Do you know the symptoms of vein disease? Most people don't – if asked, they often scratch their heads, think for a moment, and then say, "Varicose veins." And that answer is correct in that it describes one symptom of vein disease, but there are other symptoms that people experience, but don't what they are symptoms of,
Let's start with a short "self test" – how many of these symptoms do you have?
We can start with one of the most common complaints we hear from patients in our practice as NJ vein doctors – swollen legs and ankles. If this happens to you rarely, it may be normal, and the result of overexertion or injury. But if it happens often, it may be a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a vein disease in which the valves that control blood flow back to the heart and lungs have become "leaky," and are allowing blood to flow backwards into the vein and pool there. CVI is thus the most common cause of varicose veins, but it can be present and be impairing your health even if you can't see any visible signs of it.
What about chronic feelings of tiredness or weakness in your legs that make them so painful that it is becoming difficult to stand or walk for any length of time? Again, this is a common symptom of CVI, and can be an indicator of another vein disease called deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is so serious that it can be fatal.
Have you noticed changes in the color or texture of the skin on your legs and ankles – patches of dry or flaky skin, or areas in which the skin color is turning darker and taking on a toughened, almost leathery feel? Or have you noticed that minor scrapes or nicks on your legs don't heal the way they used to, and instead become infected and linger for weeks. Again, these can be signs of CVI.
But there are even more unexpected symptoms of vein disease
This next group of symptoms are "unexpected" because few people associate them with vein disease, and thus fail to get the vein health checkups they need. One such symptom is weight gain, especially if you're beginning to be not just overweight but obese (more than 20 pounds over your target weight). This can again be the result of CVI, because an impaired circulatory system is less able to process nutrients properly, and because painful legs have caused an avoidance of exercise. Another symptom that is so common it affects 10-20% of the population is "acid reflux" – the feeling that bile is rising into your throat and making you feel nauseated. While there are many causes for acid reflux, one of the unexpected causes can be a vein disease called scleroderma.
Finally, some of the most distressing symptoms of vein disease aren't physical at all – they're psychological. Often people with varicose veins become so acutely aware of how unattractive they make their legs look that they lose self-confidence and begin to avoid situations in which they'd have to show their legs. This can lead to isolation, and even to chronic depression. The depression may even have physical causes, because their impaired circulation is depriving their brains of the oxygen and nutrients they need to function normally.
If I’ve experienced some or all of these symptoms, what should I do?
First, don't stay awake worrying about them, for two reasons. First, vein disease can be easily diagnosed by your NJ vascular doctor in a venous health screening that is completely painless and takes only about an hour. Second, if the screening reveals that you do have vein disease, vein disease treatment in Hackensack is just as painless, and can be effectively treated in about the same length of time. So call the best vein doctor in NJ at 201-299-4479 to arrange an initial consultation. Dr. Fernando Segovia will take it from there, giving you the best vein care diagnosis and varicose vein treatment available anywhere.
