TOP 3 Vein Disease Symptoms to Look Out For

How those pesky varicose and spider veins look on your pretty little legs is one thing – but what they are actually doing to your body is a totally different issue. In a world where aesthetic perfection takes priority, it can be hard to remember that how we feel, on the inside, should also be top of mind – as it is far more critical than how we look on the outside.

As expert vein removal doctors in the Miami area, Fox Vein & Laser Experts has treated thousands of patients for their venous disease issues. From simple sclerotherapy injections for spider vein removal to more-invasive varicose vein treatments, we’ve seen it all.

We’ve also seen far too many patients wait too long to treat their vein disease symptoms, simply because it doesn’t “look that bad” yet.

Big mistake. Huge.

Most venous diseases start long before the bulgy varicose veins take center stage on your legs,” Dr. Susan Fox says.  “The trick is to treat these early, to avoid the complications associated with venous diseases – not just wait until you want your legs to look better.”

So, how do you know if you have vein disease? Are those little spider veins that have magically appeared post-pregnancy a definite sign of venous troubles? Chronic Venous Insufficiency, the medical term for vein disease, means the veins in your legs are not properly functioning – and there is danger on the horizon. If you know nothing else about the human body, you should know that veins are responsible for returning blood to your heart – pretty important, don’t you think?

Here are some vein disease symptoms you should be looking out for, and dealing with as soon as they arise.

Itchy Legs

Vein disease can start with small, almost harmless symptoms – one of these being itchy areas on your legs. You may find that the same small section of your thigh is pretty itchy at the end of a long day, or that you keep having to reach down and scratch your calf while standing at an event. You may also notice that this same area is dryer than usual, cracked, scaly and/or shiny.

According to Medical News Today, the itchiness, or Stasis dermatitis, happens when blood flow in the lower legs becomes compromised, and the valves in the veins weaken, causing a leakage of blood into body tissues. If you are experiencing this, it’s important to check in with a top Miami vein doctor like Dr. Susan Fox.

Aching/Throbbing/Heaviness

If you haven’t recently injured yourself but still find that your legs are achy, or they feel heavier than usual – this isn’t a great sign. Improper blood flow within your veins can cause this feeling of aching or heaviness in the legs. “Throbbing pain is more typically felt over areas of acute lipodermatosclerosis and superficial thrombophlebitis, according to the NCBI,” and can lead to a host of other issues, starting with serious pain and inability to walk comfortably.

Ulcers

Perhaps one of the more frightening, and more serious signs of venous disease are leg ulcers. These ulcers, also known as stasis, are the result of malfunctioning venous valves causing pressure in the veins to increase. If you’ve experienced any of the itchiness, discoloration, swelling, and skin changes we mentioned above but simply ignored, you may be on your way to experiencing these ulcers. According to Wound Source, “when a venous ulcer begins to develop, stasis dermatitis may be present causing scaling and erythema of the lower extremities. Hemosiderin staining may also occur, causing the presence of brownish or yellow patches underneath the skin. Other skin changes may include the appearance of dark red or purple as a result of blood leaching into the surrounding tissue. Venous ulcers will present with shallow but large wounds with irregular margins that typically develop on the lower leg or ankle. The base of the ulcer is typically red, can result in a significant amount of exudate depending on the level of infection, and will ooze venous blood when manipulated.

The bottom line is, when it comes to your health, any symptom – no matter how small – should be investigated further.

At Fox Vein & Laser Experts, we specialize in vein removal through the use of treatments such as:

Sclerotherapy

Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA/EVLT)

VenaSeal

ClariVein

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

And more.

Contact us today to determine whether your symptoms make you a candidate for any of these treatments. At Fox Vein & Laser Experts, we’re here to bring about the kind of change that makes for the same you – only with way better legs.