Did you know that some simple lifestyle changes may help prevent varicose veins? You may think those twisted, bulging veins are a cosmetic issue, but there’s more to them than meets the eye. Varicose veins are a symptom of vein disease, or venous insufficiency. If left untreated, you may develop a range of painful and sometimes debilitating symptoms. Over time, you may also be affected by even more serious health issues like blood clots or venous ulcers.
Common symptoms of vein disease include:
- Swelling in the legs and ankles
- Tired, aching legs
- Burning in the calf or thigh
- Leg pain that feels better when you walk or raise your legs
- Itchy, dry skin
- Numbness or tingling sensation
- Difficulty standing for long periods
- Non-healing wounds on your legs
If you’re at risk for developing varicose veins, it’s a good idea to do what you can to prevent them. If you’ve already been diagnosed with varicose veins, we suggest you follow our healthy lifestyle recommendations and consider vein treatment. Along with improving your vein health, these healthy tips can boost your overall health –– both physical and emotional.
Our vein specialists at USA Vein Clinics are available to help you learn how to prevent varicose veins. We also want you to understand that some risk factors are out of your control. That’s when our minimally-invasive varicose vein treatments come in. Here’s everything you need to know about vein disease, varicose veins prevention, and non-surgical vein treatment.
How to Prevent Varicose Veins in Your Legs
Vein disease, also known as venous insufficiency, affects the normal way your blood flows. When vein valves aren’t working properly, blood begins to flow backward and pool in the legs, ankles, and feet. This can cause painful and unpleasant symptoms like pain, cramping, heaviness, and swelling.
Perhaps you already have symptoms of vein disease, such as varicose or spider veins. Or, you may be considered at high risk for developing venous insufficiency. In either case, you can take action now to help prevent future varicose veins. This can also keep problematic veins from getting even worse.
Unfortunately, if you have a family history of varicose veins, you are more likely to develop them. You may also be at increased risk if you are:
- Female
- Over age 50
- Overweight
Although you may need vein treatment at some point in your life, our vein experts recommend the following five tips. Hopefully, these lifestyle modifications will be enough to keep away vein disease. If not, there are a variety of effective, minimally-invasive, office-based treatments available.
Varicose Veins Prevention Tips
Keep in mind that even after making these changes, you may eventually need vein treatment. Nonetheless, it is important to follow these healthy habits if you want to prevent your condition from becoming more severe. If you do need vein treatment, these tips can also increase your odds of a successful recovery.
- Be Active Throughout the Day
Let’s start with the bottom line. Individuals who sit or stand for long periods are at increased risk of developing varicose veins. Being sedentary puts increased pressure on the hips, legs, and ankles –– which can worsen vein disease symptoms.
Daily exercise is a key part of varicose vein prevention. Try walking with a friend or joining a gym. Beyond making dedicated time for exercise, we encourage you to move more throughout the day. Even if you’re stuck at your desk all day, try to walk around at least a few minutes every hour. Also, take advantage of your lunch break to really get your leg circulation flowing.
- Eat a Healthy Diet
You also need to take a good look at what you are eating. For best results, avoid foods high in sodium, added sugars, artificial fats, and cholesterol. Limiting alcoholic beverages is also a good idea. All of these substances can increase blood pressure, which in turn can impact proper vein valve function.
Along with supporting varicose vein prevention, eating a well-rounded diet has plenty of additional health benefits, too. If you need help to figure out what you should be eating, ask your doctor about visiting a nutritionist.
- Stop Smoking
Are you a smoker? Not only is this bad for your veins, smoking has many dangerous health consequences –– some of which are lethal. We strongly encourage you to kick this habit to protect your overall health, along with helping to prevent vein disease. Ask your friends and family for their support. If you need additional help, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about recommended smoking cessation programs.
- Lose Any Excess Weight
Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for vein disease. When it comes to preventing varicose veins, it is critical to manage your overall weight. Excess body weight causes unnecessary pressure on your lower body –– including the legs, ankles, and feet. In addition, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are also often experienced by those who are overweight. These conditions are all key risk factors in the development or worsening of varicose veins.
We recommend that you focus on obtaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) along with lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Consider joining a commercial weight loss program or inquiring about medical weight loss programs for additional support.
Additional Risk Factors
The reality is that you can’t control everything. You can’t control your sex, age, or a family history of varicose veins. Because of this, it is all the more important that you control any factors you can. Living a healthy, active lifestyle can make a big difference with varicose vein prevention.
Discover Varicose Vein Treatment at USA Vein Clinics
Whether you already have varicose veins or are actively trying to prevent them, our vein specialists can help. We want you to know how to prevent varicose veins and when you need to treat them. After all, varicose veins have the potential to negatively impact your overall quality of life.
At USA Vein Clinics, we encourage you to make proactive lifestyle changes to reduce your varicose vein risk factors. We also believe in treating vein disease before it prevents you from enjoying the healthy, happy life that you deserve. That’s why our top-rated vein specialists offer non-surgical treatment for varicose veins, spider veins, and other vein conditions.
If you’ve been avoiding treatment because you fear surgery, you have better options. Most of our minimally-invasive, outpatient vein treatments take only 15 to 30 minutes. Afterward, you can immediately return to normal activity. If you believe you may have symptoms of vein disease, please contact us for a full medical evaluation.
We can be reached at your convenience in one of these four ways:
- Call us at 888.768.3467
- Schedule online
- Request a telemedicine appointment
- Stop by one of our nationwide clinic locations
We look forward to helping you take control of vein disease!
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