PAD Intermittent claudication

by Salvatore
(New York, NY, USA)

Right leg feels tired 3 minutes into treadmill exercise, then pain starts at about 7-8 minutes. I pause exercise for 3 minutes and then resume and the pattern repeats.

Hello Salvatore,
I assume you're a smoker. Or were. It's the most common cause, and nothing will fix this unless you quit completely. Eventually it will be tired in 30s and pain in 1 minute.

You need to have an arteriogram to see where the block is in the artery, usually somewhere in the groin, and then have a stent fitted, or stretched with a balloon.

Not a job for a chiropractor alas.

Do you have a pulse in the ankle, behind the medial malleolus, and on the top of the foot.

If you do, then this is called neurogenic claudication which is another whole ballgame, and chiropractic might help you.

Dr B

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Nov 13, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Intermitten claudication
by: Salvatore Liggieri

I stopped smoking 55 years ago. I don't drink
alcohol. I'm not overweight. I changed my diet to no junk food, no animal foods, no oil. In fact I'm a strict vegan.

I have seen three Vascular surgeons, had the standard tests for PAD. I have severe blockage in my right leg, and slight blockage in my left.

They all said to exercise and come back in six months.

And that's where I'm at today.

I do exercise two hours most days:, one hour treadmill, 45 minutes aerobic, fifteen minutes mini trampoline, three minutes heel lift.

Thus far, its been two months of exercise and with some improvement in my walking. I'm planning on using a TENS/EMS machine.

I'm 89 years old.

I will be going to a fourth Vascular surgeon in two weeks for instruction on structured exercise.

Good evening Mr Liggieri,
Fantastic that you stopped smoking in your mid thirties. I'm interested in how and why you did it; so many folk are totally unable to quit. It's the reason you're able to write this letter at the ripe old age of 89. All the men who are reading this, including myself, are incredibly jealous! But the fact of the matter is that just 20 years of smoking left its mark on you.
I regret to say I have little to add to your regimen. You're doing all the right things.
One small suggestion; ask a nutritionist to evaluate your B12 levels. It's a vitally important vitamin, and vegans often battle to get enough.
Oh, and concerning fats and oils; don't avoid the healthy ones. Scientists are totally in agreement about the fruit oils; eat plenty of olives and avocados. Sparkling good health is utterly dependent on the healthy fats for our nerves and neurotransmitters.
More controversial is butter and coconut oil; I recommend them both, but others not, so in moderation.
Well done, sir, you are an inspiration to us all.

Dr B

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Interesting challenges of the day

1. Mr S is a 76 year old man with neck pain of some 9 months duration. Luckily, most of the discomfort is upper cervical which is only rarely arthritic; his lower cervical spine is a degenerative mess that I've left alone. After seven treatments his pain and stiffness is 50 percent better, and he's happy in the circumstances. He can sleep through the night now and that makes a huge difference.

2. Mr P is 32 year old man with very severe lower back pain radiating to the big toe which is 30 percent numb. He had an episode three weeks ago, took anti inflammatories and was soon better as is typical of the medial disc herniation. But before it healed, after a trivia it came roaring back, much worse. The characteristic crossed sign was evident; sitting in a chair, straightening the right leg provoked severe left back pain and tingling in the leg. He's doing well.

3. Severe lower back pain is scary; just ask Mrs P. Just watching her get out of the car I she was in trouble; she had a slipped disc at L4 making her lean towards the opposite side; luckily she had no pain in the leg. Despite family pressure that this was far too severe for a chiropractor, she persevered. Within five days she was standing upright, and after two weeks almost painfree. 

Despite a hectic job, she wisely took my advice and stayed home for what I call exercising bed rest.

4. Mr S has had lower back, groin and back of thigh and calf pain for fourth months.

He has a pincer deformity in the hip causing the stabs in the groin, and a degenerative facet causing the sciatica. Both are responding well to chiropractic and he's well pleased; sixty five percent better after three treatments.

5. Mr T is a wise man; he's taken a warning TIA seriously and has lost 15 pounds, and has at least as much again to lose. A change to a low starch diet and half hour daily walk has made the difference; but the walking is making his foot and back miserable. The expensive orthotic is hopeless; luckily his hips and back are fine, but he needs a simple heel lift.

6. I too have had serious lower back issues, luckily fixed by my own chiropractor; so I too have to do my exercises, take care when lifting supers full of honey, gardening and using the chainsaw. Regaining the function of your spine is just as important as the pain.

7. My own granddaughter, only 7 is hypermobile giving her pelvic, knee and ankle issues. Xrays show a mildly dysplastic hip. Years ago we would have called it growing pains. She too regularly needs chiropractic care and luckily responds well. Increased range of motion is more difficult than too stiff in my opinion. Our care is for kids too.

8. This 65 year old lady is a serious gardener; every day she is bending, lifting and digging for 2 to 3 hours a day. It regularly catches her in the sacroiliac joint, so she has a treatment once a month that sorts it out. She does her lower back exercises faithfully.

9. This 88 year old lady is an inspiration; every day she is busy in the community. With a nasty scoliosis she manages very well with a chiropractic adjustment every six weeks and exercises faithfully done.  

10. Mr X is a 71 year old retired man who wants to continue with maintenance care every six to eight weeks; he had suffered from two years of lower back pain when he first came a year ago. He has no discomfort now after 8 chiropractic treatments, but is aware that danger lurks.

11. Mrs C has been having severe headaches, and taking a lot of analgesics. It's a non complicated upper cervical facet syndrome, and she's doing well.

12. Mr D is a 38 old year man with chronic shoulder pain after a rotator cuff tear playing cricket. It responded well to treatment, but he knows he must do his exercises every day; for two years he couldn't sleep on that shoulder.

13. Mr D, a 71 year old man, has a severe ache in the shoulder and midback since working above his head. Trapped nerve tests are negative but he has advanced degenerative joints of Luschka; after just two treatments he is 50 percent better. Can we reach 90?

And so the day goes; chiropractors shouldn't be treating the elderly most medical sites state but that's so much bunkum.

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