Contributing Factors To Venous Disease

Suffering from vein disease, also known as venous insufficiency, can cause painful symptoms and often result in embarrassing varicose and spider veins. It’s important to know what may be causing your vein disease, and the treatment options available to you.

What causes vein disease?

There are many factors that can contribute to vein disease. These may include:

• Heredity -“ People with family members who have suffered from vein disease are more likely to develop vein disease themselves.
• Age -“ People over the age of 50 can be more susceptible to developing vein disease.
• Prolonged standing or sitting -“ Prolonged sitting or standing can inhibit proper circulation and ultimately contribute to vein disease.
• Obesity -“ Extra weight can put a strain on the vascular system, forcing the veins to work harder to circulate the blood.
• Pregnancy -“ With pregnancy comes increased blood volume, which makes it more difficult for the blood to circulate.
• Injury to the veins -“ Injured veins can affect the valves within the veins, making you more susceptible to vein disease.
• Smoking -“ Smoking and other tobacco use can damage the blood vessels, making them more vulnerable to vein disease.

Symptoms of vein disease

Vein disease can manifest in many forms. The most visibly common indicators of vein disease are spider and varicose veins. Though spider veins usually don’t exhibit any signs other than their spider-web appearance, varicose veins can be very painful and exhibit symptoms like:

• Burning, throbbing or cramping in the legs
• Tired, achy or heavy feelings in the legs
• Itchy feelings around the veins
• Skin surface ulcers on the lower legs (only in very severe cases)

Fortunately, a wide variety of treatment options are available to you to treat vein disease and relieve yourself of pain and embarrassment. Treatment options will depend on the severity and symptoms of your individual case, and may include:

• Compression stockings
• Endovenous laser ablation
• Ambulatory phlebectomy
• Sclerotherapy

Learn more about the services we offer by calling our North Center location at 773-231-9884 or our Downtown Chicago location at 312-234-0750