Classic symptom is pain in the calves or legs with walking that gets better with rest – this is called intermittent claudication. Pain or aches and cramps can also occur in the buttocks, hip or thigh depending where in the arterial tree the blockage is. However up to 40% of patients with PAD have no leg pain. They can present with sudden onset rest pain (pain typically at night preventing them from sleeping) and wounds on their feet and legs that are slow or don’t heal at all and can turn black (gangrene).
Other symptoms include:
- Coldness in the lower leg or foot especially compared to the other side
- Leg numbness or weakness
- No palpable pulse or weak pulse in the legs or feet
- Shiny and hairless skin on the legs
