The risks of contracting venous diseases increase as you gain weight, smoke, or stand for extended durations. If you have been guilty of these habits, you may wonder whether you have venous disease. Fortunately, you can confirm your health status by visiting an Englewood vein specialist. Your doctor will conduct venography and imaging tests during your hospital visit to identify your illness.
It is important to consult a specialist when you have a venous disease because you never know how severe it may be. How would you know you have one anyway? Here are signs to watch out for.
Persistent Leg Pain
Leg pain usually results from overuse, wear, and tear, or injury in bones, joints, or muscles. Most cases of leg pain can be tackled through home treatment. If that does not work, you could be suffering from bone cancer, gout, sciatica, or shin splints. That means your doctor will have to consider surgery.
Surgical treatments they may use include: laminotomy, discectomy, and microdiscectomy. After your surgery, it is normal to experience some swelling and pain. These issues should disappear within a week.
Leg Sores That Will Not Heal
In case you have sores, you likely have leg ulcers. The condition is caused by poor circulation and affects you the more you grow older. Other causes that make you likely to develop leg ulcers include diabetes, heart disease, and smoking.
Doctors will treat the sores by first administering antibiotics, which help to prevent further complications. Next, they will use compression bandages to ease swelling. If your sores hinder walking, your doctor may provide braces or orthotics.
Swelling on One Leg and Not the Other
The swelling usually occurs due to fluid buildup, which means you may have edema. Possible causes for that happening include pregnancy, obesity, sitting or standing for too long in one position, and too much salt. That means the swelling is not always a result of circulatory issues.
One treatment for edema is massaging the affected leg gently towards the heart. Another thing doctors can do is provide sleeves or gloves which prevent pressure from building up in your leg. Meanwhile, your doctor will ask you to limit your salt intake since it can worsen your edema.
Heavy Sensation on Your Leg
This heaviness is akin to dragging around a bag of cement. Besides being heavy, your leg will also feel achy and stiff. Heaviness is normal after sitting for too long. However, if your leg appears bluish or bumpy, you need to see a doctor.
Some diseases cause your leg to feel heavy, e.g., peripheral arterial disease (PAD), varicose veins, and lumbar spinal stenosis. If you get any of these three conditions, surgery becomes the only choice. One procedure that most patients appreciate is an angioplasty, thanks to its non-invasiveness.
History of Venous Disorder
Do you know anybody in your family with varicose veins? If so, you may get the condition in the future. Rather than wait to get it, you can take preventive measures by talking to a vein specialist.
Some steps to avoid getting the condition include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight. It can be hard to determine which exercises to do or understand what constitutes a good diet. Fortunately, your doctor will spell out these details to you.
Venous disorders do not pose an immediate rest, which gives you enough time to take some action. That does not mean that you should drag your feet regarding this matter. If you do not act fast, you could develop further complications such as pulmonary embolism (PE) or secondary lymphedema.
Now that you know about the symptoms to watch out for, do you know a relative or friend with them? Chances are high that they do not realize how serious they can be. If they begin to downplay their health, you should encourage them to seek medical help.
