Venous Insufficiency Ulcers
admin Vascular Diseases

Venous Insufficiency Ulcers

Due to genetic factors and a poor lifestyle that is characterized by an unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity, some people develop varicose veins in their legs and feet. The one-way valves of these veins do not function as desired and hinder the flow of the deoxygenated blood back to the heart.

As the blood isn’t efficiently pumped back to the heart, excessive blood remains pooled in the varicose veins and leads to humungous pressure in the affected area. This medical condition is referred to as venous insufficiency.

The added pressure forces the walls of the varicose veins to stretch which causes the protein in the blood cells to reach the subcutaneous tissues. Further, due to the lack of oxygen and nutrients, these tissues eventually break down and result in ulceration.

Chronic venous insufficiency in most cases leads to venous ulcers that are open wounds or sores visible on the surface of the skin on the legs and feet. These require immediate medical assistance and are extremely slow to heal.

Causes

Varicose veins and most other venous disorders can be attributed to genetic reasons apart from a few other conditions. Following are the most prevalent risk factors for venous insufficiency and leg ulcers:

  1. Being female
  2. Old age
  3. Being tall
  4. Varicose veins
  5. History of blood clots in deep veins (DVT)
  6. Family history of venous disorders
  7. Blockage of lymph vessels
  8. Pregnancy
  9. Smoking
  10. Sitting or standing for long durations
  11. Injury to the leg, burns or muscle damage

Early Signs of Venous Insufficiency

Like most other medical conditions, our body gives us numerous hints about venous insufficiency as well. It is vital for us to be aware and keep an eye for the below-mentioned symptoms :

  1. The skin changes in the affected area accompanied by itching. This medical condition is also referred to as Stasis Dermatitis.
  2. The skin may also turn hard and brown or dark red in colour
  3. Pain and swelling in the leg along with a feeling of heaviness
  4. Tingling sensation in the damaged area

Symptoms of Venous Ulcers

If we fail to get ourselves treated after the early signs of venous insufficiency, the condition may worsen and lead to active venous ulcers. Below mentioned are the easiest to recognize symptoms of leg ulceration:

  1. Shallow sore with a red base that may be covered with a yellow tissue
  2. Uneven borders of the sore
  3. Pain in the leg
  4. Surrounding skin turns shiny, tight, warm, and also discoloured
  5. Infected sores may have a bad odour and pus drain from the wound

Wound Care

If you have developed leg ulcers, it is essential for you to take proper care as the open sore may get infected and lead to many other severe medical complications. We have made a to-do list, please make a note of the below tips:

  1. You must keep the wound clean and bandaged to prevent getting infected.
  2. You must change the dressing frequently. Always ensure to clean the wound before doing the dressing.
  3. Dressing and skin around the wound must always be kept dry.
  4. Always keep the skin around the wound moisturized to reduce itching and irritation
  5. Ask your venous expert if you must wear compression stockings above your dressing and/or bandage

Prevention

There are some easy tips and tricks to prevent varicose veins, venous insufficiency, and related disorders of the veins. Simply note down the below points and incorporate them in your day to day life:

  1. Eat healthy food
  2. Exercise everyday
  3. Quit smoking
  4. Blood sugar control for diabetic patients
  5. Plenty of sleep
  6. Regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels
  7. Weight loss for obese or overweight people

Even if you have already been diagnosed with venous insufficiency, you can still reduce the chances of venous ulcers by following the below tips:

  1. Wear compression stockings as they are known to improve the blood flow in the affected area. They offer relief from the leg pains, help reduce the swelling and also assist with healing.
  2. As frequently as possible, place your feet above the level of your heart. Lie down on the bed and use one or more pillows to lift your feet higher. This will make it easier for the blood to move back to the heart and prevent blood pooling
  3. Ensure to eat a nutritious diet and perform moderate and low impact exercises every day.
  4. Ensure to take the medicines as prescribed by your medical practitioner.

Conclusion

Varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, leg ulcers, and other venous disorders have become fairly common due to the sedentary lifestyle of most people in urban cities. Although not serious, all venous medical conditions must be treated in a priority by trusted and reliable vascular specialists only.

Dr. Rajah V Koppala is a qualified and internationally trained vascular expert who specializes in the minimally invasive and painless laser treatment of varicose veins. At Avis Hospitals, we have the latest equipment and all modern amenities in-house for efficient treatment by the endovenous laser ablation technique.

If you or anyone in your family is suffering from vascular medical conditions, do not delay in scheduling a consultation with the renowned interventional radiologist Dr. Rajah V Koppala at Avis Hospitals. The laser treatment is suitable for people of all ages and we ensure quick recovery with minimal post-operative care. Book an appointment today!

Varicose Veins to Remedy or to Treat
admin Preventions and Tips

Remedies for Varicose veins

Sooner or later, as many as 20% of the adults get affected by varicose veins at least once in their lifetime. According to the statistics from the recent medical surveys, almost twice as many women as men suffer from varicose veins and this is a fairly common medical ailment for the older women.

