Keeping Your Veins Healthy

Varicose veins often look like cords, appearing twisted and bulging. They are usually blue, red or even flesh-colored and can typically appear in the legs, causing pain, itchy rash, and swelling. While varicose veins may be inevitable in some patients, there are steps you can take to improve your vein circulation and minimize the symptoms of leg veins.

• Avoid standing for too long.Standing in place for long periods of time without movement can cause blood accumulation and over distention in your veins. If you must stand for a long period, move in place by going up on the balls of your feet to stretch your calf muscles.
• Exercise. Walking or swimming, for example, can help strengthen the walls of your blood vessels and ward off the development of bulging veins. What’s more, exercise is beneficial to your heart.
• Wear the right footwear. Avoid high heels as much as possible in favor of a more comfortable fitting pair of shoes. When you walk in high heels, you up your risk of developing prominent veins. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and avoid wearing high heels. And wear good quality compression hose for vein problems, which reduces the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis.
• Avoid hot tubs. Sitting in a hot tub or sauna expands the capillaries and exacerbates varicose vein problems.
• Elevate. Putting your feet up whenever possible is an excellent way to relieve pressure from your veins by emptying the veins of blood.
• Watch your weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial to protecting against developing varicose veins. When you’re overweight, you put undue pressure on your veins, not to mention your cardiovascular system, so keep your body weight within normal range.

If you think you suffer from pain and swelling from varicose veins, talk to a vein specialist at Reeder Vein Institute about an individualized treatment option that may be right for you. Contact us online today or call us directly at 682-499-5672 in Fort Worth.  We look forward to hearing from you!