VENOUS ISUFFISIENCY

Venous Insufficiency

 Causes

 Symptoms

 Diagnosis

 Treatment

 Prevention

What is venous insufficiency?

Your arteries carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Your veins
carry blood back to the heart, and valves in the veins stop the blood from
flowing backward.

When your veins have trouble sending blood from your limbs back to the heart,
it’s known as venous insufficiency. In this condition, blood doesn’t flow back
properly to the heart, causing blood to pool in the veins in your legs.

Several factors can cause venous insufficiency, though it’s most commonly
caused by blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) and varicose veins.

Even if you have a family history of venous insufficiency, there are simple steps
you can take to lower your chances of developing the condition.

Causes of venous insufficiency

Venous insufficiency is most often caused by either blood clots or varicose

veins.

In healthy veins, there is a continuous flow of blood from the limbs back toward
the heart. Valves within the veins of the legs help prevent the backflow of
blood.

The most common causes of venous insufficiency are previous cases of blood
clots and varicose veins.
When forward flow through the veins is obstructed — such as in the case of a
blood clot — blood builds up below the clot, which can lead to venous
insufficiency.

In varicose veins, the valves are often missing or impaired, and blood leaks
back through the damaged valves.

In some cases, weakness in the leg muscles that squeeze blood forward can also
contribute to venous insufficiency.

Venous insufficiency is more common in women than in men. It’s also more
likely to occur in adults over the age of 50, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Other risk factors include:

 blood clots

 varicose veins

 obesity

 pregnancy

 smoking

 cancer

 muscle weakness, leg injury, or trauma

 swelling of a superficial vein (phlebitis)

 family history of venous insufficiency

 sitting or standing for long periods of time without moving

Symptoms of venous insufficiency

Symptoms of venous insufficiency include:

 swelling of the legs or ankles (edema)

 pain that gets worse when you stand and gets better when you raise your
legs

 leg cramps
  aching, throbbing, or a feeling of heaviness in your legs

 itchy legs

 weak legs

 thickening of the skin on your legs or ankles

 skin that is changing color, especially around the ankles

 leg ulcers

 varicose veins

 a feeling of tightness in your calves

How is venous insufficiency diagnosed?

Your doctor will want to do a physical examination and take a complete

medical history to figure out if you have venous insufficiency.

They may also order some imaging tests to pinpoint the source of the problem.
These tests may include a venogram or a duplex ultrasound.

Venogram

During a venogram, your doctor will put an intravenous (IV) contrast dye into
your veins.

Contrast dye causes the blood vessels to appear opaque on the X-rayimage,

which helps the doctor see them on the image. This dye will provide your
doctor with a clearer X-ray picture of your blood vessels.

Duplex ultrasound

A type of test called a duplex ultrasound may be used to test the speed and
direction of blood flow in the veins.

A technician will place some gel on the skin and then press a small hand-held
device (transducer) against this area. The transducer uses sound waves that
bounce back to a computer and produce the images of blood flow.

How venous insufficiency is treated

Treatment will depend on many factors, including the reason for the condition
and your health status and history. Other factors your doctor will consider are:

 your specific symptoms

 your age

 the severity of your condition

 how well you can tolerate medications or procedures

The most common treatment for venous insufficiency is prescription

compression stockings. These special elastic stockings apply pressure at the
ankle and lower leg. They help improve blood flow and can reduce leg swelling.

Compression stockings come in a range of prescription strengths and different

lengths. Your doctor will help you decide what the best type of compression
stocking is for your treatment.

Treatment for venous insufficiency can include several different strategies:

Improving blood flow

Here are some tips to improve your blood flow:

 Keep your legs elevated whenever possible.

 Wear compression stockings to apply pressure to your lower legs.

 Keep your legs uncrossed when seated.

 Exercise regularly.

Medications

There are also a number of medications that may help those who have this
condition. These include:

 diuretics: medications that draw extra fluid from your body that is then
excreted through your kidneys

 anticoagulants: medications that thin the blood

  pentoxifylline (Trental): a medication that helps improve blood flow

Surgery

Sometimes more serious cases of venous insufficiency require surgery. Your

doctor may suggest one of the following surgery types:

 Surgical repair of veins or valves

 Removing (stripping) the damaged vein

 Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery: The surgeon inserts a thin tube

with a camera on it to help see and tie off varicose veins.

 Vein bypass: A healthy vein is transplanted from somewhere else in your

body. Generally used only in the upper thigh and only as a last option for
very severe cases.

 Laser surgery: A relatively new treatment that uses lasers to either fade or
close the damaged vein with strong surges of light in a small, specific
place.

Ambulatory phlebectomy

This outpatient procedure (you won’t have to spend the night in the hospital)
involves your doctor numbing certain spots on your leg, and then making small
pricks and removing smaller varicose veins.

Sclerotherapy

This treatment method is generally reserved for advanced venous insufficiency.

In sclerotherapy, a chemical is injected into the damaged vein so that it’s no

longer able to carry blood. Blood will return to the heart through other veins,
and the damaged vein will eventually be absorbed by the body.

