PREVENT
Posted July 6, 2015
Vein disease affects nearly half the U.S. adult population, and for those who struggle with vein disease, it's more than cosmetic. It's a condition that causes significant leg pain and fatigue which affects your daily lifestyle.
Vein disease encompasses a spectrum of conditions. Varicose veins are large, bulging veins that are visible on your skin's surface. Spider veins are smaller veins on your skin's surface that can be unsightly and/or painful. These are typically indications of weak or damaged blood vessels below the surface of your skin. If these veins are not working properly, blood will collect and pool in your legs.
Common vein disease symptoms include limb heaviness, itching, burning, aching, swelling, and/or fatigue.
For active people, vein disease can an impact your daily routine. If you don't have this condition treated, it could also cause significant medical issues such as leg ulcers and blood clots. It is best not to ignore symptoms.
First of all, you can blame mom and dad. The biggest risk factor is heredity, but there are other factors that lead to varicose veins:
Before seeking medical treatment, there are a few things you can do at home.
Compression stockings can support weakened veins and help alleviate the discomfort caused by vein disease. These are available with a prescription at a medical supply store or at a variety of online companies.
You may recognize this as the most common treatment for spider veins. Using a fine needle, a chemical solution is injected into the vein, causing it to close. The body then breaks down the damaged vein, and it slowly disappears. This is a relatively painless procedure. Patients should expect to need one or more treatments to see results.
This is done by placing a radio frequency tipped catheter inside the vein. As the catheter tip heats, the vein wall contracts and the vein closes. This is an outpatient procedure done in the clinic with some oral sedation for patient relaxation. Patients who undergo this procedure can resume normal activities quickly with excellent results.
Vein disease and its symptoms should not be ignored. Please contact your physician if you are having symptoms.
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