What are the symptoms of limb arterial embolism?

Limb artery embolism is a relatively common disease in daily life. Generally, the disease progresses very rapidly. Therefore, it is very important to understand the symptoms of limb artery embolism and to detect and treat it in time. So what are the symptoms of limb artery embolism? In fact, there are four symptoms. The first symptom is pain.

1. Pain

Most patients with acute arterial embolism complain of severe limb pain. The location of the pain depends on the embolism, usually limb pain within the plane of acute lower limb arterial embolism, and activity increases the pain. With secondary thrombosis and prolongation, the pain level can progress proximally.

2. Numbness and movement disorders

Because nervous tissue is quite sensitive to ischemia, sensory and motor disorders of the affected limb will occur in the early stages of acute arterial embolism. It manifests as a stocking-shaped area of ​​sensory loss at the distal end of the affected limb, an area of ​​decreased sensation at the proximal end, and an area of ​​hypersensitivity further proximal. The plane of the area of ​​decreased sensation is lower than the plane of arterial embolism.

In addition, the affected limb has muscle weakness, paralysis, and varying degrees of limb drop. When muscle necrosis eventually occurs and motor function is completely lost, it indicates that the affected limb is about to undergo irreversible changes.

3. Pale and cold

Scattered cyanotic patches may be seen among the pale skin. The limbs are severely ischemic, so the skin is cold, especially at the extremities. It should be pointed out that the plane where the skin color and temperature of the affected limb change is usually one palm width to two joint planes lower than the embolism site.

4. Arterial pulsation weakens or disappears

Embolism and arterial spasm cause the arterial pulsation distal to the embolism plane to be significantly weakened or disappear.