The Progression of Vein Disease: Early Signs to Obvious Symptoms
Vein disease is caused by a number of risk factors. Naturally through genetic makeup and age and through lifestyle like obesity, pregnancy, your occupation and smoking. If you are predisposed to developing varicose veins and spider veins you will likely experience venous insufficiency and it’s negative drawbacks. Varicose veins affect around 50 percent of women and near 45 percent of men in the United States.
However, these bulging veins are not always the first sign of vein disease in the legs. How do you stop vein disease if you don’t know it’s begun to develop in your own veins? There are early signs and symptoms of vein disease that you can watch out for. Veins need the assistance of muscles to carry blood up the legs back to the heart. Valves in the veins stop blood from flowing backwards, when these valves don’t work properly, blood begins to leak back into the veins and collect there. This is venous insufficiency.
Early Signs
You may not be feeling any pain at all when this disease begins to disrupt your blood flow. Venous insufficiency could show itself by the feeling of cramping in your legs or feet. Another early sign is fatigue in your legs, the kind that makes you look forward to throwing them up on the coffee table right when you get home from work. You may feel an aching pain in your legs and ankles after a long day of work or notice rashy skin appearing on your legs.
Signs You Cannot Ignore
If vein disease progresses, the following symptoms may occur:
Appearance of veins that are twisted, bulging or look like ropes beneath the skin
- Veins that are dark purple or blue
- Swelling and heaviness in your lower legs
- Itching of the skin around the veins
- Hardening of the vein or skin
- Sores near the ankle
- Skin pigmentation around the ankle
These symptoms can be alleviated by treating the diseased veins. For example, if you experience swelling in your leg that is better in the morning, improves after you have been lying down, or gets worse as the day progresses, it is an indication that blood is not being properly returned to the heart likely due to a faulty valve in the vein. Treating veins that are causing the insufficiency can eliminate leg swelling.
Progressing Vein Disease
Any of these symptoms should be examined by a physician who specializes in veins. A vein specialist can diagnose your vein problem with a physical exam and the use of a doppler ultrasound to identify the exact veins that are affected. If signs and symptoms of venous insufficiency are ignored more serious symptoms may occur. Due to the continuous backflow of blood, painful sores and skin ulcers may occur. These ulcers will not be relieved until blood flow is corrected. You may experience excess bleeding and the surface of the skin may be thin, and easily torn. There is also risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) with continuing vein disease. DVT is a blood clot deep in the vein which at times, doesn’t show symptoms. If one of these blood clots travels to the lungs, it could be fatal.
Your Next Step
With today’s medical advancements, vein treatments are a great option to stop vein disease in it’s tracks. Alpha Vein Clinic offers the newest, up to date procedures that can treat the vein disease in your legs more easily than you might think. Our physician, Dr. Sassan Kaveh, can diagnose your vein problem with a thorough examination using advanced ultrasound technology. He specializes in radiofrequency ablation (RF) and ClariVein. Both treatments are minimally invasive and done in the comfort of our conveniently located clinic. Dr Kaveh will help determine which treatment is best for your needs and his caring staff will be there for support every step of the way. Wherever you may be in the progression of leg vein disease, Alpha Vein Clinic can help. Call us today at (702) 430-7661 and take the first step to better vein heath.
Alpha Vein Clinic
Vein Clinic Las Vegas
3150 N. Tenaya Way Ste. 400
Las Vegas, NV, 89128
(702) 430 7661
Dr. Sassan Kaveh
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