Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries become narrowed and hardened due to a build-up of plaque — a mix of fats, cholesterol, and other substances found in the blood. This process restricts blood flow, and over time can lead to serious health concerns such as heart attacks, strokes, and circulation problems in the legs and feet.

At Thrive Body Clinic, we understand that conditions like atherosclerosis don’t just affect the heart and arteries — they can impact your whole body, energy levels, and quality of life. While medical treatment often focuses on medication and lifestyle changes, osteopathy offers a hands-on, holistic approach to support your mobility, reduce discomfort, and help you feel more in control of your health.

What Is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis develops when the inner lining of the arteries becomes damaged and plaque starts to build up. As the arteries narrow and lose flexibility, blood flow is restricted. This can affect:

• The coronary arteries (leading to heart problems like angina)
• The carotid arteries (increasing the risk of stroke)
• The peripheral arteries, especially in the legs (causing circulation issues and leg pain)

It’s a gradual process and often goes unnoticed for years.

What Causes It?

Atherosclerosis is influenced by a number of factors, many of which are linked to modern lifestyles:

• High cholesterol or high blood pressure
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Being overweight
• A diet high in processed or fatty foods
• Diabetes
• Family history of heart disease

You’re more likely to be diagnosed as you get older, especially if several of these risk factors are present.

Common Symptoms

Symptoms depend on which part of the body is affected. People often experience:

• Chest discomfort or pressure (angina)
• Pain or cramping in the legs when walking (intermittent claudication)
• Numbness or weakness in the limbs
• Fatigue or breathlessness
• Poor circulation and slow-healing wounds

Sometimes, the first sign of atherosclerosis is a heart attack or stroke — which is why prevention and early management are so important.

Standard Treatment Approaches

If you’re diagnosed with atherosclerosis, your GP or consultant will usually recommend:

• Lifestyle changes such as improving your diet, increasing exercise, and stopping smoking
• Medication to lower cholesterol or blood pressure
• Monitoring through blood tests and check-ups
• In more advanced cases, interventions like stents or bypass surgery

Medical management is essential — but it’s not the whole picture. This is where osteopathy can offer supportive care to help you move better, feel better, and reduce strain on your body.

How Osteopathy Can Help People with Atherosclerosis

Osteopathy doesn’t treat atherosclerosis directly. But it can play a valuable role in improving your overall circulation, reducing discomfort, and supporting your ability to stay active — which is a key part of long-term heart and vascular health.

Here’s how osteopathy can help at Thrive Body Clinic:

1. Encouraging Healthy Circulation

When your body is tight, stiff, or poorly aligned, it can reduce blood and lymphatic flow. Gentle osteopathic techniques — including soft tissue release, joint mobilisation, and rhythmic movements — can help improve circulation, especially in areas like the legs where poor blood flow can cause pain and fatigue.

Improved movement means better oxygen delivery to tissues and more efficient removal of waste products — both essential for people with atherosclerosis or peripheral arterial disease.

2. Making Movement Easier and Less Painful

Staying active is vital, but if you’re dealing with leg cramps, joint pain, or general fatigue, it can be difficult. Osteopathy can help ease the aches and stiffness that may be stopping you from walking regularly or exercising. Even small improvements in comfort and mobility can make a big difference to your motivation and confidence.

We’ll tailor your sessions to your needs, focusing on safe, gentle techniques and practical advice for moving well between treatments.

3. Reducing Stress and Tension

Stress is known to contribute to high blood pressure and inflammation — both of which play a role in atherosclerosis. Osteopathic treatment encourages relaxation and helps calm the nervous system, which can support better sleep, lower stress hormones, and reduce tension throughout the body.

We often work with the ribcage and diaphragm too, helping people breathe more freely and feel less restricted in the chest — particularly important if anxiety or shallow breathing is a problem.

4. Supporting Lifestyle Changes

One of the strengths of osteopathy is the time we spend with you. We don’t just look at the part of the body that’s sore — we consider your habits, posture, daily routine, and overall health.

We’ll support you in making manageable changes that complement advice from your GP or nurse, such as:

• Finding exercises that suit your level of ability
• Improving posture to ease strain on the heart and joints
• Developing a regular movement routine that works with your life

We can also signpost you to local resources, such as walking groups, nutrition advice, or blood pressure checks, if needed.

5. Helping After a Cardiovascular Event

If you’ve recently had a heart-related event — such as a mild heart attack — and you’ve been advised to increase activity gradually, osteopathy may support your recovery. We’ll focus on improving circulation, posture and confidence, always working gently and within the limits of your health and energy.

We understand that recovery is not just physical — it’s emotional and practical too.

Osteopathy as Part of a Wider Support Plan

At Thrive Body Clinic, we view osteopathy as a way to support your whole system. We don’t offer quick fixes, but we do help people make real, lasting improvements in how they feel and function.

We always encourage people to continue seeing their GP or practice nurse and to take prescribed medications — osteopathy fits alongside this, not instead of it.

If you’ve been told you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or early signs of arterial narrowing, it’s not too late to make a difference. Every bit of movement, every small change in how you care for your body, adds up.

Ready to Feel More in Control of Your Health?

We’re here to support you — whether you’ve had a diagnosis, are managing ongoing symptoms, or simply want to look after your circulation and mobility as you get older.