Most people think of varicose veins as a cosmetic problem when they first appear, only to develop painful symptoms down the road. If you’re dealing with leg pain and other venous complications, you’re likely exploring ways to feel better, such as losing weight.
Since excess weight puts pressure on our central veins, dropping excess pounds can help, but it won’t make the varicose veins disappear. Learn more about the connection between weight and varicose veins and find out what you can do to eliminate the symptoms.
The more pressure the veins are under, the more symptoms you’ll experience. Thus, losing weight can make your symptoms much more manageable. In fact, even losing a few extra pounds can reduce the pressure and stress your veins are under, alleviating some of the leg pain. Along with reducing pressure, weight loss will improve circulation, so less blood will pool in your lower extremities.
Once you get to your ideal weight, you’ll also reduce the risk of additional varicose veins forming. Thus, you can prevent your condition from worsening and reduce the symptoms through weight loss. However, varicose veins won’t go away after weight loss. While the symptoms may diminish, you may still be dealing with itchiness, swelling, and leg pain, especially at night.
While losing weight and other lifestyle changes can improve your condition, treating your varicose veins is necessary if you want to eliminate them. Previously, patients went through vein stripping and ligation procedures to get rid of problematic veins. Due to the discomfort, long recovery times and fear of surgery, many people decided they’d prefer living with the leg pain and other uncomfortable symptoms.
Fortunately, minimally invasive treatments are now available. For example, you can undergo radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to heat the walls of the veins, causing them to collapse. Then, the destroyed veins will break down as the body slowly absorbs them. Once treated, the same veins will not come back. However, more varicose veins can form in the future, so managing your weight and making other lifestyle choices can help your long-term prognosis.
Dr. Vinay Madan of the Center for Varicose Veins provides an assortment of minimally invasive treatments for patients, including radiofrequency ablation (RFA), sclerotherapy, and endovenous laser ablation. Schedule a consultation to discuss treatment options, as well as lifestyle changes that can help you keep your veins healthy in the long term.
