Foot care is particularly important for patients with circulatory problems. Wearing comfortable, properly fitted shoes and socks and protecting the feet from injury or infection are crucial. This means inspecting the feet carefully at least once a day and getting prompt medical attention for any problems such as corns, calluses, injuries, or signs of infection. These are trivial, self-healing problems in people with a healthy circulation, but for patients with impaired blood flow to the lower limbs, they can become major infections that threaten the loss of a foot. Otherwise, arteriosclerosis obliterans is a serious condition requiring close monitoring by a physician or other health care provider.
Loss of limb can occur if the condition goes untreated.
However, because it is caused by the same factors that result in coronary heart disease, the same alternative therapies high-dose niacin, vitamin E, and relaxation techniques may provide some benefit in conjunction with lifestyle modifications and medical treatment. Avoiding high-cholesterol diets, refraining from smoking, and getting regular exercise may help prevent this disorder. As with most atherosclerotic disease, men are more likely to be affected than women, possibly because of protection provided by female hormones such as estrogen. The cause of Buerger's disease is unknown, but since it occurs mostly in young men who smoke, it is thought to be a reaction to something in cigarettes or the result of a genetic or autoimmune disorder. The first symptoms are usually a bluish cast to a toe or finger and a feeling of coldness in the affected limb.