Healthy veins remove waste products and direct blood flow to your heart and lungs. A series of valves lining the inside of your veins keeps your blood moving against the pull of gravity. As your muscles contract, the valves open to keep blood moving forward. When muscles relax, the valves close to keep blood from flowing in reverse.
Varicose veins are most often the result of valve damage. Once a valve fails to close securely, a condition known as venous insufficiency, leaking valves allow blood to flow downward towards your feet. When damage occurs in the tiny blood vessels near the surface of your skin, you will likely notice the familiar web-like configuration of spider veins (telangiectasia). When larger veins are affected, the veins below the damaged valves can bulge, twist, and cause a significant amount of discomfort.
Unfortunately, far too many people living with the discomfort of varicose veins unnecessarily delay medical intervention. Some put off having their varicose veins treated because they don’t think their veins are damaged enough to justify treatment. Others mistakenly assume they would have to dedicate a significant amount of time to recover after surgery. While surgery is still the best option in some cases, doctors today are more likely to recommend minimally invasive varicose vein treatment.
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Varicose veins and spider veins are unsightly and uncomfortable conditions that affect many people, and, in the case of varicose veins, they can lead to serious complications. To help alleviate the symptoms of varicose veins, you may consider laser or surgical procedures that are designed to relieve pressure on the veins and promote better circulation.
Fortunately, there are many different types of vein treatments to choose from, and they can all be performed on-site at a vein treatment clinic. The recovery time is minimal as well, so you’re able to return to your normal routine in no time.
If you’re considering vein treatment, take a look at this guide to vein conditions, vein treatments and what to expect before, during and after your surgery.
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Also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a condition that’s characterized by unpleasant and uncomfortable sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them. Restless leg syndrome has many possible causes, including venous disease, and effective treatment revolves around managing the symptoms to improve quality of life. So, if you’re suffering from RLS and are diagnosed with an underlying venous disease, there is hope for treatment and relief of symptoms.
While the severity may differ between affected individuals, most patients report symptoms that occur in the late afternoon to evening hours, with the worst effects occurring at night when the patient is resting. This can also occur when the patient is inactive or sitting for long periods of time, such as on a road trip.
Because the condition worsens during the night, RLS can cause sleep disturbances and difficulty returning to sleep after arousal. In many cases, moving the legs or walking can temporarily relieve the discomfort, but the sensations return once the movement stops.
RLS is classified as a sleep disorder, due to the symptoms being triggered by resting and worsening in the evening, and a movement disorder, since patients are forced to move in an effort to relieve discomfort. Though these classifications apply, RLS best fits the category of neurological-sensory disorder, since the symptoms and underlying condition are caused by the brain.
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