®

Practicing at St. Joseph Medical Arts Bldg, Port Charlotte, FL

2400 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 18, Port Charlotte, FL 33952
(941) 629-2355 ~ (941) 627-6275 Fax


    Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is devastating to those who experience it. The diameter of the arteries in the legs gradually get smaller causing arterial insufficiency (not enough oxygen).

The lower legs become cold and the patient experiences pain on walking (claudication pain i.e. not enough oxygen). The distance the patient can walk without pain gradually gets shorter until walking only 25 - 50 feet causes leg cramp pain.
Acupuncture can give tremendous relief for those with PVD. Typical is an immediate response - the legs warmer within 5 minutes of the first treatment and the walking distance without pain increase almost immediately. Below is a case history of such a patient:

    CASE HISTORY:
Peripheral Vascular Disease ~ Leg Cramps Healed with Medical Acupuncture:
CHIEF COMPLAINT - Claudication pain both legs for 5 months.

    Present Illness - Norma R is a 73 year old woman with severe PVD of both legs. She gets pain in both legs by the time she walks 50 feet to her mail box. Both legs are cold, starting half way between her knees and feet.

    Past Medical History - Norma R has a coronary artery disease and a history of congestive heart failure. She takes a number of heart medications. An angiogram done on July 22, 1998 shows:
    1. Occlusion the superficial femoral arteries bilaterally.
    2. Occlusion of the left proximal femoral artery.
    3. Partial occlusion of the anterior tibial arteries bilaterally.
    Because of a heart catherization showing an ejection fraction of only 15%. She is a poor surgical candidate for bypass surgery on her legs.
    ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS
    The first treatment was done on 8/12/98.
      During the treatment the lower legs became warmer to touch and when she went home to her surprise, she could walk to her mailbox and back to her house without pain.
    She had treatments on 8/12/98, 8/14/98, 8/17/98, 8/20/98 and 8/24/98.
      When she came in for her 8/28/98 treatment, the warmth in both lower legs was the same as both upper legs and she now can walk out to her mailbox and back to her house three times without leg pain. Norma also is able to go grocery shopping and perform activities of daily living and recreational activities with her husband without leg pain.
      SUMMARY -
        If you have PVD with cold lower legs and feet with pain in your legs when walking (which limits how far you can walk), it is probably treatable with acupuncture. Please be aware this is a treatment - not a cure and has been tried with positive affects on a small number of patients.


      Treatments are administered by Dr. Swing at St. Joseph Medical Arts Bldg, Port Charlotte, Florida.


      MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:
      If you have any patients with PVD, I can probably help you. E-Mail me at fswing@acu-heal.com and let me show you how well it works.

      Main Directory][ About Dr. Swing ][General Information about medical acupuncture

      2400 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 18, Port Charlotte, FL 33952
      (941) 629-2355 ~ (941) 627-6275 Fax

      Designed by Sandy Gwynn Assisted by Maggi Swing - updated August 2003

      © - 1997 Acu-Heal all rights reserved. © Dr. Fred Swing 1997. All Rights Reserved.