Varicose veins are the twisted and swollen veins that are caused when the valves of the leg and feet veins tend to restrict the blood flow back to the heart. This medical condition is accompanied by itching and pain in the legs and these symptoms get worse when the patient continues to be in the same sitting or standing position for longer durations.

Following is a list of few other common varicose veins symptoms:

  • The appearance of enlarged bluish-purple veins that are even visible with a naked eye just below the skin surface
  • Dry skin that appears thinner on the affected area
  • Increasing pain in the leg and feet
  • Severe irritation accompanied by a constant heavy feeling due to the pooling of blood
  • Itching or burning, and continuous discomfort
  • Swelling in the feet and around the ankle area
  • Muscle cramps that become more prominent at the night

Most people wonder if their varicose veins require medical assistance. As frustrating as it may sound, varicose veins are not only a cosmetic displeasure but also greatly degrade the patient’s health if they are ignored or left untreated.

You must undoubtedly consult a vascular expert and seek his/her advice for the medications and operative treatment of your varicose veins. Consulting a vascular surgeon does not mean undergoing a surgery. When you visit a doctor, he will first analyze your health and varicose vein condition, understand your family history of varicose veins, and then suggest remedies or surgical procedures to cure the root cause and symptoms of varicose veins.

Let us understand below, if we can remedy varicose veins or if treatment is absolutely necessary.

The Conservative Approach to Varicose Veins

Managing your varicose veins will help you prevent the symptoms from getting worse. Following are some simple tips and home remedies that will enable you to work towards better vein health:

  1. Maintain a Healthy Weight – If your BMI score is more than 25, you must focus on getting back in shape as excessive body weight is known to increase the pressure on the legs and feet. This restricts the movement of the blood back to the heart and is known to be a popular cause of varicose veins.
  2. Consume a Nutritional Diet – If you get to notice any early symptoms of varicose veins, alter your diet to include more fibre and eat products that are rich in potassium as this will regulate your blood pressure and improve the blood flow from the legs and feet upwards towards the heart.
  3. Perform Mild Exercises Regularly – Low-impact exercises like walking, cycling, yoga, stretching, and swimming are known to improve blood circulation. These mild physical actives help exercise the calf muscles without the fear of getting an injury.
  4. Elevate your legs and feet – If you have had a long day at work and are suffering from constant itching in the legs and feet, you can pacify the pain and instantly feel better by simply elevating your legs with the help of cushions and pillows. This remedy is also beneficial for pregnant women who have complains of varicose veins.
  5. Compression Stockings – These are the support stockings that are tight around the ankle and lose around the knees. They are known to prevent blood pooling and assist in blood movement from the legs and feet back to the heart. Available in multiple sizes, you must consult your doctor to choose the perfect size and fit as wearing a wrong size can worsen the situation, leave aside improving the symptoms.
  6. Keep altering your sitting and standing position regularly. Do not sit with crossed legs as that severely restricts the blood flow
  7. Avoid wearing tight clothes as they also hinder the free movement of blood
  8. If you are on a long flight, ensure to walk down the aisle once every few hours or exercise the ankle while still sitting on your seat

The above-mentioned conservative techniques are beneficial and definitely work to reduce the varicose vein pains but these tips only offer short term relief and cannot completely cure the condition or eliminate the varicose vein symptoms.

To get rid off the varicose vein pain and the itching sensation, you must take a professional treatment.

Medical Treatment for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins can be more easily treated today than ever before. Earlier the doctors had to rely on surgical procedures where the affected veins were either closed or completely chopped off. These procedures were very painful and required massive post-operative care as well.

With the newest developments in medical science, laser technique is now being used to treat even the most critical varicose vein patients. This treatment is minimally invasive, has no side-effects, and is totally safe for patients of any group.

For the laser ablation treatment of varicose veins, the patient is only given local anaesthesia and a laser fibre is inserted in the affected area through a very small cut. The patient does not get any large cuts or stitches and is usually discharged from the hospital on the same day.

The patient isn’t even recommended to get bed rest, he/she can do his/her daily tasks, and even get back to work from the very next day itself. This is a fairly quick process and does not have an intense post-operative care routine.

Conclusion

If you are also eager to manage your varicose veins easily, visit Avis Hospitals to learn about the treatment options in detail. Dr. Rajah V Koppala is a distinguished vascular surgeon with years of experience and a record of successfully treating over 4000 varicose vein patients every year.

Dr. Rajah and his team of medical practitioners at Avis Hospitals always ensure that you have a comfortable medical experience during the endovenous laser treatment of your varicose veins. They are always around for you to get answers to your questions and feel confident about the treatment and recovery. Schedule your consultation with Dr. Rajah at Avis Vascular Centre today!