Tanner Medical Center Carrollton recently issued the following announcement.
Bulging, twisted varicose veins can make you self-conscious about baring your legs, limiting your fashion choices. But without treatment, varicose veins can lead to more serious conditions.
The veins in your leg have a tough job. They must work against gravity to shuttle blood from your lower limbs back up to your heart. Sometimes, the one-way valves that keep blood moving in the right direction weaken or malfunction.
As a result, blood backs up and your veins expand, swell, and twist beneath your skin’s surface.
As many as 25 million Americans have varicose veins. Risk for varicose veins increases:
With age
During pregnancy
In people who are overweight or obese
Because of prolonged sitting or standing
For many, varicose veins are little more than a cosmetic concern. However, in severe cases or cases that go without treatment, varicose veins can cause:
A heavy feeling in the ankles or legs
Throbbing or cramping pain
Swollen ankles or feet
Fatigue
Discolored, hard, thickened or itchy skin
Open wounds called ulcers
Treatment for varicose veins is:
Outpatient, provided in the office, not the hospital
Minimally invasive, not requiring a large or painful incision
Affordable, since varicose veins are a legitimate medical condition and treatment is covered by most insurance plans
For more information about varicose vein diagnosis and treatment at Tanner, visit tanner.org/vascular-care.
Original source can be found here.
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