Buerger's disease
Buerger’s disease is a type of vascular disease of organs due to increased sensitivity to compounds in tobacco, which can cause limb amputation.
This disease occurs mostly in young men who smoke (25-45 years old). In recent years, with the increase in smoking among young women, this disease has also appeared in women. The prevalence of this disease is more in the Middle East region, especially in Iran and Turkey.
It seems that due to an allergy to an unknown substance in tobacco, the nerves and vessels of the fingers and toes become inflamed and cramp.
In this disease, blood sugar and lipids are completely normal, and the blockage of blood vessels is not due to fat deposition, but due to inflammation, plethora, and the formation of blood clots
symptoms
One of the early symptoms of the disease is increased sensitivity of fingers and toes to cold. Sometimes the planta can be painful to the touch. Tingling of the toes may also occur after walking.
Sometimes the superficial veins in the leg, thigh, or arm become red and painful, which resolves on their own.
As the disease progresses, leg muscles or the planta cramp when walking so the patient has to stand for a few minutes and massage the leg muscle.
As the disease progresses, burning pain occurs at night, which prevents sleep. At this time, if the foot is hanging from the edge of the bed or chair, it will turn purple. After this stage, the toes may become sore or black. If the wound and blackness of the leg progress, it will be cut off. As the disease progresses, cerebrovascular, cardiac vessels, and intestines may also be blocked
treatment
The definitive treatment for Buerger’s at the time of the onset of symptoms is complete cessation of smoking and tobacco use. Even one pack of cigarettes per day, use of chewing tobacco, and exposure to cigarette smoke of other smokers can keep the disease active. Even for the treatment of Buerger’s disease, it is recommended to avoid other smoke such as fire smoke, opium smoke, and sap.
Drug treatments can only prevent amputation for a short period of time if you don’t quit smoking, but if you quit smoking completely, taking drugs like Pletal can save your leg.
In Buerger’s disease, reducing the number of cigarettes cannot prevent limb amputation, but it seems that reducing smoking reduces the risk of cerebrovascular, cardiac, and intestinal vascular damage in Buerger’s patients
