Weight control and a healthy diet are beneficial to your vein health.
In addition to dropping clothing sizes and warding off any number of possible health conditions, weight loss can also benefit your veins. The team at Vein Specialists of the Carolinas has the lowdown on how dropping even a few pounds offers significant benefit to your veins and your vascular system overall.
Hard-Working Veins
The veins in the body are responsible for moving blood back to the heart. To ensure the blood runs in a single direction, there are small valves inside the vein that open to let blood through and close to keep it from refluxing back into the vessel. Sometimes, those valves can become damaged or wear out after years of working hard. This is particularly true of the veins in the lower leg that have to work even harder to push blood against gravity and the body’s own weight to move blood upward to the heart.
The lower leg veins are particularly vulnerable to weight gain. More weight means more pressure on these vessels to move blood where it needs to go. The added pounds can create enough strain on the leg veins to lead to vein disorders that can be both unsightly and painful. On the other hand, losing excess weight can lessen the strain on the vessels and decrease your risk for venous disorders.
Venous Disorders
Venous disorders occur when the valves inside the veins stop working properly, allowing blood to reflux back into the vessel. This leads to pooling of blood that weakens the vein and causes it to swell. The result is protruding, bulging lines that are visible on the surface of the leg, known as varicose veins.
While varicose veins are the visible result of the venous disorder, the underlying problem inside the vessels is known as chronic venous insufficiency or CVI. CVI increases pressure inside the veins, which can worsen over time if the condition is left unchecked. This can lead to painful symptoms and skin changes that directly impact your quality of life.
Treatment Now or Later?
When you are faced with both a venous disorder and extra weight you want to lose, it can be difficult to know which issue you should focus on first. Should you move ahead with your weight loss plans or should you seek out treatment for your varicose veins before you begin a program? The answer to that question may depend on a few different factors.
Even after venous disorders like CVI and varicose veins develop, weight loss can alleviate uncomfortable symptoms and make some varicose veins look smaller. However, it can be difficult to stick with the exercise program typically necessary for weight loss when your legs are painful. In those cases, treating varicose veins before weight loss might be the better choice to make it easier for you to stick with your program until your weight loss goals are met.
If you are unsure whether now is the right time for vein treatment, contact the professionals at Vein Specialists of the Carolinas. Our team will assess your vein condition and advise you on the best treatment for your needs and your best time to pursue that treatment. To learn more or schedule your personal assessment with us, schedule an appointment today!
“All We Do Is Veins, All Day Every Day.”