Sclerotherapy is used to destroy small to medium veins. A chemical is injected

into the damaged vein so that it’s no longer able to carry blood.

Catheter procedures
In severe cases, your doctor can use a catheter procedure for larger veins.
They’ll insert a catheter (a thin tube) into the vein, heat the end of it, and then
remove it. The heat will cause the vein to close and seal as the catheter is taken
out.

ow to prevent venous insufficiency

If you have a family history of venous insufficiency, you can take steps to
lessen your chances of developing the condition:

 Don’t sit or stand in one position for long stretches of time. Get up and
move around frequently.

 Don’t smoke, and if you do smoke, quit.

 Get regular exercise.

 Maintain a healthy body weight.

How to use essential oils for varicose veins

The West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy recommends several ways to use

essential oils topically for varicose veins:

 Create a warm or cool compress by soaking a cloth in a blend of five

drops of essential oils and 1 liter of water. Apply the compress to the
affected area for 15 minutes. Keep your legs elevated during application.

 Combine up to 30 drops of essential oil with approximately 3 tablespoons

of carrier oil. Popular carrier oils include sweet almond oil, olive oil,
coconut oil, or jojoba oil. You may also add the oils to shea butter or
cocoa butter. Use the mixture to massage the affected area in the direction
of your heart.

 Dilute up to eight drops of essential oil in a small amount of carrier oil.

Add the mixture to warm bathwater.

 To relieve hemorrhoids (varicose veins of the anus), add up to eight drops

of diluted essential oils to a sitz bath.

To use essential oils to induce calm and relieve pain:

 Inhale directly from the bottle or from an inhaler tube.

  Apply to a handkerchief or cotton pad, and inhale.

 Diffuse using a room diffuser.

Risks and warnings

Diluted essential oils are generally considered safe to use externally. If you
apply undiluted essential oil to the skin, you may experience irritation or
inflammation.

All essential oils have the potential to cause an allergic reaction. Allergic
reaction symptoms may include:

 rash

 hives

 skin burning

 skin irritation

 difficulty breathing

 rapid heart rate

Always test the diluted mixture on a small patch of skin to determine whether
you will have a reaction. If your skin doesn’t react poorly, it should be safe to
apply the mixture to a larger area. If you experience allergic reaction symptoms
after using essential oils, discontinue use and contact your doctor.

If you’re pregnant or breast-feeding, you shouldn’t use these oils without the
supervision of your doctor or a trained aromatherapist.

For children and infants, essential oils should be used under supervision of a
health care professional. Some essential oils have significant side effects in
children.
Don’t assume that all pain and swelling in your legs is caused by varicose veins.
Other serious, even life-threatening, conditions such as blood clots may cause
the same symptoms and should be ruled out.

Other treatments for varicose veins

You may get relief from varicose veins by making certain lifestyle changes.
This includes:

avoiding prolonged sitting or standing

losing weight if you’re obese

avoiding clothes that are tight around your waist and legs

elevating your legs higher than your head whenever possible

exercising regularly

wearing compression stockings

When self-care isn’t enough, your doctor may recommend a more invasive
treatment. Your options include:

our options include:

 Sclerotherapy: A solution is injected into the varicose veins. This seals

the veins and helps them fade.

 Laser surgery: Powerful bursts of lights are transmitted into the veins.
This causes the vein to fade and eventually go away.

 Catheter-assisted surgery: The tip of a catheter is heated using

radiofrequency or laser energy and inserted into a large vein. As the
catheter is removed, it collapses the vein.

 Vein stripping: Large veins are tied off and removed through small
incisions.

 Phlebectomy: Small veins are removed through tiny skin punctures.

  Endoscopic surgery: Under the guidance of a video camera, large,
ulcerated veins are removed through small incisions.

A few herbal remedies may also improve varicose veins:

 Horse chestnut: A 2006 study showed that horse chestnut is effective in

treating symptoms of poor circulation in the legs such as heaviness, pain,
and itchiness.

 Butcher’s broom: Research indicates that butcher’s broom helps reduce

leg swelling caused by poor circulation.

 Grape seed extract: This extract is said to contain compounds that

increase elasticity in blood vessels. This may also help prevent leakage
that leads to leg swelling.

Herbal remedies may cause side effects and interact with medications. Check
with your doctor before using.

What you can do now

If you’re new to essential oils, learn all you can about how to use them before
adding them to your varicose vein treatment arsenal. A trained aromatherapist
can help you figure out which oils may help your situation.

In the meantime, there are small things that you can do at home and at work to
reduce pressure on your veins and improve blood flow:

 Add more fiber to your diet to prevent constipation.

 Walk as much as you can to boost circulation in your legs.

 Set a timer to go off every hour to remind you to get up and move. Walk,
do jumping jacks, or jog in place for at least five minutes.

 If your job requires you to sit or stand in one place for a long time,
change positions frequently. Do calf stretches while sitting and walk in
place while standing.

 Don’t sit with your legs crossed.

 Wear low heels to help tone your calf muscles and help prevent blood
pooling.
 Eat a low-salt diet to prevent water retention that may cause swelling.