Blood vessels are literally the vessels through which our blood flows. There are essential substances such as nutrients and oxygen in the blood, and the vessels function as a carrier of these substances throughout the body. Therefore, it is easy to understand that the blood has to flow smoothly for a healthy life.

Blood vessels can be narrowed or obstructed due to many reasons including aging, disease, diet and smoking. If so, the body sends an SOS signal and in severe cases, the person’s life is in danger. Keeping healthy blood vessels is as important as protecting your life. 

Among vascular diseases, arterial ischemic symptoms appear when there is inadequate blood supply because of arterial stenosis or occlusion. In order to solve this problem, you need to ensure adequate blood flow. Possible treatments include angioplasty, which widens narrowed arteries through surgery or radiologic intervention; bypass surgery, which creates a new pathway instead of occluded blood vessels; and the interventional procedure that widens narrowed arteries by using a balloon catheter or inserting a mesh tube known as a stent. Also, medication such as vasodilators and anti-platelet medications are used to make the blood flow smoothly and to prevent blood clotting. Recently, stem cell therapy has regenerated new blood vessels, and clinical trials are being conducted in limited cases. It is predicted that stem cell therapy is going to be the main treatment for arterial stenosis and occlusion in the near future.

As you can see, treatment of vascular diseases requires professional knowledge, but there are many options for treatment. However, there are patients who miss their optimal time to receive proper treatments on account of self-treatment and self-prescription after long-term use of unnecessary medication. For example, in the case of thromboses on the veins of the lower limb, when the patient is diagnosed earlier, any potential vascular disease as well as the current symptoms can be prevented from exacerbating. This is done by examining not only the leg veins but the blood vessels through the entire body; especially the heart, cerebrovascular network and the aorta.

Nevertheless, there are many patients who visit the hospital because of exacerbated symptons after long-term self-treatment. They expect the symptoms will be alleviated by non-specific vascular supplements. We cannot expect alleviation from these medications in case of arterial stenosis or occlusion which causes ischemia. Moreover, fatal consequences may result from those cases where the patient suffers skin damage from moxibustion because the patient thought the symptoms were due to neuralgia (nerve pain) or myalgia (muscle pain). These cases are come across very often and it is very concerning from a professional’s viewpoint.

By Kim Dong-ik 

The author is a doctor of division of vascular surgery at Samsung Medical Center and professor of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. ― Ed.