Fourth of July BBQ & Venous Reflux Disease

After a holiday, patients frequently complain about leg pain, which can be reflux venous disease. Especially holidays where hours of cooking are involved like Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Passover, etc. Some people who may have mild venous reflux disease, may not notice any symptoms until they are standing for hours- like during cooking. Over the years, we always hear from patients that their legs were aching and fatigued after cooking. 

The reason for this is venous reflux disease causes backflow of blood. 

The blood pools in the legs and the pooling of blood causes sensations of heaviness, fatigue, aching, and even night cramps and restlessness. Ankle swelling may also be more prominent.

Helpful tips to combat leg fatigue during the holidays: 

1.Elevating the legs allows the blood to flow in the correct direction and reduces the pooling of blood and symptoms.

2.Wearing compression stockings during cooking can be helpful to reduce symptoms. 

3.Also when standing upright for hours, it is helpful to do calf pump raises.

4.Minimize your time standing. Bring a chair to sit for the bbq or in the kitchen while you cook.

5. Delegating food preparation to other family members, to reduce standing for long periods of time, which can cause more pain.

The true culprit of leg fatigue and soreness after standing and cooking for numerous hours is leaky vein valves allowing the blood to pool, causing leg pain, heaviness, and fatigue. Try these few tips this July 4th holiday and see how you feel after. 

If you experience leg fatigue or pain after standing for long periods of time, this may be venous reflux disease, please call our office at (858)-550-0330 to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable doctors at La Jolla Vein and Vascular. 

For more information on vein health please check out our Youtube Channel.