Chronic venous insufficiency

Take the following steps to help manage venous insufficiency:

• Use compression stockings to decrease chronic swelling.
• Avoid long periods of sitting or standing. Even moving your legs slightly will help the blood in your veins return to your heart.
• Care for wounds aggressively if any skin breakdown or infection occurs.

Surgery (varicose vein stripping) or noninvasive treatments for varicose veins may be recommended if you have:

• Leg pain, often described as heavy or tired
• Skin ulcers or sores caused by poor blood flow in the veins
• Thickening and hardening of the skin on the legs and ankles (lipodermatosclerosis)

Images

Heart, front view

Venous insufficiency

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Venous insufficiency Symptoms

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Venous insufficiency Prevention

Review Date: 05/13/2010
Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)