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| Know How to Spot, Treat and Prevent Unsightly Varicose Veins |
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While arteries carry blood away from the heart, veins carry blood to the heart. As the blood flows back to the heart, veins regulate blood flow, preventing the blood from flowing in the wrong direction. In some cases, especially over time, a vein may weaken, and some blood may trickle back into the vein. As the blood collects in the vein, it can become congested or clogged, causing the vein to swell.
These enlarged veins, which can appear as varicose veins, are quite common, especially among the aging female population. According to The National Women’s Health Information Center, as many as 60% of all American women and men have some form of varicose veins. Women, however, are more affected by 50%. 41% of women in their 50s, in fact, suffer from spider or varicose veins.
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| What are Varicose Veins? |
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| Spider veins: Smaller than varicose veins, spider veins, or “telangectasias,” appear as red or blue lines anywhere on the leg or face. Spider veins are named for their web-like appearance on the skin’s surface. |
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| Causes of Varicose Veins |
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A number of factors may trigger the appearance of varicose veins, including:
- Heredity
- Excess sun exposure
- Pregnancy
- Weight gain
- Certain medications
- Taking birth control pills
- Prolonged standing
- Traumatizing the skin via a hard pinch, for example
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| Relieve and Prevent Varicose Veins |
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Treatment for varicose veins initially begins with attempts to compress the region with stockings or support hosiery. Graduated support stockings, which gently and evenly reduce fatigue, pain and swelling, can help people suffering from poor circulation, edema, chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins.
If wearing support stockings does not alleviate symptoms of varicose veins, various treatments, including injections, laser skin surgery or surgery to destroy the damaged veins, can be attempted. Even with treatment, however, these varicose veins can return in other places on the body, so it’s best to take preventative measures to avoid getting varicose veins in the first place.
The National Women’s Health Information Center recommends the following prevention techniques to avoid against varicose veins:
- To help avoid against varicose veins, protect your skin from the sun by avoiding exposure or wearing sunscreen when outside.
- It’s important to exercise not only to keep your body healthy, but to help guard against varicose veins as well. Exercise is crucial in improving the strength of your veins and leg muscles.
- Do not cross your legs!
- Avoid wearing clothing that restricts circulation.
- Control your weight: do not engage in “roller coaster” weight loss and weight gain periods if you want to avoid getting varicose veins.
- Standing for long periods of time can contribute to your likelihood of getting varicose veins. If that’s unavoidable – if you have a job as a saleswoman, for example – remember to continually shift your weight from one leg to the other.
- Eat enough fiber. Did you know that constipation can contribute to varicose veins?
- Wear elastic support stockings to improve circulation and guard against varicose veins.
If you do not see results after pursuing varicose vein treatment, you may want to talk to your physician about alternative varicose vein treatment options.
Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on muscoskeletal health. |
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