Buerger Disease - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Picture of Buerger disease
What is buerger disease?
Buerger disease is an uncommon or unusual disease characterized by inflammation of the small and medium arteries and veins and it is mostly affected to the areas are hands and feet. The exact cause of this disease is not known but it may be related with smoking or smokeless tobacco and it is mostly common to the men then women.
Causes of Buerger disease
It has been postulated that Buerger’s Disease is an “autoimmune” reaction (one in which the body’s immune system attacks the body’s own tissues) triggered by some constituent of tobacco. The lack of blood flow can lead to gangrene, which is decay of tissue due to restricted blood supply. A cold sensitivity in the hands, similar to that seen in Raynaud's disease, can develop. In this case, the hands turn color--white, blue, and then red--when exposed to the cold.
Symptoms of buerger disease
- Pain and weakness in leg, feet, hands and arms.
- Swelling in hand and feet
- Skin ulcers or gangrene of the digits
- Pain or tenderness
- Symptoms may occur more when contact with cold or with emotional stress
- Limbs affected
- Numbness and tingling in the limbs
Treatment of Buerger disease
No treatments can cure Buerger's disease. Instead, your doctor may try various treatment approaches to reduce any signs and symptoms you have.
Patients who continue to smoke are generally the ones who require amputation of fingers and toes.
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