disease are heaviness in the legs, restless leg syndrome, and painful varicose and spider veins. These symptoms often worsen at the end of the day or after extended periods of standing or sitting, and they can prevent people from participating in everyday activities.
Venous disease starts when the walls of a vein or one or more of its valves become weak and malfunction. This results in a condition called varicose veins or, more seriously, deep vein thrombophlebitis (DVT). Varicose and spider veins are enlarged, twisted blood vessels near the surface of the skin that may be blue, purple, red, or brown. They develop when the one-way valves that allow blood to flow upward toward the heart are weakened or damaged, and this allows blood to pool in the vein, causing it to enlarge.
During normal circulation, your blood moves upward through the veins in your body to get rid of waste products and deliver oxygen and nutrients to the rest of your system. In a healthy vein, the vein walls are strong and the valves are working correctly. In varicose and spider veins, these valves have been weakened by years of wear and tear, or by other factors that lead to a gradual weakness of the vein wall and faulty valves.
These factors include:
The most common treatments for a swollen, painful vein involve minimally invasive procedures in your doctor’s office. For example, sclerotherapy involves injecting a chemical into the damaged vein that causes it to close up. Over time, your body will absorb the damaged vein, and the pain and swelling will disappear. Your doctor may also recommend laser surgery or a procedure known as endovenous ablation. This procedure uses a catheter and ultrasound guidance to deliver heat to the damaged vein and seal it shut. This also stops blood from flowing through the damaged vein, and your body will find other, healthier, veins to carry it.
To help keep your veins healthy, you can reduce the risks by wearing loose clothing around your waist and legs to avoid restricting blood flow. If you work in a job that requires you to stand or sit for long periods of time, try to take frequent breaks and elevate your feet. In addition, you can improve your diet by eating more foods that are low in saturated fats, salt, and cholesterol. You should also consider a weight loss program and stop smoking. Finally, it is important to exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep. All of these things can help prevent vein problems and speed the healing process if you do develop them.