Description

Buerger's disease is a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs. In Buerger's disease, also called thromboangiitis obliterans — blood vessels are blocked. This reduces the blood flow to the affected areas. The blood can form clots in the blood vessels.

Over time, the lack of blood flow damages or destroys the tissue of the skin. The damage can lead to infection and death of the tissues of the body, called gangrene. Buerger's disease is usually seen for the first time in the feet. Eventually it may affect the blood vessels of the hand. Blood clots can form in the small veins of the arms and legs.

The people who get This disease is almost always the smoke of the cigarettes or using other forms of tobacco, such as chewing tobacco. Quitting all forms of tobacco is the only way to stop the disease Buerger's disease. For those who won't quit, the surgery to remove the fingers and toes, may be necessary.

Symptoms

Buerger's disease the symptoms of the disease include:

  • Tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes of the feet.
  • Changes in the color of the skin on the hands and the feet. The skin may look pale grey, red or blue. Depending on your skin color, these color changes may be more difficult or more easy to see.
  • Fingers and toes that turn white to blue when exposed to cold, known as Raynaud's disease. Depending on your skin color, these color changes may be more difficult or more easy to see.
  • Pain in the foot that occurs while walking. The pain can make it difficult to walk long distances.
  • Painful open sores on the fingers and toes. Pain in the fingers of the hands and feet, which may be severe and occur at rest.
  • Inflammation of a vein just below the surface of the skin, due to a blood clot in the vein.

When to see a doctor

Check with your health care provider if you think you have symptoms of Buerger's disease.

Causes

The exact cause of This disease is unknown. The condition is strongly linked to the consumption of tobacco. It is believed that the chemicals in tobacco can damage the lining of the blood vessels.

Experts believe that some people have genes that make them more likely to get the disease Buerger's disease. It is also possible that the disease occurs when the body's immune system attacks healthy tissue by mistake.

Risk factors

The greatest risk factor for Buerger's disease is smoking or the use of any type of tobacco. The disease can occur in people who smoke cigarettes, the use of cigarettes and chewing tobacco. The rates of This disease are highest in areas of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia, where smoking is more common.

Some research indicates that long-term use of marijuana, also called cannabis, also increases the risk of blood vessel problems similar to those of Buerger's disease.

Other risk factors for This disease include the fact of being a man and be under 45 years of age. Long-term infection of the gums in the mouth can also increase the risk. But more studies are needed to confirm this link.

Complications

Buerger's disease decreases blood flow to the hands and feet. As the disease gets worse, the skin and the tissue in the affected areas do not receive enough blood. This can cause painful sores that do not heal. Ulcers can lead to a complication called gangrene.

The symptoms of gangrene are the black or the blue of the skin, loss of sensation in the affected finger or toe, and a bad smell in the area. Gangrene is a serious condition. Surgery is usually needed to remove the affected finger, finger or other tissue.

Prevention

Almost everyone who has Buerger's disease has smoked or used any form of tobacco. To prevent This disease, it is important not to use tobacco.

Quitting smoking can be difficult. Talk with a health care provider about ways to quit smoking.

Diagnosis

There is no test that can diagnose the disease Buerger's disease. But tests can be done to check for other common conditions that can cause similar symptoms.

Tests may include:

  • Blood tests. Blood tests may be done to check for the presence of diabetes, blood-clotting disorders, or autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma or lupus.
  • Examination of the arteries in the hands and feet. The blood pressure cuffs and ultrasound imaging was used to see how blood moves through the hands and feet. This test is often performed in a vascular laboratory. But it can be done in a provider of medical services of the office. Other tests may be done to check the blood flow to the skin.
  • CTorMRIscan of the blood vessels. These tests show that the blood flow in the arteries. Before the images are taken, a special dye that can be administered by the IV route . The dye helps the arteries are shown more clearly in the images.
  • Angiography of the hands and feet. This invasive test helps healthcare providers see the locks in the very small blood vessels of the hands and feet. A long, thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel. Dye, also called contrast dye flows through the catheter into the arteries in the heart. The dye helps the arteries to show up more clearly on X-ray images and video.

Treatment

There is No cure for the disease Buerger's disease. The only proven treatment for Buerger's disease is to stop using all tobacco products. Even one cigarette a day can make the disease worse. This includes the use of e-cigarettes, vaping and marijuana use.

