“What is claudication?”

it is a symptom. You can think of it as equivalent to having chest pain when you have heart blood vessel disease. when you have artery blockages in the leg or heart vessels and you exercise, due to the blockages the body cannot increase the blood flow to meet the demand placed by doing exercise and this is what causes pain whether it be chest pain or leg pain. However having said this, several things besides blockages can cause pain in the legs with exercise including neurologic issues. non invasive Vascular testing can help determine the cause prior to any invasive procedures

Claudication is a symptom of a disease referred to as PAD, or peripheral arterial disease. The origin of the word means to "limp." Peripheral arterial disease refers to a process where the arteries, which supply the blood to all the different parts of the body, become narrowed or blocked. The consequence of inadequate flow of blood, specifically to the muscles of the leg, will result in pain, cramping, or a heavy sensation usually associated with walking. The pain will subside with rest and reoccurs when walking is resumed.

Claudication is a symptom of inadequate blood supply to a muscle, i.e., when a muscle is exercised, it requires more oxygen to do the extra work, so the blood flow has to be adequate to meet that demand. Claudication is the symptom of cramping pain that occurs, usually in the calf muscle, when a patient has peripheral arterial disease significant enough to impair the blood supply to the exercising muscle. It typically occurs at the same point in exercise each time, so some people predictably can walk 2 blocks without any pain in the calf and then at 3 blocks, a cramping pain occurs and the only way to relieve it is to rest. Usually, a rest period of as little as a few minutes of sitting or not moving relieves the pain and allows the person to walk again without cramping pain for another 3 blocks. Again, it is an oxygen supply and demand mismatch that occurs usually because of plaque or atherosclerosis in the arteries of the leg, peripheral arterial disease. A vascular rehab program will ease this symptom and can totally relieve it. This consists of walking just a bit beyond the pain each day until eventually the pain occurs at longer distances. You're actually "building new pathways" for the blood to get to the working muscle. Sometimes, a vascular surgeon needs to improve the blood flow to your leg with a bypass procedure; however, both an exercise program and peripheral arterial stents may improve the blood flow enough to avoid any surgeries. Cigarette smoking can definitely make claudication symptoms and peripheral arterial disease worse, so if you have this problem and still smoke, ask your doctor to help with a smoking cessation program.

KathyLee Santangelo, MD

If you truly have claudication, pain on usage of the muscle group for a finite period of time, then there are usually 2 causes that of inadequate blood flow or problems with the nerves that help of these muscles function. Claudication is a symptom. Most common cause of this is Harding the arteries which is a disease. Generally speaking, this means that you have PAD and should be seen by a vascular surgeon. I emphasized a vascular surgeon not a cardiologist.

Possibly Perioheral arterial disease causing clarification symptoms.

It is a symptom of atherosclerosis in your legs.

Claudication = muscle cramping with walking as a result of an arterial narrowing (peripheral arterial disease aka PAD) and subsequent mismatch in supply and demand of oxygen to the muscles when exercising. PAD usually implies CAD thus you need risk factor modification (if you don't already have it) for the CAD.

Claudication means pain on walking and could be vascular or neurogenic. If vascular, it's pain on walking that gets better on resting and is there everytime you walk. It's a sign of underlying arterial blockage from atherosclerosis and can be easily diagnosed with a combination of ultrasound and physiological testing.

Claudication is a term use to describe pain with walking. It is usually applied to PAD, and occurs because there is blockage in the arteries, but the blood flow is still adequate if you are sitting or resting. When you go to walk or exercise then more oxygen is consumed than the arteries can supply, and this causes the pain in your calf, which goes away with rest. Interventional radiologists and cardiologists have also started seeing patients with arterial disease, but don't make that mistake. Make sure you see a vascular surgeon,

Claudication is pain that is caused by decreased blood flow through the arteries. This pain is typically induced by increased physical activity. With exercise, the muscles require increased oxygen that is delivered by the arteries. If there is decreased arterial blood flow to the muscles, pain will develop. This is a sign of peripheral artery disease. Claudication is pain that is caused by decreased blood flow through the arteries. This pain is typically induced by increased physical activity. With exercise, the muscles require increased oxygen that is delivered by the arteries. If there is decreased arterial blood flow to the muscles, pain will develop. This is a sign of peripheral artery disease.

Claudication is a symptom of inadequate blood flow to the lower extremities upon exertion. It comes from the Latin word claudicatio which means to lomp. The typical symptom is that of walking a certain distance followed by aching, fatigue, or discomfort, and occasionally pain, in the calves that resolves completely upon cessation of walking. It can affect the hips and the buttocks as well in certain conditions where the arteries that are involved are in the pelvis. But typically it relates to a condition where the blood flow to the leg is adequate at rest but when one exercises the muscles in the leg, the blood flow cannot increase to the point where it needs to because of narrowing in the arteries due to atherosclerotic plaque. This condition can be mimicked by symptoms due to lower back nerve impingement. But generally speaking, it is always the same distance every time before the symptoms come on and once the patient stops walking, the symptoms resolve completely. It should not require a change in posture or position to make the pain or discomfort go away.

Niren Angle, MD, RVT, FACS

It is a symptom of a disease. Claudication refers to discomfort in the legs with ambulation. It may be an indicator of peripheral arterial disease.

Claudication is a symptom of a disease. Most of the time it is due to the need of more blood to the large leg muscles, which explains the pain with exercise. A visit to a vascular specialist will help determine severity and treatment options.

Claudication is a condition of leg pain related to poor blood flow. There is generally no risk of amputation in non-diabetics from claudcation. Spinal cord compression can cause leg pain. It's called "neurogenic claudication" when it's from spinal compression.
Treatment for claudication is based on daily exercise. Failure to improve from exercise may lead to intervention on blood vessels. Intervention on arteries for claudication puts all patients at risk of future amputation.