Reasons to See a Vascular Doctor
Do you visit the primary doctor often? A primary doctor will know your medical history and the possibility of developing medical conditions in the future. They might use medical history from closely related family members of previous symptoms to determine if you might develop a vascular health issue. Sometimes the regular checkups might show underlying symptoms which require medical attention. Thus, you should look for a cardiovascular physician Frisco, TX, who educates you on ways to keep your heart and blood veins healthy. These are reasons to see a vascular doctor.
The Legs Hurt
Your primary doctor might treat leg issues that result from trauma or specific conditions. However, if your legs hurt when walking, it would be a sign of a vascular issue. The vascular doctor will determine if you have claudication or not. Claudication is leg soreness when walking for a short time and gets better when you rest. The leg cramps, which improve when resting, indicate peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD is characterized by insufficient blood flow to the legs when walking and improves when resting. However, the advanced PAD might cause pain at rest and leg ulcers which don’t improve with medication. Fortunately, a vascular doctor will improve blood flow to the legs alleviating claudication.
Aching, Swollen, and Discolored Legs
Varicose veins impact the legs, leading to blood pools due to the inability of the blood to flow to the upper body. Varicose veins cause swellings, aching, discoloration, and wounds on the legs. Sometimes patients treat varicose veins as cosmetic issues, but they might lead to vascular problems like blood clots which cause embolism. A vascular doctor will determine the damage to the vein valves and develop a treatment plan to alleviate the varicose symptoms.
Blurred Vision
Although blurry vision might indicate a vision problem, sometimes it may occur due to a vascular issue. The blurry vision might indicate a looming stroke or severe heart disease. The blurry vision occurs when the brain does not receive enough blood, leading to tissue death, thus impacting vision. Therefore you will need urgent medical care when you experience sudden blurry vision.
Heart Problems
Although it is difficult to know when you have heart problems, the primary doctor will determine if the symptoms are related to heart disease. Thus, they will recommend a vascular doctor if they think you are at risk of heart disease. Chest pain, inability to breathe, and limb weakness might indicate a looming stroke.
Abdominal and Back Pain
The abdominal and back pain might result from an aneurysm weakening the arterial wall. The arterial wall becomes thin and behaves like a balloon leading to sudden abdominal, back pain, and other complications. Thus you should see a vascular doctor since aneurysms can cause life-threatening bleeding.
Conclusion
Vascular issues are challenging to diagnose, and your primary doctor might recommend further treatments at the vascular doctor’s office. The primary doctor will pair you with the best vascular doctor who understands your health goals. You should see a vascular doctor as they diagnose and treat PAD, aneurysms, varicose veins, and heart and vascular complications. Good luck finding a vascular doctor who meets your needs.