Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD)

Effectively treating PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease) or intermittent claudication

By Dr. med. Fernanda Mendes Cardoso
written on 14.03.2014

Link to original article at jameda.de Germany’s largest Doctor recommendation website

Symptoms of PAD (intermittent claudication)
Triggers and causes of PAD
Cell biological analysis of PAOD (intermittent claudication)
The standard therapy of PAOD (peripheral arterial disease)
Cell biological analysis of intermittent claudication
Role of matrix therapy in the treatment of PAOD (intermittent claudication)
Experiences of Cellbiological Regulation Therapy in PAD

Peripheral arterial disease is a disease of the arterial blood vessels in the arms or legs. The course of PAOD is determined by an increasing constriction of the arteries. Men are up to 4 times more likely to be affected than women. About 10% of the population over the age of 60 is affected.

Symptoms of PAD (intermittent claudication)
The disease of the PAD can be symptom-free for a long time in the initial stage (stage I of the PAD). The main symptom in PAOD stage IIa is a limitation of maximum walking distance due to severe discomfort. The patients then stand with pain and calf cramps to recover. Hence the name ” Intermittent disorder “. In stage IIb of the PAD, the walking distance drops below 250 m. Stage III is characterized by restless pain that is no longer dependent on exercise. In the final stage – stage IV of the PAD – painful necroses, that is the death of whole tissue parts can occur, which often lead to amputations. Wan, cold skin and weakness are among the obvious consequences of circulatory problems. The doctor diagnoses the PAD from the patient’s complaint. Through a vascular examination (angiological examination), the vasoconstriction can then be determined safely.

Triggers and causes of PAD
Cause of PAD (intermittent claudication) is almost always a circulatory disorder due to increasing narrowing of the arteries. Most of the time this happens creeping through the arteriosclerosis (arteriosclerosis). The causes of arteriosclerosis are also risk factors for PAD (intermittent claudication): smoking, high blood lipid levels, high blood pressure, diabetes and physical inactivity.

Cell biological analysis of PAOD (intermittent claudication)
Circulatory disorders cause a lack of nutrients and oxygen in the affected regions of the body. The on-going need for increased nutrition and oxygenation is no longer met. The cells switch to lactic acid fermentation in the absence of oxygen. The lactic acid is excreted into the extracellular matrix. Because of impaired blood flow, therefore, the microcirculation, with the mass transfer between the extracellular matrix and the cells disturbed. The waste accumulates and causes localized acidification, which irritates the pain sensors in the tissue and leads to the typical pains in PAOD.

The standard therapy of PAOD (peripheral arterial disease)
The aim of the treatment of PAOD is the extension or maintenance of painless walking distance. The reduction of the risk factors is in the foreground of the treatment. This includes the treatment of metabolic disorders and hypertension. Harmful habits (smoking) must be set. Medicines can also improve the fluidity of the blood and the diameter of the arteries. Vascular surgery can also help.

Cell biological analysis of intermittent claudication
The pain in PAD is dependent on the microcirculation in the affected tissues. What does that mean? No cell is directly supplied by blood vessels. Between the walls of the smallest blood vessels and the cells, nutrients and oxygen are transported through a diffusion space, the extracellular matrix. The decisive factor is therefore not what man takes in nutrients – but what actually arrives at the end of the mass transport of the individual cell.

Role of matrix therapy in the treatment of PAOD (intermittent claudication)
In addition to the above-described medical therapy, the cell biological regulatory medicine aims to alleviate the symptoms, in particular by physiotherapeutic support of the microcirculation, by improving the metabolism of the cells in the under-served tissues.

Experiences of Cellbiological Regulation Therapy in PAD
By a vibration entry through the biomechanical stimulation in the muscles of the painful region and the adjacent muscles, the walking distance can be significantly increased. We have seen patients whose walking distance has increased from less than 250 m to over 1 km. The therapeutic vibration releases the metabolic residues in the extracellular matrix. The muscles own rhythm (rest vibration) is normalized again. This muscle vibration continues to stimulate the vital microcirculation in the tissues. The ZRT Matrix Therapy, administered by certified physiotherapists, is an effective contribution to the physiotherapy of PAOD patients after our clinical experience over 8 years.