30, 5, 2020

Best Exercises for Varicose Veins

2020-09-18T18:53:02-07:00

Physical activity provides a wide range of benefits for vascular health and may help to avoid evolution of mild cases of varicose veins. In fact, exercise is considered to be a fundamental element in improving the symptomatology of patients affected by varicose veins. A sedentary person diagnosed with this medical condition has a much higher risk of worsening the symptoms when compared with an active person with the same condition. This is a result of blood pooling in the veins, causing an increase in venous hypertension and symptoms.

The main goal of exercise in regards to varicose veins is to contract and move the muscles of the leg, helping to pump the blood upwards, avoiding edema or retention of liquid in the ankles. With this in mind, the recommended exercises are those with aerobic characteristics rather than those with anaerobic ones. Through this physical activity, the pressure in the veins is improved, as well as the resulting symptomatology.

Therefore, any exercise that involves moving the lower limbs and promote cyclical muscle contractions is advisable, including stand on tiptoes, move the toes, perform foot bending and rotation, do pedaling movements, among others. These can be easily performed throughout the day without the necessity to go out and exercise, and are especially useful during work hours or while doing daily tasks at home.

When walking or running, pressure is exerted on the sole of the foot, which causes the circulation to be activated from the bottom up, while the constant contraction of the muscles during cycling causes the same effect, but without the presence of high impact, an important factor for those with joint issues.

Swimming is one of the best exercises to practice when affected by varicose veins. The double effect of the water and the movement of the lower limbs cause an incredible increase in blood circulation. This is helpful also for patients who have significant symptoms related to the effects of gravity, like standing.

Other disciplines like yoga, pilates, or rhythmic gymnastics also help stimulate circulation by mobilizing the accumulated blood in the thighs, while relaxing the whole body.

Hiking is a great activity for using the calf-muscle pump. However, in warm weather, symptoms of varicose veins worsen. To get the maximal benefit of exercise and reducing symptoms, outdoor exercising when the weather is cooler, like in the morning is advised.

Best Exercises for Varicose Veins2020-09-18T18:53:02-07:00

Venous Reflux is a Progressive Condition, Worsens Over Time

2025-09-04T12:26:35-07:00

6 Chronic Venous Insufficiency Stages

Venous reflux disease is also known as venous stasis, venous insufficiency, or venous incompetence. Venous reflux disease refers to "leaky valves" in the veins of the legs. Venous reflux may occur in the deep and/or superficial leg veins. The deep veins are those within the muscle; they bring at least 80-90% of the blood from the legs back to the heart. The superficial veins are outside of the muscle and under the skin. The main superficial veins are the Great Saphenous Vein that courses up the middle of the thigh and calf and the small saphenous vein, which courses up the back of the calf. Normally, there are one-way valves within the leg veins, which help blood flow in one direction: toward the heart. This means blood is traveling against gravity. The calf muscle also helps move blood toward the heart. When vein valves are leaky, blood flows backward (reflux) towards the feet. Blood pools in the lower legs, causing bulging veins at the surface. Symptoms include leg heaviness, leg fatigue, leg pain, ankle swelling, phlebitis (inflamed and painful veins) restless legs at night, and night cramps. Venous reflux disease is progressive and worsens over time. Skin changes may also develop, including darkening of the skin around the ankles. The darkening of the skin is sometimes referred to as venous stasis skin changes. The skin can become dry and itchy (venous eczema). Eventually, the skin can break down causing a wound, called a venous leg ulcer.

Stage 1. Healthy Veins, Stage 2. Spider Veins

Stage 1. Healthy Veins, Stage 2. Spider Veins

Stage 3. reticular veins and varicose veins

Stage 3. reticular veins and varicose veins

Stage 4. Venous Nodes - Edema venous insufficiency

Stage 4. Venous Nodes - Edema venous insufficiency

Stage 5. Chronic insufficiency

Stage 5. Chronic insufficiency

Stage 6. Venous eczema and venous leg ulcer

Stage 6. Venous eczema and venous leg ulcer

Venous Reflux is a Progressive Condition, Worsens Over Time2025-09-04T12:26:35-07:00

We’re Open: Extended hours, Curb-side check-in, & Virtual Visits

2020-09-18T19:08:55-07:00

We’re Open

Resuming In-office Services

La Jolla Vein Care has been actively monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our patient care and office protocols.  Our highest priority is to continue providing the highest standard in vein care in a safe environment for our patients and staff.  We have created and implemented a strategic plan using best available practices to minimize the risk of person-to-person COVID-19 exposure in our practice.  These guidelines are in compliance with all State, Local, and CDC guidelines and guidance of the CMA, California Department of Public Health, Center for Disease Control.

