Managing your leg vein health during
the cold weather months
Healthy veins are vital to our overall health,
but varicose veins are veins that are unable to
efficiently push blood back to the heart. Varicose
veins are a result of malfunctioning valves in
the vein that allow the usual one-way flow of
blood to backflow and cause blood to pool and
enlarge the vein. These damaged veins aren’t just
cosmetically unsightly but can be a precursor
to several other potentially serious venous
conditions. If you suffer from varicose veins,
aching or heavy legs, swollen ankles, cramps,
ulcer formation and dry, itchy skin are just a
handful of symptoms you probably don’t look
forward to this winter.
So, how does cold weather
affect leg veins?
The holiday season has finally arrived, and
along with it comes the bitter cold, indulgent
foods, and a lot of time snuggled up indoors.
You may find that your varicose veins act up
more in the winter than any other time of
year. Cold weather takes a much harder toll
on our body than warmer weather, and venous
conditions like varicose veins or spider veins rely
on frequent movement to increase blood flow
and stimulate leg muscles to avoid the onset of
painful symptoms.
Advanced Varicose Vein Treatments of
Manhattan has come up with the following selfcare
methods for both symptoms and prevention
so you can enjoy your holidays without the
added stress of leg pain!
Get Active! For many of us, physical activity
falls to the wayside as temperatures start to
get colder. Tempting as it may be to relax on
the couch this season, a sedentary lifestyle
rarely engages leg muscles, which work to
support veins in pushing blood upwards to
the heart. To help prevent new varicose veins
from forming this winter, incorporate regular
cardio exercise into your daily routine. The
right type of workouts, like walking, jogging,
or swimming, engage leg muscles, improve
circulation to the heart and reduce pain and
inflammation associated with the condition –
among many other health benefits. Going for
walks, or even just getting up to move every
thirty minutes can increase your heart rate
and encourage healthy blood flow.
Eat right: Maintaining a healthy and balanced
diet during the holidays is no easy task. However,
the nutrients we put into our body can assist in
reducing inflammation in your blood vessels
caused by varicose veins. According to the
Mayo Clinic, following a low-salt diet prevents
water retention and swelling in the body. Be
sure to also incorporate a variety of fruits and
vegetables rich in antioxidants for strengthening
vein walls, and fiber to assist with circulation.
Compression Stockings: Whether sitting,
standing or walking, gravity has a daunting task
when it comes to pushing blood from the lower
legs back up to your heart. To discourage new
varicose veins from developing, investing in a
pair of compression stockings will significantly
help your cause. Unlike regular socks,
compression stockings use a much stronger
elastic material to tightly compress muscles
and surface blood vessels in the lower legs.
This added pressure encourages swollen veins
to narrow, and blood to make its way back to
the heart more effectively.
You may also consider using an ice pack, as
the temperature of the ice will work to narrow
enlarged. By applying ice to the affected leg area
for no longer than fifteen minutes at a time,
you’ll encourage circulation and ease any painful
symptoms. Elevating the legs and feet above
heart level while sitting or lying down will also
help counter gravity by assisting to divert blood
flow back into the heart.
Treat from the outside: Symptoms of
varicose veins aren’t always internal. Changes
in blood pressure and circulation can often
result in unattractive aberrations on the surface
of the skin, like dryness, redness, itchiness
or bleeding. Thoroughly massaging a daily
moisturizer twice a day into the affected area
of the leg will stimulate muscles and help heal
dry, damaged skin. While moisturizing won’t
necessarily improve your veins, it will keep your
skin healthy and less irritated on the outside.
Seeking medical treatment
during COVID-19
While Advanced Varicose Vein Treatments
of Manhattan offers a wide array of noninvasive
procedures with minimal discomfort
and downtime, bruising, redness and swelling
are still some of the more common side effects
after the procedure. Winter clothing makes
for easy concealment of any temporary effects
and gives your legs ample time to heal before
swimsuit season.
The staff at Advanced Varicose Veins has
remained vigilant in protecting patients by
taking several measures to reduce the risk of
COVID-19. We offer virtual consultations,
a safe way for patients to speak with Dr. Lev
from the comfort of their own home. While
visiting the practice, patients are seen one
at a time and are able to adhere to social
distancing guidance. Clinicians dedicate
time with each patient, monitoring them
for symptoms of COVID-19. In addition to
evaluating patients, all areas of the practice
are sanitized throughout the day and each
treatment room is deep cleaned. Each and
every staff member is committed to ensuring
the safety of our patients.
If you have varicose veins, winter is one of the
best times to undergo treatment. Advanced
Varicose Vein Treatments of Manhattan
has performed over 11,000 vein procedures
and our experienced team has the expertise
and know-how to bring out your best legs!
To learn more about winter leg care and
customizable vein treatments, call our office
today at 1-888-356-VEIN (8346).
12 January 21, 2021 Schneps Media