If you are suffering from vein disease, or are concerned you may develop venous insufficiency in the future, it’s important to understand the different contributing factors to vein disease and how you can help lower your risk. In some cases, due to heredity, vein disease is inevitable. However, there are precautions you can take to lessen the severity of vein disease and manage the symptoms.
Contributing factors to vein disease
- Age. People over the age of 50 are more susceptible to developing vein disease.
- Heredity. Your family may provide clues about your likelihood of developing vein disease. If you have one or more relatives who suffer from vein disease, you are more likely to develop it as well.
- Obesity. Pressure from additional weight will strain your vascular system and force your veins and their valves to work harder than normal to circulate your blood.
- Pregnancy. Pregnant women carry as much as 25% more blood in their bodies, which makes your veins and their valves work harder. It’s more difficult to circulate additional blood throughout the body, and as a result, pregnant women may develop varicose and spider veins. Fortunately, the condition is often only temporary.
- Inactivity. Any time a person is immobile or stationary for a prolonged period of time, proper circulation is compromised, which can lead to vein disease. Keep your veins healthy by staying active.
- Tobacco. Using tobacco products and smoking damages your blood vessels, making them work less efficiently.
- Vein injury. An injured vein can harm the valves inside the veins that control the blood flow back to the heart, which can make you more susceptible to vein disease.
For more information about whether you’re at risk for vein disease or to make an appointment with an experienced vein specialist, call Center for Vein Restoration to get started.