Vein disease is an extremely common medical condition that is believed to afflict over 30 million Americans according to the Society of Vascular Medicine. Unfortunately, it is believed that only 10 percent will actually seek treatment for their aliment. Why such a small percentage, no one really knows. Perhaps it is due to the common misconception among people in general that vein disease is only a “Cosmetic” condition. Even physicians seem to overwhelmingly hold on to that belief as well, although most would acknowledge that there is a small component of vein disease that is, in their eyes, medical in nature.
I suspect that if you have a venous ulcer or are bleeding or you have a blood clot in one of your varicosities, you would be a medical issue in those physicians’ eyes. Unfortunately, vein disease is much more than just a cosmetic issue. It is in fact a medical condition not much different than its arterial counterpart, peripheral artery disease.
With increasing age, anyone can develop vein disease to some degree. Depending on the severity, venous disease can elicit symptoms as simple as leg pain, fatigue and swelling in those with minimal disease all the way to venous ulcerations and venous thrombosis in some of the more severe cases.
Consequently, regardless of the severity of vein disease that you may have, there some basic things that you should and should not do in order to help maintain healthy veins.
What you should do:
- Stay hydrated. I is very important to maintain proper hydration at all time not just for your vein health, but for the health of your entire body. Staying hydrated helps to keep your body functioning at optimal levels.
- Elevate your legs when possible. When you are on your feet all day, your veins are constantly being impacted by gravity. As in most things, too much of something is not always good. Give your legs and your veins a break by propping them up on occasion when you really do not need to be on your feet.
- Take care of your body. Your body is designed to move. Stay active by walking or exercising. Eat healthy. Like they say, you are what you eat. A sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits not only hurt your vein health, they also hurt your overall health.
- Wear compression stockings. You don’t have to say it. Stockings are not comfortable. I get hot wearing them. Stockings can be helpful in certain situations involving leg swelling or blood clot issues. If you tolerate them, or you feel like they help make your legs feel better, wear them.
What not to do:
- Smoking is a definite no! Aside from the obvious negative impact on your lungs, smoking can also contribute to blood clot and plaque formation.
- Avoid over-heating your veins by subjecting your body to hot tubs or saunas on a regular basis. The increased heat can result in venous dilation and as a result an increase in the amount of pooled blood. This in turn can give rise to vein swelling and blood clot formation.
- Do not do a lot of heavy lifting. Exercise is normally a good thing in that it helps to improve the body’s blood circulation and overall health. However, the force required to lift heavy weights can also subject the veins to excessive pressure that can over time promote damage to them.
- Avoid sitting or standing for prolonged periods. Excessive standing in the absence of movement does not allow your leg muscles to contract causing venous blood to pool within the venous system in both healthy and refluxing veins. This is why people who have jobs that require prolonged standing, should make every attempt to walk whenever possible.
- Avoid drinking artificial and sugary drinks. Sodas and energy drinks are extremely prevalent in American society today. Unfortunately, they are also not very good for your vein health. The excess sugar in these drinks promote the increased production of low-density lipoproteins which can cause plaque formation in blood vessels. The same plaques that can lead to clots and numerous other venous issues.
Treatment
If you are one of these people who is suffering from vein disease, it is time for you to get help with your varicose veins and spider veins. Help your body stay healthy and functional. Taking care of your vein issues is the place to start. Call the experts at STL Vein and Cosmetics and let our team of experts help guide you to those legs that you always wanted.
