When the veins of your legs do not work properly for returning blood to the heart, doctors will say that you have developed venous insufficiency. The blood will gradually get collected in your veins, as you will get this condition.
There will be swelling in the feet and ankles, which is an early symptom of this condition. It is also seen that when the condition becomes chronic, you may develop chronic venous insufficiency.
It is seen in research that venous insufficiency does not pose any serious health threat. While the condition worsens, you are going to feel the pain and disabling feeling. There will be the development of skin ulcers, skin changes, and infections if you leave the condition untreated.
According to studies, it is seen that 40% of people experience this condition.
What Is Venous Insufficiency?
It is seen that arteries will carry blood from the heart to veins, and the rest of the body. Veins carry the blood back to the heart. There are one-way valves in the legs, which keep the blood from flowing backward.
There will be pumping of blood back to the heart in an ineffective way, as the vein valves and walls fail to work correctly. There will be a deterioration of vein health, as you develop venous insufficiency.
The blood will pool in the veins of the legs instead of flowing back to the heart effectively. You will know that you have venous insufficiency. It is seen that this condition is more common in women than in men.
The condition is going to affect women between the ages of 40 to 49. However, men between seventy to seventy-nine are mostly affected by this condition.
What Causes Venous Insufficiency?
There are several factors, that lead to venous insufficiency. The most common causes are varicose veins and blood clots. There will building of blood below the clots if the blood gets obstructed in their flow.
The clots will gradually develop into venous insufficiency. There will be leaking of blood through a damaged valve, as the valves are impaired in varicose veins.
There can be development of venous insufficiency if you have weak leg muscles that will squeeze the blood. There can be venous insufficiency due to lack of exercise as well. If you are sitting or standing for a long time, you will develop this condition.
There can be weakened valves that will lead to this condition. After you stand for a long time, the valves in your leg veins will become gradually ineffective.
If you have experienced leg trauma, you can also experience this condition. There are other causes like age over fifty, deep vein thrombosis, and cancer, which leads to the condition. The condition can also occur if you have a family history as well.
What are the Symptoms of Venous Insufficiency?
When it comes to venous insufficiency symptoms, you will know that some of the symptoms resemble other conditions. There are many symptoms of this condition, which seem to be mild.
If you have those symptoms, you will need to check with the podiatrists and treat your condition. There will be swelling and pressure in your blood vessels. The tiny blood vessels in your legs will keep on bursting out.
The skin will gradually turn out to reddish- brown if the capillaries burst. The reddish–brown skin will appear near the ankles. There will be the development of ulcers and you will feel acute swelling as well.
There can be additional problems like infection that will not get healed easily. You must begin the treatment early. There can be leg cramps and itchiness as well. When you elevate your legs, there will be acute pain.
While there will be thickening of skin, there will be pain at the time of walking. There will be tight feelings of calves, and pain at the time of resting.
How is Venous Insufficiency Treated?
When it comes to venous insufficiency treatment, podiatrists will aim to improve the blood flow in your legs. They will need to prevent leg ulcers, and swelling as well. Before the treatment, they will check
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Extent of condition
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Your medical history and overall health
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Your tolerance for specific therapies and procedures
There will be conservative treatments that will improve the blood flow of your legs. When the conservative treatment fails podiatrists will try out other venous insufficiency solutions as well.
While they may try out minimally invasive procedures, they may also look for surgery. The surgery is the last stage of the treatment. When it comes to conservative treatments for venous insufficiency, podiatrists will advise you to wear compression stockings.
Compression stockings will help the movement of blood in your legs in a better way. They will ask you to elevate your legs. Podiatrists will also ask you to perform proper exercises so that you can increase your strength in your legs.
Final Words
If you have developed venous insufficiency, you will need to know a lot of things from podiatrists. While you get the treatment, you will get better with time.
Author Bio
Olivia is a dedicated content writer and works for a digital marketing company. She has written various articles on leg vein problems, and venous insufficiency and treatments. All her articles are well–accepted by readers.
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