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Varicose Veins
What are Veins ?
The heart pumps blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. Arteries carry blood from the heart towards the body parts, while the veins carry blood from the body parts back to the heart. As the blood is pumped back to the heart, veins act as one-way valves to prevent the blood from flowing backwards.
What are Varicose Veins?
When vein valves due to some reason do not open and close properly, blood can leak back & collect in them making them clogged. This congestion or clog causes the vein to enlarge abnormally. These enlarged veins are called varicose veins.
They are dark purple or blue in color, and can look like cords or very twisted and bulging. They are found most often on the backs of the calves or on the inside of the leg, anywhere from the groin to the ankle.
They can be made worse by standing for long periods, by being constipated or overweight, and by pregnancy. During pregnancy, varicose veins called hemorrhoids can form in the vagina or around the anus.
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Possible
causes for Varicose Veins:
Although it is difficult to
point out the exact cause for varicose veins, but there are several factors that
can be estimated to cause them.
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Heredity, or being
born with weak vein valves, is the greatest factor.
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Hormones also play a
role. The hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and
menopause, as well as taking estrogen, progesterone, and birth control pills
can cause a woman to develop varicose veins or spider veins.
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Pregnancy, increases
the hormone levels, along with a great increase in the volume of blood in
the body. this might can cause the veins to enlarge. The enlarged uterus
also puts more pressure on the veins. (Within 3 months after delivery,
varicose veins usually improve. However, more abnormal veins are likely to
develop and remain after additional pregnancies.)
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Being Overweight or
obese: the increased pressure exerted by the body weight can break
the valves in the veins causing the blood to collect in pools in the veins.
The force of gravity, the pressure from body weight, and the task of
carrying the blood from the bottom of the body up to the heart make the legs
the primary location for varicose veins
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Lack of regular exercise:
These veins are most commonly found in women who sit or stand in one
position for prolonged periods of time, people who habitually sit with their
legs crossed, and those who lack proper regular exercise.
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A low fiber diet -
can cause excessive pressure within the veins which in turn might
causes an increased strain during bowel movements. This in turn might damage
the veins or their valves as a result of inflammation.
Other factors
that can weaken vein valves and might cause varicose veins include aging,
leg injury, and prolonged standing, such as for long hours on the job.
Symptoms
associated with Varicose Veins:
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Varicose
veins may or may not be accompanied by symptoms such as
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Fatigue
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Aching
discomfort
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Feelings
of heaviness or pain in the legs
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Fluid
retention
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Swelling
and pain in the feet and ankles, and
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Discoloration-causing
redness of the skin around them
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If
varicose veins get very bad, they can cause ULCERS on the ankles.
These
dilated and often painful veins affect 50% of middle-aged adults and are
twice as common in women as in men.
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Treatment
for Varicose Veins:
Smaller varicose veins
that are near the surface generally do not pose a serious problem and can
be managed with simple home measures like, diet & lifestyle
modification.
DIET
MANAGEMENT: Follow a low-fat, high fiber diet so as to avoid
excessive weight gain and constipation. High
fiber foods include fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, like
bran. Control your salt-intake. Excessive
Salt, or sodium
intake, can cause you to
retain water or swell.
Other nutrients associated are, Vitamin
E,
A,
B6,
B12,
C,
D and
Bioflavinoids. Vitamin B6 and B12 are needed for proper digestion of food,
While Vitamin E & C aid in proper
circulation by reducing blood clotting tendencies and feeling of heaviness
in legs. Vitamin A aids in enhancing the immunity, protection of cells,
and slows the aging process. Vitamin D helps in relieving leg cramps
when taken with
calcium and
magnesium. Bioflavinoids, help to promote
healing and prevent bruising. Aids in the prevention of hardening of
arteries.
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LIFESTYLE
MODIFICATION:
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Exercise Regularly
to maintain a healthy weight:
walking,
swimming, and
cycling
all promote good
circulation and provides a structured time to get up and move your legs.
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Try to wear loose
clothing that does not restrict the flow of blood : Wear loose clothing
that doesn't restrict blood flow (especially at the waist, groin, and leg
area) and if necessary wear supportive elastic stocking to support the
varicose veins and keep them from becoming more swollen.
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Avoid long periods of
sitting or standing: Take rest periods several times during the day to
elevate your legs above heart level and frequently shift your weight from
one leg to the other during long periods of standing. Avoid crossing your
legs, doing heavy lifting, and putting any unnecessary pressure on your
legs.
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Water therapy: To
improve circulation and ease pain, fill a tub with cold water and stand in
the water and simulate walking.
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Avoid scratching:
Avoid scratching the itchy skin above varicose veins. This can cause
ulceration and bleeding.
