Have your legs been itchy, swollen, or heavy these past few months? Do you see dilated, curled veins appear under your skin? Have you postponed seeing a doctor for years? Now is the time for your first good year’s resolution! We have listed 5 reasons to have your veins checked by a doctor this month.
1. Better safe than sorry!
Varicose veins appear because of venous insufficiency, a disease that affects about 20% of adults worldwide. Although it usually starts with inoffensive spider veins, this chronic disease can lead to serious health issues if left untreated, such as:
- Swollen legs (edema)
- Eczema
- Ulcers
- Phlebitis
- Thrombosis
- Pulmonary embolism
Getting diagnosed at an early stage can help alleviate the pain and discomfort and prevent the development of other venous insufficiency symptoms.
2. If varicose veins run in your family
With such prevalence, you should discuss it with your family in order to identify possible genetic factors. Indeed, studies show that varicose veins are hereditary. When both parents had varicose veins, children were likely to inherit them at 90%. When only one parent had varicose veins, the probability for children to develop them was 25% for males and 62% for females. Varicose veins occurrences in your family are thus something you should mention to your doctor when consulting.
3. If you sit or stand for long hours every day
Sitting all day or having to stand for more than 4 hours a day may put you at an additional risk to develop varicose veins. How so? Blood is carried back to the heart through your veins. One-way valves make sure that blood only goes that way, but when they get damaged or weakened, blood pools start to form and varicose veins appear. Sitting or standing for too long put an added pressure on your legs and hinder circulation, therefore aggravating the problem. Teachers, hairdressers, nurses, flight attendants, but also truck drivers or office workers… depending on your genetic predisposition, and the number of hours spent sitting or standing at a time, your occupation might trigger varicose veins. In addition to this, in winter, we tend to go out and walk less… So don’t wait before seeing a doctor!
4. If you are overweight
Excess weight generally results in higher pressure in the abdomen. This pressure consequently may increase pressure on your leg veins. This stress makes it harder for vessels to deliver, distribute and return blood to the heart, thus creating a situation in which varicose veins may appear. Don’t worry if you have enjoyed some holiday feasts! But now is the right time to ask yourself whether your weight might impact your vein legs.
5. Winter is the best season to get treatment
Winter is usually seen as the best season to get varicose veins treatment. Indeed, some techniques to get rid of them leave skin marks that stay visible for a while, and that should not be exposed to the sunlight. Although with the latest innovation, echotherapy with SONOVEIN, treatments can be performed all year long as it does not leave any scar. The non-invasive method uses high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat the veins from outside of the body, without incisions. Patients are even able to go back to their daily activities right after treatment.
Ok, but what kind of doctor should I consult?
If you suspect varicose veins, it is advised to consult a phlebologist (vein doctor), angiologist (vascular doctor) or vascular surgeon. All echotherapy centers are indicated on this map!
So, are you ready to start 2023 on the right foot (leg!) by having your veins checked for varicose veins?
