Treating Your Varicose Veins
In the American population, 40 percent of women and 20 percent of men aged 50 and above suffer from varicose veins. However, there are still people who need more awareness and knowledge about what varicose veins are and how they are acquired. The next basic thing that most people have to learn is the possibility of removing the vein problem, the available treatments as well as whether it is included in one’s health plan coverage.
Varicose veins are defined simply as twisted and dilated veins which develop when veins become weak. Veins, particularly in the leg, have valves in them which aid in the flow of blood in the circulation. These valves promote one-way blood flow so that the blood passing through the veins will successfully flow back to the heart. Sometimes, the two leaflets of this valve no longer meet as the vein become too distended thus not being able to fully aid in the one-way blood flow of blood back to the heart. When this happens, the blood is pushed back down towards the ground due to abdominal pressure and gravity, and will create swelling of the veins. Eventually, the veins will develop into varicose veins.
There are several factors which influence the development of varicose veins. This includes genetics, activities, occupation, gender and gravity. Scientific research has established the pattern of women being more prone to developing the vein problem as compared to men. Pregnancies and hormonal changes are the main culprits for the established pattern. Pregnant women having gravid uterus that becomes enlarged can pose a compromise towards the flow of blood in the veins found in the legs – they go back down due to gravity and pressure. This also explains why pregnant women often suffer from swelling in their legs.
However, women who are not pregnant, or have never been, still have higher tendencies of developing the vein problem compared to men. In this matter, genetics is the key factor. It was observed in a research study that there are ethnic groups who have lesser rates of developing varicose veins with scientifically significant statistics.
The kind of occupation or activities a person does daily will also contribute to the development of varicose veins. Activities or occupations requiring a person to stand or even sit in prolonged periods will most certainly promote the development of twisted and swollen veins. Gravity pulls blood down a person’s leg, and due to the person’s position, it does not allow the calf muscle to contract which often help in pushing blood flow back into the heart.
The current technology in treating varicose veins offers non-invasive as well as minimally invasive vein procedures, and they can even be done inside the doctor’s clinic. Often times, only local anesthesia is administered and the recovery time for the patient is short to none.
Due to the new innovations in vein treatment, traditional surgeries on vein stripping are rarely advised. Since February of 2004, the Staten Island Vein Center has not performed traditional vein stripping.
The non-invasive vein treatments for vein problems are leg elevation, exercise, analgesics and usage of support stockings. These treatments may not treat the vein problem entirely; however they free the patient from experiencing the common troubles and symptoms of having varicose veins. Simply, doing these practices will alleviate the pain in varicose veins as well as prevent it from fully developing.
