Do your legs ache after a long day at work – especially if you’ve been standing for a long time, or when you stand up after hours of sitting? The problem could be your veins.
Vein disease a common cause of leg pain. Veins that are damaged have a harder time pumping blood through your body efficiently. Instead of pushing the blood up your legs towards your heart, weakened veins allow some blood to flow back down in the opposite direction, which can cause swelling and toxic fluid build-up as the blood pools in your calves and ankles. This leads to an uncomfortable feeling of pressure and achiness in the legs when standing.
You’ll often find that your legs hurt more at the end of the day – especially if you’ve been sitting a lot. This is because the blood has had all day to pool around your ankles. As well, discomfort often becomes worse when it’s hot outside, since blood vessels dilate in higher temperatures.
In addition to leg pain, some other telltale signs of vein disease include thick, bulging veins that push up from your skin (varicose veins), or clusters of small discoloured veins near the surface of the skin (spider veins). In both cases, the intensity of the discomfort usually increases around the area of the veins themselves.
Even if you can’t see any bulging or discoloured veins on your legs, don’t rule out vein disease as the cause of your leg pain. Sometimes damaged veins can exist far below the surface of the skin and last for years without manifesting any visual signs.
You might be able to get some relief from your leg pain by elevating your legs above your heart for 10-15 minutes at a time (try propping your legs on a pillow or lying down and stretching your legs up against a wall), going for a walk to encourage blood circulation, flexing your legs and feet, taking a cold bath or shower, or wearing compression socks. But these techniques will only provide temporary relief, and damaged veins will continue to break down over time. In other words, your symptoms will continue to get worse.
What’s more, varicose veins if left untreated can develop into more serious and dangerous conditions including blood clots, ulcers in your legs, infection, and a life-threatening condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
If you’re looking for a permanent solution for leg pain caused by varicose veins, Canada Vein Clinics can help. Our clinics provide state of the art treatments that remove varicose veins and can stop leg pain for good. We have locations in Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Richmond Hill, Orleans, Moncton, Vaughan, Kawartha Lakes, Kanata, and Dartmouth.
With the proper treatment, vein disease doesn’t have to stop you from being active and pain-free. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn more about your treatment options.
