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Does Acupuncture Help In Treating Peripheral Artery Disease?
Question: Hello - I have had moderate PAD now for 5 years. I now walk 30-45 minutes 4, 5 times a week, or 3-5 kms. each time. My LDL is below 100 mg, my CRP is good, I stopped smoking 1.75 years ago, I eat well - no beef - beans, legumes, veggies, fruit, fish, chicken, etc...I take a baby aspirin, Ezetrol, blood pressure meds. every day plus Tumeric and Vt. D, E, C and CoQ10. I have just started acupuncture...can it help and what is prognosis for PAD - I am 70? My heart doppler is normal as is my ECG. I also have Lumbar spinal stenosis.
Brief Answer:
Prognosis of PAD with Current Care is Very Good !!
Detailed Answer:
Hi Dear, Thanks for your query to HCM.
I just Reviewed your whole progress over last 1.25 yrs.
I understood your health concerns.
Dear,Don't Worry!!You are on the right track as far as the care of the vascular factor is concerned as a cause of your claudication pain in legs.
Your progress to brisk walking tolerance is also good.
Your antioxidants and Vit D,E,C,Co-Q10, supplements needs to be -corrected with Calcium supplements and Vit B12/Folic Acid-to take care of neurogenic complaints,which would also increase your vascular response.This would help in improving Canal Stenosis complaints for long.
Your heart parameters are normal for your age.
So can Add Jogging for 20 mts a day would keep your skeletal and muscular fit to take care of your narrowed Popliteals.
Repeat Colour Doppler- to follow the narrowed segment in left Femoral and popliteal artery and update Me for review.
Add Butter Milk helping a day.
Rest diet is Ok.
Be more on liquids besides one meal.
Don't restart smoking for any reason-for its bad effects on PAD.
Hope this would reassure You to live healthy life in coming years.
With this You should be able to enjoy Normal / Healthy life after 2nd marriage in years to come.
Do feel free to reciprocate for your health issues and problems.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
Rate this reply with your pleasing comments to boost other visitors at My Virtual Clinic-at HCM.
Good Day!!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Prognosis of PAD with Current Care is Very Good !!
Detailed Answer:
Hi Dear, Thanks for your query to HCM.
I just Reviewed your whole progress over last 1.25 yrs.
I understood your health concerns.
Dear,Don't Worry!!You are on the right track as far as the care of the vascular factor is concerned as a cause of your claudication pain in legs.
Your progress to brisk walking tolerance is also good.
Your antioxidants and Vit D,E,C,Co-Q10, supplements needs to be -corrected with Calcium supplements and Vit B12/Folic Acid-to take care of neurogenic complaints,which would also increase your vascular response.This would help in improving Canal Stenosis complaints for long.
Your heart parameters are normal for your age.
So can Add Jogging for 20 mts a day would keep your skeletal and muscular fit to take care of your narrowed Popliteals.
Repeat Colour Doppler- to follow the narrowed segment in left Femoral and popliteal artery and update Me for review.
Add Butter Milk helping a day.
Rest diet is Ok.
Be more on liquids besides one meal.
Don't restart smoking for any reason-for its bad effects on PAD.
Hope this would reassure You to live healthy life in coming years.
With this You should be able to enjoy Normal / Healthy life after 2nd marriage in years to come.
Do feel free to reciprocate for your health issues and problems.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
Rate this reply with your pleasing comments to boost other visitors at My Virtual Clinic-at HCM.
Good Day!!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Hi again - I do drink mineral water a lot during the day...and take B12 supplement too plus fish oil every day.........what about acupuncture for PAD and NIC?
Brief Answer:
Its Good ....Carry on!!!
Detailed Answer:
Hi,Dear!!
Welcome back.
Reviewed your updates and info.
Its Good ....Carry on!!!
About the update query about accupuncture, U can continue with all other efforts.
No problem.
Hope this would help you to resolve worry and query soon.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
Good Day!!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist.
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Its Good ....Carry on!!!
Detailed Answer:
Hi,Dear!!
Welcome back.
Reviewed your updates and info.
Its Good ....Carry on!!!
About the update query about accupuncture, U can continue with all other efforts.
No problem.
Hope this would help you to resolve worry and query soon.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
Good Day!!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist.
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Deepak
One last thing, I fell in 1997 on ice and snow here in Canada in winter and ruptured my left quadricep badly and had to have an urgent operation....I believe that this freak fall was the cause of the partially blocked femoral artery and an internal medicine doctor here agreed with me since the partial blockage on the superficial femoral artery is about an inch long and is located about two inches from my left knee...but that leg does not hurt when I walk...it is the right leg in very lower area of right calf near or on a ligament...possible neuorgenic in nature...
the acupuncturist has been massaging this very painful spot...I believe that acupuncture along with everything else I am doing should help the blood flow...do you agree?
the acupuncturist has been massaging this very painful spot...I believe that acupuncture along with everything else I am doing should help the blood flow...do you agree?
