Women & Leg Health

Varicose veins are a medical condition which needs treatment and not just a cosmetic concern.

The veins in the legs consist of the deep and superficial systems. The superficial system lies below the surface of the skin outside the muscle. The great and small saphenous veins and their branches are the main superficial veins.

“The deep vein system is located in the muscles of the legs,” according to Dr. Samuel P. Martin, founder and medical director at Vascular Vein Centers. “The deep system is responsible for carrying 90 percent of the blood back to the heart and lungs.

The term varicose vein refers to the bulging, rope-like veins visible under the skin. These develop when incompetent valves in veins cause blood to reflux, or flow backward in veins distending them. Varicose veins are branches off the great and small saphenous veins. These veins have no significant role in returning blood & just empty into to the deep veins.

Reflux impairs blood flow upward toward the heart and when this results in swelling and skin changes it is called venous insufficiency. “Varicose veins are the most obvious sign of venous insufficiency. Other signs and symptoms include achy, throbbing or heavy sensations; muscle cramps; swelling; thickened, discolored skin of the lower leg – often accompanied by dryness and itching.

“Venous insufficiency is a progressive medical condition which if not treated, can result in skin deterioration and ultimately breakdown to ulceration in some people.”

Vein disease is more common in women due, in part, to hormone fluctuations throughout a woman’s lifetime and pregnancy. Varicose veins are common during and after pregnancy.

“Pregnancy causes considerable changes in a woman’s body, and these changes can adversely affect the veins of her legs,” Dr. Martin observes. “During pregnancy, the fluid in the woman’s body increases by as much as 50 percent, and she retains more sodium from the salt she eats. Later in pregnancy the gravid uterus compresses the pelvic veins causing resistance to venous outflow from the legs. These factors can cause legs and ankles to swell.”

Levels of hormones – estrogen and progesterone, change dramatically during pregnancy causing veins to dilate, weakening vein walls. All these factors, especially with multiple pregnancies lead to varicosity and progressive venous insufficiency.
While the causes of vein problems are reduced once the woman gives birth, the effects of pregnancy can be long lasting, Dr. Martin warns.
“The most common post-pregnancy vein problems are ongoing varicose veins and some women get significant spider veins in the skin of both legs. These embarrassing patterns don’t exist in isolation and almost always indicate a deeper problem, even if varicose veins aren’t seen. “Women are also at increased risk for blood clots in the deep veins during pregnancy – deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A woman is “thrombophilic” because the body is dealing with high hormone levels, an enlarged uterus, as well as increased blood volume and swelling. The hormonal changes associated with pregnancy continue for months after the birth.”

Once the hormones return to normal, the vein issues may appear to resolve but there can be ongoing issues beneath the skin surface. Vascular Vein Centers offers advanced treatments, including foam sclerotherapy using Varithena® and endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) to eliminate what could become a progressive problem.

“The treatments eliminate affected veins without the trauma of taking them out surgically. The body reroutes the blood flow through healthy veins,” Dr. Martin explains. “The treated veins are absorbed by the body naturally over time. The treatments are minimally invasive outpatient procedures performed by specialists at Vascular Vein Centers in the comfort of an office setting.”

Vascular Vein Centers of Davenport / Haines City
121 Webb Dr Suite 300, Davenport, FL 33837
(863) 291-6313
www.PolkVVC.com
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