Risk factors that trigger poor blood circulation in the legs can be health- or non-health issues, which if not treated can lead to a vascular disease. In such cases, general medical practitioners would recommend for patients to seek proper medical treatment from a vascular doctor. Mainly because a vascular disease is life-threatening, if left without proper medical attention or medication.
The most common non-health related risk factors that increase the potential development of poor blood circulation into a vascular disorder includes, age, smoking, obesity and inactive or sedentary lifestyle.
What Makes a Vascular Doctor Different from a General Physician?
A physician who received comprehensive and specialized education in the treatment of the arteries, blood vessels, veins, capillaries and nerves. All of which work as auxiliary components in helping the heart and spinal cord carry out the blood circulation process in the body. A vascular surgeon also acquires special training in performing invasive or non-invasive treatment in addition to providing comprehensive medical care to patients suffering from vascular disorders.
Vascular doctors who perform surgery in relation to invasive treatments may also be referred to as vascular surgeons. There are also vascular doctors or surgeons who advance their knowledge and expertise in performing heart surgery and in the process become heart specialists known as cardiologists.
Still, the primary concern of a vascular doctor is to seek the best vascular treatment matching a patient’s vascular disease, to which surgery is not immediately recommended as the best solution.
While poor blood circulation in the legs and feet may start out as a minor vascular disorder, leaving them unchecked and without treatment could progress into a deadly heart disease.
There are many types of vascular disorders, and the most common examples are stroke, blood clots (pulmonary embolism), chronic venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, abdominal aortic aneurism, peripheral artery disease, carotid artery disease and critical limb-threatening ischemia, just to name a few.
Vascular doctors also give advice to patients on different ways to minimize, if not eliminate the impact of the risk factors that led to the vascular problems. Some of which not only requires medication and proper diet but also a change of lifestyle in order to improve blood circulation in the legs and feet.
Research Studies that Led to the Discovery of Nitric Oxide and Its Impact on Vascular Health
Researchers in the 1980s established the fact that the ability of blood vessels to open wide will improve blood circulation. Blood vessels that dilate by a larger diameter allows blood to flow freely. On the other hand, those that have narrower openings as a result of constricted blood vessel muscle tissues caused blood build up in certain areas, and as a result caused blood pressure.
In 2004, molecular medicine scientist Dr. Nathan S. Bryan completed his studies about nitric oxide as the most important nutrient needed by blood vessels, because it promotes vasodilation or the opening up of arteries. He concluded that in order to improve a body’s circulator processes, a patient’s nutrition must include nitrate-rich vegetables to increase the body’s natural production of nitric oxide.
Dr. Bryan’s research indicated that low nitric oxide production tend to inhibit the blood vessels from opening wide, which causes poor blood circulation. The most common areas affected are the legs and feet because they tend to be the farthest from the heart.
Dr. Bryan’s discovery also led to the development of nitric oxide supplements, as most people find it difficult to regularly consume nitrate-rich vegetables like celery, spinach, beetroots, lettuce and the likes. Some nitric oxide supplements, like Rocket Man Naturals contain nitrates derived from exotic plants like ginseng, maca, tongkat ali, yohimbe and tribulus terrestris. Still, before taking a nitric oxide supplement do so only if one’s physician or vascular doctor gives his or her medical approval.