Brief Answer:
Its Neurogenic deficit-from Canal Stenosis !!
Detailed Answer:
Hi, Dear !! Thanks for the update query !!
Massage in the spot on right leg, would not improve mostly,as its from Canal stenosis-compression neuropathy.
This would need mostly-Decompression of the Spinal Stenosis(LSS-Lumbar Spinal stenosis)-
either by
-a-Surgery / which I would not advise at this age and would leave it to You,as its due to the degenerative Lumbar Stenosis.
-b-Epidural-Steroid Inj (ESI)therapy- to reduce the edema of the neural tissues-which would decompress the nerves and its blood supply, and seems to be the acceptable way to treat,as its almost 1.25 yr,you have been trying with conservative and medicinal treatments.
But this would require expert assessment which level and which route to be used,which could be best decided by experts and needs to be used along with plan of accompanied physiotherapy.
So I don't agree with the acupuncturist for his more massaging in very painful spot.
With the time the edema may regress or may increase and would decide the line of surgical interventional or non-surgical Epidural Injections treatments in your case.
My Opinion-in your case
Unless MRI with Contrast study is assessed from Experts,its is wrong to opine on your question.This is just a hypothetical technical reply, which has many factors which could change the outcome of results in your specific case.
Main Cause of Right leg Pain-
-is neural - from Canal Stenosis and not from PAD in the current problem queried by YOU.
Important point to be noted is that its the Canal stenosis from Degenerative Lumbar Central Canal stenosis which is causing ischemic neural -radicular pain - in right leg, which is causing pain in right leg, than a vascular stenosis post ice-trauma injury in left quadriceps.
Do's Suggested in your case-
So unless MRI with Contrast Study with NeuroSurgeon and Expert Radiologist is done- even Epidural Steroid Injection could not be planned in your case.
In short, I would advise you to go for MRI with Constrast- Only if the right leg pain is more troublesome.
Expert Suggestion-
With My experience, the nature would take care of the compression and would come out with improved circulation in compressed neural extention and would give your relief with time.So go slow on this.
HOpe this extensive discussion would help you to take right decision with the attending doctors there with you.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
A word of praiseful comments would boost the morale of My visiting patients,If find your self satisfied with this extensive interaction on your query.
Good Day!!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
Its Neurogenic deficit-from Canal Stenosis !!
Detailed Answer:
Hi, Dear !! Thanks for the update query !!
Massage in the spot on right leg, would not improve mostly,as its from Canal stenosis-compression neuropathy.
This would need mostly-Decompression of the Spinal Stenosis(LSS-Lumbar Spinal stenosis)-
either by
-a-Surgery / which I would not advise at this age and would leave it to You,as its due to the degenerative Lumbar Stenosis.
-b-Epidural-Steroid Inj (ESI)therapy- to reduce the edema of the neural tissues-which would decompress the nerves and its blood supply, and seems to be the acceptable way to treat,as its almost 1.25 yr,you have been trying with conservative and medicinal treatments.
But this would require expert assessment which level and which route to be used,which could be best decided by experts and needs to be used along with plan of accompanied physiotherapy.
So I don't agree with the acupuncturist for his more massaging in very painful spot.
With the time the edema may regress or may increase and would decide the line of surgical interventional or non-surgical Epidural Injections treatments in your case.
My Opinion-in your case
Unless MRI with Contrast study is assessed from Experts,its is wrong to opine on your question.This is just a hypothetical technical reply, which has many factors which could change the outcome of results in your specific case.
Main Cause of Right leg Pain-
-is neural - from Canal Stenosis and not from PAD in the current problem queried by YOU.
Important point to be noted is that its the Canal stenosis from Degenerative Lumbar Central Canal stenosis which is causing ischemic neural -radicular pain - in right leg, which is causing pain in right leg, than a vascular stenosis post ice-trauma injury in left quadriceps.
Do's Suggested in your case-
So unless MRI with Contrast Study with NeuroSurgeon and Expert Radiologist is done- even Epidural Steroid Injection could not be planned in your case.
In short, I would advise you to go for MRI with Constrast- Only if the right leg pain is more troublesome.
Expert Suggestion-
With My experience, the nature would take care of the compression and would come out with improved circulation in compressed neural extention and would give your relief with time.So go slow on this.
HOpe this extensive discussion would help you to take right decision with the attending doctors there with you.
Welcome for any further query in this regard.
A word of praiseful comments would boost the morale of My visiting patients,If find your self satisfied with this extensive interaction on your query.
Good Day!!
Dr.Savaskar M.N. XXXXXXX Surgical Specialist
M.S.Genl-CVTS
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Deepak
Answered by
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