While we continue to encourage virtual visits and at-home mobile ultrasound diagnostics, our office has re-opened for medical necessity treatments and for those who require in-office visits. Medical necessity conditions include complications from venous reflux disease and varicose veins such as thrombophlebitis (blood clots), vein hemorrhages, venous leg ulcerations (open leg wounds), and symptoms that interfere with one’s ability to work or maintain daily activities such as leg pain, heaviness, throbbing, swelling and night symptoms that interfere with rest such as restlessness and night cramps.

Cosmetic spider vein treatments are postponed until a future date.

 

SAFETY

We want you to know that our first concern has always been the safety and care of our patients and our team. Although the coronavirus pandemic is new to many of us, infection control is not new to healthcare. For decades, OSHA has mandated that medical practices follow the strictest guidelines in infection control.  In order to put your mind at ease we at La Jolla Vein Care want to share with you some of the practices we employ to ensure our patients that our office is one of the safest places you can be.

  • Less appointments will be scheduled throughout the day so that there will be minimal people in the lobby, with little or no wait time.
  • We’re extending our hours and offering after-hours appointments to minimize the number of patients in office at a given time.
  • Curb-side check in. If you prefer, you can wait in your car and we will text you when we are ready to room you. We recommend this for patients checking in prior to procedures.
  • Prior to every visit, we will ask you screening questions, to ensure symptomatic or at-risk patients reschedule their appointments to avoid community spread.
  • You must wear a mask or cloth facial covering to be permitted into the building. You will be provided with a mask and asked to wear it while in our office. You also will beasked to disinfect your hands with hand sanitizer. Please note only the front entrance is open at the Scripps XiMED building. There is currently no third-floor access via the parking structure.
  • Our staff are required to wear masks for your protection.
  • When you enter our waiting room you will notice that some chairs have been removed in accordance with national social-distancing recommendations.
  • We are eliminating coffee service, snacks and water coolersfrom our waiting area to reduce chance of community transmission.
  • Daily, we are screening our staff and following CDC guidelinesregarding staff members who are ill or may have been potentially exposed to COVID-19
  • As a medical facility, we have always had a policy of sanitizing any surface after each patient encounter – but we are increasing our vigilance and frequency of disinfecting during this time.
  • Please fill out any forms electronically if able and return them prior to your appointment.
  • If you need to fill out any forms or sign consents, we have single use pens.
  • We encourage Virtual optionsand mobile ultrasound at-home visits when possible.

 

We want to assure you that we are taking every precaution to make La Jolla Vein Care a place where you can feel safe and comfortable receiving the best possible care. If you have any specific questions, please call us. We look forward to seeing you at your next visit. We hope at this time that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe.

 

Stay connected to learn more about some exciting changes and how we are redefining vein care in 2020, Vein Care ReimaginedTM

 

We’re Open: Extended hours, Curb-side check-in, & Virtual Visits2020-09-18T19:08:55-07:00

How to make compression stocking application a cinch!

2022-01-04T04:40:52-08:00
Stocking Troubles? Tips, tricks, and an easy guide to living in harmony with compression stockings
Applying stockings with ease:

  1. Turn your stocking completely inside out
  2. Locate the smaller foot hole of the stocking and tuck the foot in until you reach the heel
  3. Place your thumbs on either side of the tucked in foot hole, with the heel located on the bottom
  4. Put your foot in the stocking until the heel of the stocking has met your heel
  5. Grab the larger hole or top of the stocking (it should be hanging off your foot) and pull the stocking up onto your leg
  6. Inch and pull the stocking until it has reached either below the crease of your knee for knee highs, or the highest portion of your thigh for thigh highs.
  7. If your stockings slide or have trouble staying up, there is stocking glue that can be applied to the skin.
How to make compression stocking application a cinch!2022-01-04T04:40:52-08:00

26, 4, 2020

Warm Weather Worsens Leg Symptoms

2020-08-19T01:00:26-07:00

Warm weather can worsen symptoms of varicose veins and venous reflux disease.

This weekend, most of San Diego was blessed with sunny, warm-weather. Warmer weather tends to worsen symptoms of varicose veins, like increased leg heaviness, pain or you may feel that your legs fatigue more quickly during warm weather. For those who have spider veins, they can feel more itchy or burning.  This leads many people to seek leg vein help during warmer months.

