Calcium can build up in the inner walls of the arteries along with deposits of fats and cholesterol, causing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, in the legs and other areas. This plaque deposit can build up over several years, leading...
Poor blood circulation is a common circulatory problem due to narrowing of the arteries from atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. A fatty deposit, plaque, builds up inside the arteries, narrowing them and reducing blood flow to the...
Pain in either shoulder may be caused by muscles rubbing against the top of the shoulder bone, usually from swelling and irritation from activities such as washing walls, hanging curtains, lifting heavy suitcases, gardening or repetitive athletic...
Soccer referees are expected to run almost as much as the players themselves. You use similar muscles, particularly your hip flexor group, which pulls your legs toward your torso. Injury to muscles in this area can contribute to numbness and...
The extremities require an adequate blood supply for skin and tissue health and muscle performance. Occlusive peripheral arterial disease is a condition in which an artery that supplies fresh blood to an extremity, usually a leg, becomes partially...
A coronary angiography, or coronary angiogram, is an X-ray examination of the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Usually these arteries are not visible on an X-ray, but for a coronary angiography a special dye is injected into the vessels...
One of the hazards of diabetes is the number of complications that elevated blood sugar levels can cause. Chief among these is the effect of high blood sugar on the cardiovascular system. Diabetics, especially those with poorly controlled blood...
Calf pain while walking can occur for a variety of reasons. You may have a broken bone or shin splint, a deep vein problem such as peripheral artery disease or varicose veins. While you might try rest and home remedies to relieve a temporary...
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body requires for several functions. While your body produces much of the cholesterol it needs, there is also cholesterol in many of the foods you eat, especially animal products such as meat,...
The femoral artery is a blood vessel that supplies blood to the thighs in the upper part of the legs. If a portion of this blood vessel weakens, blood can accumulate within the femoral artery and cause it to bulge. This abnormal bulging is a...
The popliteal artery is a small blood vessel located in the back of the knee. While rare, this artery can become compressed or entrapped by surrounding muscles and tissues. This condition can affect either one or both legs. It is most commonly...
A weed throughout much of the U.S. and Europe, Tribulus terrestris favors poor soils in open lots and along roadsides. The effect of its spiny seeds on bicycle tires has earned it the alternate name puncture vine. Despite this annoying growth...
Blood clots occur when blood platelets stick together, forming a blockage in a vein or artery. This causes localized pain, swelling and can result in heart attack, stroke and even death if left untreated. To diagnose a blood clot, your physician...
Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. Therefore, in the absence of insulin, blood glucose levels rises. A high blood glucose level is a characteristic of diabetes. Several complications occur when the body is...
Approximately 40 percent of Americans have a sliding hiatal hernia, according to 2006 information from the Merck Manual. The esophagus--the tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach--passes through an opening in the diaphragm, the sheet of...
Mayo Clinic states that heart disease is a broad term that refers to a variety of diseases that can affect the heart and blood vessels. It is the number-one killer of men and women in the United States and around the world. Heart disease can occur...
Cholesterol is a waxy chemical that is an essential part of every cell in your body. Specialized hormones are also synthesized using cholesterol. Typically, cholesterol can either be produced in limited amounts by your body, or it is taken from...
Heart catheterization, also known as cardiac catheterization, is a procedure performed by a cardiologist, or heart doctor. The doctor uses this procedure to diagnose or treat certain heart conditions, and to examine the overall condition of your...
Several diseases can cause upper thigh pain. A narrowing in the lumbar spinal canal can press on the nerves, causing pain to radiate down the thigh. Atherosclerosis in part of the aorta and iliac arteries can interfere with the flow of blood and...
The armpit, also known as the axilla, is the hollow area on the underside of the arm, where the arm and the shoulder join the torso. Numerous structure in the axillas, including blood vessels, nerves, tendons and lymph nodes, can cause armpit pain...
The coronary arteries are the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. The heart is composed of muscle that is constantly working and needs a relatively high amount of oxygen in the blood in order to function correctly. Without it, the heart...
The leg is made up of the tibia and fibula bones, the gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris and peroneal muscles, as well as the arteries, veins and nerves that feed the leg and foot. Disease or injury to any of these structures may cause pain in a...
Atherosclerosis is a blood vessel disease in which the walls of arteries thicken because of a build-up of cholesterol, fats and calcium, and fill with "plaque." Plaque formation causes a chronic inflammation of the blood vessel wall, leading to...
Reduced circulation in the legs or peripheral artery disease can be caused by many conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. If left untreated, it is not only uncomfortable but can cause damage to the arteries and nerves....
Chest pain in your upper-left chest during exercise and lying down can occur for various reasons including coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. Chest pain related to cardiac or heart-related functioning, results in symptoms such as...
L-arginine is a semi-essential amino acid required by the body for the creation of urea, a compound that helps eliminate toxins. A semi-essential nutrient is something that the body can create, but sometimes needs more of through dietary or...
Your body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to make bile, steroid hormones and cell membranes. Some of that cholesterol is made by your liver and the rest comes from your diet. Abnormally high amounts of cholesterol in your blood can cause a...
Chest pain can represent a condition as benign as trapped gas or as serious as an impending heart attack. Transient chest discomfort, called angina, can frighten you when it first occurs. The pain alerts you to a problem. It tugs at you until you...
A stent is a surgically implanted tube that holds open clogged arteries within the heart to allow blood to flow more efficiently through the body. A surgeon normally places a heart stent after performing angioplasty, a surgical procedure in which...
Angina refers to a painful constriction or tightness in a part of the body. Learn more about angina, possible locations of tightness, and causes in this video.
Atherosclerosis is a disease that inflames and constricts arterial blood vessels, at times obstructing circulation and requiring surgical intervention. Learn more about atherosclerosis, causes and symptoms, in this health video.
Angioplasty is the mechanical widening of blood vessels used to help sufferers of obstructed vessels. Learn more about angioplasty, including frequency and dangers, in this video.
Heart disease is a general term including many diseases that deteriorate the heart's function or structures, including coronary heart disease and cardiomyopathy. Learn more about heart disease, including warning signs and treatments in this video.
