More than 250 thousand patients are diagnosed with Venous Disease every year in the United States. Most vein diseases are chronic conditions that are usually associated with other health issues, like cardiac disease, diabetis, varicose veins, and others. Experts say they can impact anyone, but there are some risk factors that increase a patient’s likelihood for developing vein disorders.
They Include:
*Being over the age of 50
*Being female
*Pregnancy
*Obesity
*Limited Mobility
*Family History
Some symptoms are obvious:
*Varicose Veins
*Skin discoloration in legs
*Dry or weeping Eczema in legs
While other symptoms are often misinterpreted as normal, every day issues:
*Swelling/heaviness in legs
*Calf Pain/Cramping
Experts with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South say the first line of defense when it comes to Venous Disease is often compression therapy. That’s when compression stockings are used to pump the blood back up, because the valves that usually work with our calf muscles to make it flow upward, are compromised in some way
Other treatments include what’s known as “vein ablation therapy”. According to CIS’s Dr. Amit Patel, “Once these valves become dysfunctional, there’s really no utility for that. So we like to shut the bad vein down and that allows blood flow through the other good veins.”
If you think you may have Venous Disease, it’s important to see your doctor. For more information on Venous Disease and available treatments visit The Cardiovascular Institute of the South’s website
