly reached Liu Qiang's ears. Liu Qiang, a software engineer, had just finished paying his phone bill from the business hall when he passed by the community rehabilitation center and found that a health lecture was being held inside. As a middle-aged man who is increasingly concerned about health issues, Liu Qiang decided to sit down and listen.
The topic of the lecture caught Liu Qiang's attention, and the doctor was explaining the relationship between stiffened toes and vascular health in the legs. Liu Qiang couldn't help but start to reflect, has he had a problem with his toes recently? So, he listened intently.
The lecture was conducted by an experienced cardiovascular specialist, Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang opened with an astonishing statistic: "According to the latest research in the United States, stiffening of the toes may be a precursor to 'leg terrier'. Pay special attention to the changes in your toes and legs. ”
Liu Qiang was shocked, and immediately remembered that when he got up in the morning recently, his toes occasionally felt a little stiff. He couldn't help but get nervous, wanting to hear what was going on.
Dr. Wang went on to explain that stiffening of the toes is usually caused by poor circulation. The toe is the end of the body, and blood needs to travel through a complex network of blood vessels to reach it. Once there is a problem with the blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis or thrombosis, the blood supply to the toes can be affected, causing the toes to become stiff.
Studies have shown that atherosclerosis is a chronic disease that causes the walls of blood vessels to thicken and harden, block blood flow, and eventually form blood clots. Once these blood clots block the arteries in the legs, they will cause "leg peduncles", that is, embolization of the arteries of the lower limbs.
Dr. Wang also mentioned that a study in the United States found that more than 60% of patients with lower extremity artery embolism had symptoms of toe stiffening before the onset of the disease. This finding has attracted a lot of attention from the medical community because it provides an important basis for early screening and prevention.
To give you a better understanding, Dr. Wang shared a real-life case. Aunt Zhang is 65 years old and was a primary school teacher before she retired. Two months ago, she noticed that her toes were starting to harden, especially when she woke up in the morning. At first, she thought it was a normal phenomenon of aging and aging, so she didn't care.
However, after a few weeks, she began to feel pain in her legs, especially when walking, and the pain was more pronounced. She went to the hospital for an examination, and it was found that it was an embolism of the arteries of the lower limbs. Fortunately, she sought medical attention in time, and the doctor removed the blood clot through interventional surgery, which avoided more serious consequences.
Hearing this, Liu Qiang couldn't help but feel nervous, and quickly wrote down the prevention suggestions put forward by Dr. Wang.
- Maintain a healthy diet: Dr. Ong stresses that the most important thing to prevent leg infarction is to maintain a healthy diet. Eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce fat and sugar intake, and especially avoid foods with high cholesterol.
- Exercise regularly: Moderate aerobic exercise can improve blood circulation and prevent blood vessels from clogging. Walking, jogging, or biking for at least 30 minutes a day is a good option.
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol: Both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can damage the health of blood vessels and increase the risk of arteriosclerosis. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol is an effective measure to protect blood vessels.
- Regular check-ups: Especially for middle-aged and elderly people and people with family history, vascular examinations should be carried out regularly for early detection and early treatment.
Dr. Wong went on to remind everyone that in addition to stiffening toes, there are two other changes in the legs that should be noted.
The first change: leg pain
Leg pain, especially worse when walking or exercising, can be a sign of insufficient blood supply to the arteries of the lower extremities. This pain usually relieves with rest, but it can get worse if left unattended. Leg pain not only affects daily life, but can also lead to more serious vascular problems.
"The pain of an artery embolism in the leg is different from ordinary muscle soreness, it is a deep, persistent pain that is often accompanied by numbness and a cold sensation," Dr Wong explains. If this happens, it is essential to seek medical attention promptly. ”
The second change: abnormal leg color and temperature
A change in the color of the legs is also a red flag. If you notice that the skin on your legs has become pale or blue, it may be due to a lack of blood supply. Especially when the temperature of the legs drops, it is even more necessary to be vigilant.
Dr. Wang also mentioned a statistic that in the early stages of lower extremity artery embolization, about 30% of patients will experience a drop in leg temperature and abnormal color. These changes are often caused by obstruction of blood circulation, and measures must be taken as soon as possible.
To give the audience a clearer understanding of the importance of these symptoms, Dr. Wang cited data from a study in the United States. Studies have shown that more than 70% of patients with arterial embolism of the lower extremities experience symptoms of leg pain and color change in the period before the onset of the disease. This data suggests that any abnormal changes in the legs should not be overlooked.
Dr. Wang concludes, "With early detection and timely treatment, many patients with lower extremity artery embolism can avoid serious consequences. Stiff toes, leg pain, and abnormal color are all distress signals from the body, and everyone must pay attention to them. ”
After listening to the lecture, Liu Qiang had both doubts and thoughts in his heart. He recalled his recent toe stiffness and occasional leg discomfort and decided to go to the hospital tomorrow for a detailed check-up. At the same time, he also began to reflect on his lifestyle habits and prepared to improve his health by eating and exercising.
The question in Liu Qiang's heart gradually became clear: Frequent leg cramps, will it also be a precursor to "leg terrier"?
Dr. Wong answered this question in the final part of the lecture. There are many causes of leg cramps, and they are not necessarily a precursor to "leg terriers". But if cramps occur frequently and are accompanied by other symptoms such as leg pain, stiffening of the toes or a change in color, you need to be alarmed.
Leg cramps can be caused by a lack of certain nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc., or excessive fatigue, cold irritation, etc. However, if cramps continue to occur frequently after these causes have been ruled out, it is necessary to consider whether there is a vascular problem.
Studies have found that about 20% of patients with lower extremity arterial embolism experience frequent leg cramps prior to the onset of the disease. These cramps usually occur at night or after exercise and are accompanied by numbness and a cold sensation in the legs.
In order to avoid misdiagnosis, it is recommended that you go to the hospital for a check-up as soon as possible if you have leg cramps, especially if you have other abnormal symptoms. Examinations such as vascular ultrasound, blood flow chart, etc., can determine whether there is a risk of embolism of the arteries of the lower extremities.
With early prevention and treatment, many vascular-related diseases can be controlled and cured. Liu Qiang felt that he had benefited a lot and decided to pay attention to his physical changes from now on, do a good job in health management, and prevent problems before they occur.
What do you have to say about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section!