The cause: Leg symptoms of varicose veins and venous reflux disease (the underlying cause for varicose veins) tend to worsen in warmer weather because heat causes the surface veins to relax and enlarge. When this happens to unhealthy veins, the blood pools and causes increased pressure within the veins. Increased pressure within in the veins is called venous hypertension. Venous hypertension causes inflammation. Therefore, inflammation causes the veins to feel warm, painful, itchy or burning. Since gravity causes blood to pool around the ankles for many people with venous reflux disease, you may feel symptoms in your ankles rather than the calfs. The skin around the ankles can become itchy, and dry. The best way to alleviate this in the long term is treatment of underlying venous reflux. Conservative management is aimed at reducing or preventing the blood from pooling. This can be accomplished with compression stockings- these may be difficult to tolerate in warm weather. Staying active helps, and when sitting elevate the legs and ice any areas of pain to reduce inflammation.

Warm Weather Worsens Leg Symptoms2020-08-19T01:00:26-07:00

Eating for Healthier Veins

2020-08-19T00:45:26-07:00

Foods that are rich in flavinoids may improve symptoms of venous disease. Flavonoids help protect plants from environmental toxins and help repair damage. They can be found in a variety of foods, such as fruits and vegetables. When we eat foods rich in flavonoids, it appears that we also benefit from this “antioxidant” power. In addition to having antioxidant qualities, research shows that flavinoids have other potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot.Flavinoids are also well known for their ‘venoactive’ effects on the blood vessels and have been proven to reduce symptoms of venous disease such as leg aching, heaviness and swelling.

Foods that are flavinoid rich include cocoa and chocolate, bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, apples, peanuts, onions, garlic, tea and red wine.

Remind the cook to use compression socks- long hours of standing in the kitchen can cause leg fatigue, heaviness and swelling.

Eating for Healthier Veins2020-08-19T00:45:26-07:00

Ask a Vein Expert: Live Session

2021-11-04T13:52:03-07:00

Board-certified Vascular Surgeon Answers Your Questions April 24th at 10 AM on Instagram.

Live Question and Answer Session Live stream on Instagram La Jolla Vein Care

Live Question and Answer Session
Live stream on instagram

Please join us on April 24th at 10 AM on Instagram.  Dr. Sarah Lucas, vascular surgeon and specialist in varicose vein care, will be answering your questions and addressing your vein health concerns.  She will share some suggestions on measures you can take at home to care for your legs (@lajollaveincare).
Ask a Vein Expert: Live Session2021-11-04T13:52:03-07:00

26, 12, 2018

26, 10, 2018

Pregnancy-Related Varicose Veins, Do Stockings Help?

2020-12-19T04:09:35-08:00

Pregnancy-Related Varicose Veins, Do Stockings Help?

By Dr. Sarah Lucas

Varicose veins affect up to 30% of pregnant women, and the majority of pregnant women experience some venous insufficiency symptoms such as leg swelling, heaviness, and/or fatigue. Varicose veins most commonly emerge in the first trimester and progress over the course of the pregnancy and subsequent pregnancies. They usually improve after the baby is born, but many women never return to their pre-pregnancy state. This risk of varicose veins increases with each pregnancy, affecting more than 55% of women who have had more than two children.pregnant legs

For this reason, many patients ask what is the best approach to keeping their legs healthy during pregnancy. For the most part, the same guidelines apply to pregnant women as to other patients: keep active, wear compression stockings to control leg swelling and discomfort, and elevate the legs as needed. It is very rare for pregnant women to require surgery for varicose veins. We typically recommend patients wait at least three months postpartum or until breastfeeding is complete to get treatment.

A recent study presented at the European Venous Forum suggests that compression stockings may actually reduce the risk of varicose veins during pregnancy. Women with no history of varicose veins were randomly assigned to wear thigh-high compression stockings or no stockings starting in the first trimester.   Among the women who completed the study, varicose veins developed in 12% of those who wore stockings vs. 27% of those who did not. This was a small study (146 patients) but encouraging for women who want to are concerned about onset or worsening of varicose veins during pregnancy.

 

https://venousnews.com/varicose-veins-pregnant-compression/

Pregnancy-Related Varicose Veins, Do Stockings Help?2020-12-19T04:09:35-08:00
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CONTACT INFORMATION

La Jolla/UTC

Vista

Patient Privacy Practices

Privacy Policy

Hippa Privacy Practices
HIPAAOneTM Certified Seal 2

Use the search features below to find articles and insights for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease

TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO

La Jolla/ UTC

North County San Diego/ Vista — Endovascular Center
Now Open! Call/Text for Appointments

© Copyright 2010-2024, La Jolla Vein & Vascular | All Rights Reserved

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