Lifestyle and home remedies

There are a number of things you can do on your own to help improve your symptoms, such as:

• Exercise. Getting regular physical activity can benefit you in a number of ways, including helping to ease some of the pain of Buerger's disease. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as walking or biking, most days of the week.
• Skin care. Take care of your fingers and toes if you have Buerger's disease. Check the skin on your arms and legs daily for cuts and scrapes, keeping in mind that if you've lost feeling to a finger or toe you may not feel, for example, a cut when it happens. Keep your fingers and toes protected and avoid exposing them to cold.

• Infection prevention. Low blood flow to your extremities means your body can't resist infection as easily. Small cuts and scrapes can easily turn into serious infections.

  Clean any cut with soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover it with a clean bandage. Keep an eye on any cuts or scrapes to make sure they're healing. If they get worse or heal slowly, see your doctor promptly.

• Gum care. Visit your dentist regularly to keep your gums and teeth in good health and avoid gum disease, which in its chronic form is linked to Buerger's disease.
• Avoiding other people's smoke. In addition to not smoking yourself, it's important to avoid secondhand smoke too.