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Use of elastic
compression stockings: These stockings reduce vein swelling and relieve
symptoms such as discomfort, pain and occasional ankle swelling. These
stocking also put pressure on the surface veins, forcing blood to enter the
deep veins and through them go upward and back to the heart instead of
remaining and pooling in the lower body.
MEDICAL
TREATMENT:
Larger veins and veins that
involve obstruction and valve defects of the leg's deeper veins may need medical
treatment and if left untreated may cause complications such as bleeding under
the skin, deep-vein blood clots, and an eczema-like condition near the affected
veins or ulcerated spots near the ankles. There are several medical &
surgical options for dealing with varicose veins, depending on the type and
extent of your condition.
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Sclertherapy:
An agent is injected into the vein causing it to form a clot and close up,
forcing other, healthier veins to take over the work of that vein. This
treatment can only bring temporary relief as varicose veins may develop
elsewhere and as eventually the clot will dissipate and the problem vein
will reopen.
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Electrodesiccation -
This treatment is similar to sclerotherapy except the veins are sealed off
with an electrical current instead of the injection of solution. This
treatment may leave scars.
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Surgical Stripping:
Surgical stripping requires the removal of the entire problem vein. A cut is
made at the groin to expose the vein. The vein is cut and clamped off. A
small hole is made at the top of the vein and a wire is put through the vein
and out a small incision in the lower leg. The vein is tied to the metal
head on the upper end of the wire and then the entire vein is pulled out
through the lower incision.
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Stripping can be a costly
procedure considering the expense of general anesthesia, a hospital setting,
and the time required for recovery (the affected area must remain bandaged
for two to three weeks after surgery). This procedure can also cause trauma
to the soft tissues around the vein and may leave scars from the incisions.
Also, surgical stripping does not solve the problem of varicose veins since
these veins often form elsewhere despite the surgery.
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Trans-Illuminated
Powered Phlebectomy (TIPPS) surgery: Through this process the doctors
can eliminate varicose veins in about 30 minutes. The procedure is
performed by using two small metal rods with handles. They insert the first
piece into the leg and distribute a saline solution under the skin. The
solution acts as local anesthetic and allows for light to travel farther
under the skin. Once the area is illuminated, the second piece, which
includes a blade and suction device, is inserted under the skin. With the
lights off in the operating room it's easy to see the problematic veins,
which are removed with the blade. Doctors also outline the veins with a
marker ahead of time, giving them a region to work within during the
operation. This procedure is done on an
outpatient basis and results in virtually no scarring. After the procedure,
patients can walk out of the hospital, though they are required to wear a
compression stocking for a couple of weeks.
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Laser Surgery: There
are several types of lasers that can be used to treat varicose veins on the
legs.
Although your doctor will decide which type is best to treat your condition,
some of the lasers used to treat veins include yellow light lasers, green
light lasers, and other intense pulsed light systems.
Laser
surgery works by sending very strong bursts of light onto the vein that
makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. Lasers are very direct and
accurate, and only damage the area being treated. All skin types and colors
can be safely treated with lasers. The American Academy of Dermatology
believes that the new laser technology is more effective with fewer side
effects. Laser surgery is more comfortable for patients because there are no
needles or incisions. When the laser hits the skin, the patient only feels a
small pinch, and the skin is soothed by cooling both before and after the
laser is applied. There may be some redness or swelling of the skin right
after the treatment, but this disappears within a few days. The skin also
may be discolored, but this will disappear within one to two weeks.
Treatments last 15 to 20 minutes, and depending on the severity of the
veins, two to five treatments are generally needed to remove varicose veins
in the legs. Patients can return to normal activity right after treatment.
Your
doctor will decide on the kind of treatment suitable for you depending on
the severity of the problem.
How
to prevent varicose veins?
There
are several easy things you can do to help prevent varicose and spider veins and
to relieve discomfort from the ones you have:
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Exercise
regularly to improve your leg strength, circulation, and vein strength.
Focus on exercises that work your legs, such as walking or running.
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Control
your weight to avoid placing too much pressure on your legs.
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Do not
cross your legs when sitting. However, try to elevate your legs when
resting.
-
Do not
stand for long periods of time. If you have to stand for long periods of
time, shift your weight from one leg to the other every few minutes. If you
have to sit for long periods of time, stand up and move around or take a
short walk approximately every 30 minutes.
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Wear
elastic support stockings, but avoid clothing that is too tight or that will
constrict your waist, groin, or legs.
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Make sure
to include high-fiber foods in your diet since constipation can contribute
to varicose veins. High fiber foods include fresh fruits and vegetables and
whole grains, like bran. Control your salt-intake. Salt, or sodium, can
cause you to retain water or swell.
For more
information:
American
Society for Dermatologic Surgery
847-330-9830
Internet Address:
http://www.asds-net.org/
The
American College of Phlebology
510-832-7300
Internet Address:
http://www.phlebology.org/
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