WELLNESS HEALTH IQ
VEIN CARE Health IQ
BY LARUE V. GILLESPIE
Have you ever given much thought to your veins? Veins are important because they push oxygen-depleted blood up through internal valves to your heart so the blood can be oxygenated and recycled into your body. Over time, things like a sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, and yes, gravity, can potentially weaken those valves, causing blood to flow downward and collect in the legs (called Chronic Venous Disease). “It’s like having a leaky pipe in your wall and finding a wet basement carpet,” said vascular surgeon Paula Muto, MD, CEO and Founder of
32
UBERDOC. “The skin discolors and symptoms can range from pain, itchiness, or even restless leg syndrome.” Other symptoms of venous disease include numbness, leg swelling (edema), varicose veins, and spider veins, and, if left untreated, eventually chronic venous insufficiency, ulcers, and blood clots. Vein issues can be a true medical issue. Venous disease affects a large part of the population, said vein specialist Tania Velez Calao, MD of EliteHealth in Miami, and “there is no specific age or sex group for the development of venous disease,” she said. The good
The newest treatment option for Venous Insufficiency is called VenaSeal and uses a medical glue delivered directly inside the veins to treat the underlying cause of the vein problems. It is the most medically advanced treatment option available and is very safe and very effective, though it is not currently covered by insurance. — Dr. Thomas E. Eidson, DO, Vein Specialist, Arlington, TX L I V I NGMAGAZ IN E . N E T