Spider and varicose veins might just be unsightly nuisances to you, but they are actually the visual alerts to a bigger problem like chronic venous insufficiency. This is a disease that basically prevents blood from flowing back up the leg, leaving blood to pool and veins to bulge.
Tell-tale Signs of Vein Disease
If you experience any of the symptoms below for an extended period of time, make an appointment with your general physician. Early detection can save you a lot of pain in the future.
- Pain in Legs after long periods
- Swollen feet and ankles
- Spider veins
- Varicose veins
- Discolored skin on legs
- Sore or ulcered legs
- Burning or numbness
How Compression Stockings Can Help
This is a non-invasive therapy that keeps venous problems from progressing into the more serious stages of venous disease. Compression stockings, pantyhose or socks are designed to optimize blood flow back up the legs and to prevent blood from pooling in the legs. These aren’t a cure but they are wonderful for managing and preventing the progression of symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes
Support and compression hosiery is only effective when worn on an everyday basis and must be put on immediately before getting up and removed before bed. You should also keep a close eye on your blood pressure and weight. Moving around and engaging in physical activity strengthens muscles, which is great for vein therapy. keep your feet elevated when possible and sit down or walk around every once in a while to avoid being stagnant.
If veins problems are left unattended, it is possible that veins will become so weak that fluid will leak out into the surrounding tissue, causing legs and feet to swell throughout the day.