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Buerger's Disease |
Buerger's disease is a circulatory disease that is brought on by chronic inflammation of the blood vessels in the extremities. Also called thromboangiitis obliterans , Buerger's disease is most common with people who smoke. It normally affects the foot or lower leg, but it may occur in the hand, arm, or thigh as well. Early signs of Buergers disease are a tingling sensation like "pin pricks" and a burning sensation in the fingers and toes. It can lead to ulceration and gangrene; in severe cases, amputation may be required. There are other disorders associated with circulatory problems. When plaque or fatty deposits form along the walls of the arteries, it causes them to harden and constrict. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, results because the blood exerts greater force against the walls of the narrowed and/or more rigid blood vessels. Hypertension can lead to stroke, angina pectoris (chest pain), kidney damage, and heart attack. Another serious circulatory condition is Raynaud's phenomenon , which is characterized by constriction and spasm of the blood vessels in the body extremities, like fingers, toes, and tip of the nose. Cold, stress, smoking, and other factors may cause fingers and toes to become numb; extremities may appear colorless or bluish due to lack of circulation and arterial spasm. This disease most commonly affects women and sometimes may lead to gangrene. Poor circulation can also result from varicose veins, which develop because of a loss and weakening of elasticity in the vein walls |
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