Spider Vein Prevention, Varicose Vein Prevention
There is no way to completely guarantee spider vein prevention and varicose vein prevention, however the following measures may act to decrease the severity of existing varicose veins and/or prevent new veins from forming:
Exercise – Taking periodic walks, or other similar aerobic exercise, activates the calf muscles which will ‘pump’ venous blood out of the legs, reducing vein pooling and pressure, critical to varicose vein prevention. Additionally, maintaining good general muscle tone will improve your overall circulation.
Weight Control – Maintaining close to ideal weight with diet or other measures will reduce blood pressure and stress on your veins.
Watch What You Wear – Avoid wearing tight fitting clothing that can cause vessel constriction or injury. Wearing flat or low heels requires greater activation of calf muscles during walking and thereby improves leg circulation.
Leg Elevation – Raising your legs while resting (especially above your heart level) will assist blood flow in the veins, causing less pooling and better drainage in the leg veins.
Avoid Long Periods of Sitting or Standing – If you must sit or stand still for extended periods, try to take a periodic walk or at least flex your ankles up and down. Also, avoid crossing your legs when sitting to aid in varicose vein prevention.
Wear Compression Stockings – Graduated compression stockings can assist your venous circulation and help prevent conditions like deep vein thrombosis. Consider wearing them when taking long airplane or car rides.
It is impossible to prevent an inherited tendency towards having varicose veins, but it is certainly possible to take measures that will help. Remember that varicose veins are veins that have been stretched so often that they become chronically dilated. The trick is to limit the opportunity to distend the veins. That means individuals with a strong family history of varicose veins should wear medical compression stockings to prevent stretch. Proper medical grade compression stocking are only available with a doctor’s prescription. Gradient Compression stockings are designed to apply maximum pressure on the leg by starting at the ankle. Pressure gradually lessens up the leg. This action helps accelerate the movement of blood back up through the veins and to the heart, thus assisting circulation.
Varicose veins may be helped by avoiding occupations that require prolonged standing and being careful about how you sit. Always try to sit in a chair that is low enough or with the seat tilted in such a manner that there is little or no pressure on the back of the thighs. Do not sit for prolonged periods of time. Do get up and walk around to speed up circulation through your veins. And it is important for women who are pregnant to wear compression stockings at least during the last trimester of pregnancy. Regular exercise such as walking and keeping your ideal body weight also may be helpful in preventing or lessening the symptoms of varicose veins.
How do Compression Stockings Work?
Medically accurate compression stockings push the dilated vein walls back into place, enabling the veins to close properly and helping them “pump” the blood throughout your body more efficiently. As a result, blood flow is increased, which reduces swelling, fatigue, pain and the possible formation of blood clots in the leg.
Why is Graduated Compression so Important?
The most important component in treating vein disease is to reduce the swelling. The greatest swelling is usually in the ankles, because of gravity. Since that is where the veins become weakest, that is where the pressure from a graduated compression stocking is strongest. Be careful of department store products that do not list a specific pressure. Even though some are labeled “support” or “gradient or graduated support,” they do not produce an effective amount of compression.