If you have Buerger's disease, and the smoke or use tobacco in any form, talk with your health care provider about ways to quit smoking. Nicotine replacement products are not an option, since I still have nicotine in them. Nicotine is thought, to the irritation of the blood vessels. Your health care provider may recommend other medications that could help.

Another option is a live presentation on the program to help you stop smoking. Normally stay at a treatment center or in the hospital for a few days or weeks. You're going to learn how to stop the cravings for cigarettes and how to live tobacco-free.

Other treatments for the symptoms of Buerger's disease are available, but do not work as well as quit smoking. Treatments may include medications, compression therapy and surgery.

Medications

If you have Buerger's disease, the doctor may recommend a medication to improve blood flow. For example, some blood pressure medications may be useful. Aspirin may be given to prevent blood clots.

A medicine called bosentan (Tracleer) can be tried if you have very severe symptoms of Buerger's disease. It is approved to treat high blood pressure in the lungs. But some of the studies showed that a better flow of blood in people with Buerger's disease.

Other medications will depend on your symptoms and other health conditions. Medicines may be given to treat the pain or heal skin sores.

Therapies

If you have Buerger's disease, your doctor may suggest a drug-free treatment called compression therapy. Your health care provider may call this treatment of intermittent pneumatic compression pumping. This treatment increases the pressure on the affected part of the body to improve the flow of blood.

During the compression therapy, you use a sleeve on the affected arm or leg. The sleeve is connected to a pump. The pump sends the air into the holster on and off. The cuff is inflated, gently squeezing the affected part of the body. The pressure increases the flow of blood to the area.

Surgery or other procedures

Buerger's disease causes a severe lack of blood flow, which can damage the tissue of the skin or cause it to die. Surgery may be needed to remove an arm or a leg, infected or dead tissue. This surgery is called amputation.

Lifestyle and home remedies

To improve the symptoms of This disease and prevent complications, please take the following steps:

  • Exercise. Regular exercise helps to improve the flow of blood. With your provider to ACCEPT, the goal is 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Talk with your health care provider about the amount and type of exercise is best for you.
  • Check your skin. This disease can cause a loss of feeling in the fingers, feet, toes and other areas of the body. So an injury to the skin may go unnoticed. Check every day for cuts and abrasions on the arms and legs. Protect fingers and toes from cold and injury.
  • Clean cuts and scrapes. A lack of blood flow to the arms and the legs increases the risk of infection. Even small cuts and scrapes can become serious infections. Always clean cuts and scrapes with soap and water to prevent infection. Apply an antibiotic ointment and cover the cuts with a clean bandage. If a lesion of the skin gets worse or slowly heals, consult a health care provider quickly.
  • Take care of your teeth and gums. Visit the dentist regularly to keep your gums and teeth in good health. Long-term gum disease is linked to Buerger's disease.
  • Do not smoke tobacco, vape or use of marijuana. Not smoking is the best way to prevent and control the disease Buerger's disease. Also avoid vaping, e-cigarettes and marijuana. It is also important to stay away from the smoke from the burning of all tobacco products and smoke a tobacco user exhales. This type of smoke is called secondhand smoke. Any amount of second-hand smoke is bad for the heart and blood vessels.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your primary care provider. If you have symptoms of Buerger's disease, you may be referred to a provider trained in diseases of the blood vessels. This type of health care provider is called to a vascular specialist.

What you can do

To have someone along to their health care provider of the visit, if possible. Someone who goes with you can help you remember the information they give you.

Make a list of:

  • Its symptoms, including those that do not appear to be associated with Buerger's disease. Note when the onset of symptoms.
  • Important personal information, such as whether you ever smoked or used any tobacco product. Also keep in mind, if you've ever worked with vibrating tools such as a jackhammer, which can cause the blood vessels to injury of the hands or feet.
  • All medications, vitamins or supplements that you take. Include the dose.
  • Questions to ask your health care provider.

Some basic questions to ask include:

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • What tests do I need?
  • What are the treatment options? Which would I recommend?
  • I have other health conditions. How can I best manage these conditions?
  • You should see a specialist?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What sites do you recommend?

Do not hesitate to ask other questions as well.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider might ask:

  • Do you have symptoms all the time, or come and go?
  • How bad are the symptoms?
  • Nothing seems to improve the symptoms?
  • What, in any case, it makes your symptoms worse?
  • Make the fingers change color in the cold?
Symptoms and treatment of Buerger's disease