What Is Venous Disease? These Are The Facts Everyone Should Know
Millions of people are affected by venous disease every day. Venous disease can range from being slightly annoying and unsightly, to being absolutely painful! So, what is venous disease and how can it affect you?
How Do I Get A Venous Disease?
The vein’s job is simple: move blood from the muscles back to the lungs to get an oxygen refill. The problem is that the blood in the leg veins has to flow uphill. Arteries have the heart, but veins rely on muscles in the calf and little one-way doors that work the blood stop-by-stop up the body. Venous diseases (or vein disorders) occur when this system breaks down somewhere along the way. Usually the one-way doors aren’t working and that is the cause for many of the venous issues.
What Makes Those Doors No Longer Work?
It is most likely the way you were born to be. Vein disease is largely genetic, and likely results from a weakness in the vein wall. As the wall stretches, the doors don’t come together the way they should, and remain open. This allows blood to remain in the vein, and the vein starts to distend.
Standing for long periods of time in one place will increase the pressure in the leg. That prolonged standing day after day causes increased pressure resulting in all kinds of venous issues.
The Most Common Venous Diseases Are:
• Pulmonary embolism
• Phlebitis
Some of these have very mild symptoms such varicose veins, which are just mildly annoying. Some of them can lead to serious problems if left untreated. If you experience any symptoms you may think are the result of venous disease, schedule an appointment to get an evaluation by a vascular surgeon as soon as possible.
Symptoms Of Vein Disease Are:
• Visible or bulging veins in the legs
• Heavy, achy tired legs
• Leg swelling that gets worse during the day, after going down overnight
If you have any of these signs, it would be wise to schedule some time to have an exam. With a little basic knowledge of the causes and symptoms of venous disease, you can help keep yourself and family safe.
Michael Bardwil, M.D. at Texas Vein and Cosmetic Specialists is a Board Certified Vascular Surgeon with over 25 years of experience. For more information or if you have any questions about venous disease and how it relates to varicose veins or spider veins, please contact his office today.
- Phlebologist vs Vascular Surgeon – What’s the Difference? - August 7, 2023
- What to avoid after sclerotherapy? - January 20, 2023
- Are spider veins permanent? - January 3, 2023