Vein disease can start off with mild symptoms
such as tired or aching legs, the appearance of spider veins,
or swelling around the ankles at the end of the day. While these
symptoms seem harmless at first, left untreated they can develop
into serious problems. Early detection and treatment that includes
the use of compression stockings can prevent life-threatening
consequences.
Put simply, vein disease occurs when veins have problems returning
blood from your limbs to your heart. Damage to the valves and
the veins of the leg may be caused by defects at birth, or may
be acquired through a phlebitis, infection, or trauma. Other
contributing factors of vein disease include obesity, pregnancy
and thrombosis. Permanent valvular incompetence results in chronic
vein disease. Absence of valves at birth or subsequent failure
of valves in the vein reduce the ability of the foot and leg
muscle pumps to move blood up and out of the leg. (1) Vein disease
can often begin with tired feeling legs which may indicate that
the blood flow back to the heart is impaired. This condition
can escalate, with swelling around the foot and ankle. You may
find that these symptoms occur after long periods of sitting
or standing, which are activities that cause the veins to stretch
and become enlarged due to pooling blood. As the vein walls
become weaker, they may start to leak fluid into the surrounding
tissues, increasing the swelling. After lying down or elevating
your legs for a period of time, the swelling may go down temporarily.
(2)
In addition to the pain of tired and swollen limbs, unnatural
reddish or purple skin coloration, leg cramping, and unsightly
varicose veins, there are more serious health risks. Thrombosis
occurs when a blood clot forms due to chronic venous blood congestion.
If the clot travels from the leg to the lungs, a pulmonary embolism
can occur. (3) Poorly working veins can also overload the lymphatic
system. Fluid is pulled into the surrounding tissues and large
molecules such as proteins, fats, and wastes depend on the lymphatic
system to be reabsorbed. Overloading the lymphatic system can
cause these large molecules to stay in the tissues. Cuts or
scraps in these affected areas can lead to serious, life-threatening
infections such as cellulites. Skin breakdown can lead to chronic
non-healing ulcers which may also become a serious consequence
to untreated vein disease. (4)
Compression stockings are used to help support the weakened veins,
and should be replaced every four to six months. We choose to
bring you styles from Jobst, Juzo, and Medi because of their
reputation for durable and fashionable products. MartinHealthLine.com will
help you find compression stockings to alleviate your painful
symptoms and help begin a healthy regimen to maintain your active
lifestyle.
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