Damage To Your Veins Can Result In Severe Venous Leg

Your veins are critical to your overall health. But, like your muscles and joints, they can sustain damage from a variety of sources. A common cause of vein damage is chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). It is often caused by the combination of risk factors that include heredity, age, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle. This condition can lead to a wide range of symptoms including pain in your legs, achy feet or ankles, and a feeling of heaviness or fatigue in your legs.

Symptoms of venous disease are usually mild but can become severe if not treated. If left untreated, the damaged veins in legs can result in severe venous leg ulcers that are often hard to heal.

Damaged Veins

The underlying cause of most venous conditions is weakened blood vessel walls, which are called vein wall dysfunction. This problem can be caused by pregnancy, aging, genetics, or a number of medical conditions such as high cholesterol levels, obesity, and rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms of damaged veins typically include pain in the legs, achy feet or ankles, heaviness or tiredness in your legs, and sometimes skin discoloration. Varicose veins are the most obvious symptom, and these are red, blue or purple in color and raised above the surface of your skin.

Fortunately, it is possible to reverse some of the symptoms of vein disease through at-home treatments and surgical procedures. Depending on how far your venous disease has progressed, your doctor will recommend the best treatment for you.

Most cases of venous disease are due to a malfunction of the one-way valves in your veins, which prevent blood from flowing backward and facilitate the flow of blood toward the heart. If these valves become stretched or weakened, the resulting sluggish blood causes your vein to enlarge, or become varicose. These veins can be easily seen through the skin and are often painful to touch.

To help treat and prevent this condition, the first thing you should do is elevate your legs above the level of your heart at least several times a day. This will reduce the pressure on your veins and will also prevent fluid build-up, which can cause a venous leg ulcer. In addition, you should wear loose clothing, especially around your waist and legs to prevent restricting blood flow. You may also want to consider compression stockings, which are available at most medical supply stores or online. Your doctor will also likely recommend a procedure such as sclerotherapy, in which foam is injected into your veins to restructure them, or surgery. This will depend on the severity of your venous disorder and your other medical issues. However, if you have early signs of venous disease, a conservative approach with at-home care and compression therapy will allow your veins to repair themselves before your condition worsens. This will prevent a more serious complication, such as a blood clot in your deep veins or pulmonary embolism. A combination of these conservative methods is the most effective way to treat and prevent venous disorders.