Arteries transport oxygenated blood from the heart to your entire body, while veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart from different parts of your body. If your veins fail to carry out their function, however, blood can lump together in your legs—this is a condition known as venous insufficiency or vein disease.
If you suspect that you have vein disease, you can consult with one of our physicians here at Advanced Vascular Associates in New Jersey, for a diagnosis and prompt treatment.
Are You at Risk for Vein Disease?
Multiple factors contribute to your risk of developing vein disease, which can include the following:
- Being over the age of 50. When you grow older, the walls of your veins begin to weaken. This affects the way blood travels back to your heart.
- Having a family history of venous insufficiency can greatly influence the likelihood of you getting the condition as well.
- Females reportedly have a heightened chance of being afflicted with vein disease due to hormonal changes.
- Obesity or Being Overweight. If you are above the average weight, this can add stress to your vascular system, as your veins would require more effort to pump blood. Consequently, this may cause blood to clump up in your legs.
- Prolonged Periods of Standing. Excessive pressure or gravity on your legs can impede the proper circulation of blood.
- A Sedentary Lifestyle. If you tend to be physically inactive, it can affect the quality of your blood flow.
Symptoms of Vein Disease
Vein disease can come with symptoms such as:
- Swelling legs or ankles
- Leg cramps
- Pain that is intensified when you stand and eased when you elevate your legs
- Weakened legs
- Itching legs
- A throbbing, aching, or heavy sensation in your legs
- Varicose veins
- Skin that is thickened on your legs or ankles
- Leg ulcers
- Skin that changes in color mostly around the ankles
- A constricting feeling around the calves
Treatment Solutions for Vein Disease
Depending on your symptoms, age, and other factors your doctor in Advanced Vascular Associates, Morristown, NJ, Sparta, NJ, Pompton Plains, NJ, or Teaneck, NJ, office may advise treatment solutions such as:
- You may be prescribed medications that promote blood flow. Antibiotics may also be given if you have leg ulcers.
- Improving Blood Flow in Your Veins. Elevating your legs, wearing compression stockings, and exercising can lessen swelling and help with blood flow.
- Endovenous Laser Ablation or Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA). This procedure involves the use of a tube that closes a damaged vein with heat.
- This is done by injecting a special chemical that closes damaged veins, so that blood is transported by healthy veins instead.
- One type of surgery that may treat vein disease done is ligation, which entails tying a vein off so that blood can’t flow through it. Vein stripping, another type of surgery, involves the removal of a vein.
Contact Us To Learn More About Vein Disease and If You’re At Risk For It
Schedule a consultation here at Advanced Vascular Associates by reaching our office at (973) 540-9700.