Aches and pains might not be part of getting older

You might think some of your aches and pains are just age catching up to you. And while you may be getting older, that doesn’t mean you should ignore what your body is trying to tell you — it could be more than a simple ache.

“Older” is a relative term, and in the case of risk factors for peripheral artery diseasePeripheral artery disease (PAD) is a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other substances in the blood. (PADPeripheral Artery Disease, a potentially life threatening disease where plaque, like calcium, builds up along blood vessel walls, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow to the legs and feet.), it may be younger than you think. For example, one in 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD.⁸

As you get older, you’re also more likely to have calcium deposits building up inside your arteriesArteries are blood vessels that carry blood to your heart and other parts of your body.. This is called calcification.