|
 Given that modern medicine still hasn't found a specific cause for varicose veins, preventing the onset of them is a matter of debate. However, there are some tips we can give you that can help avoid the appearance of both varicose and spiders veins.
-
Keep your legs elevated as much as possible, with you feet above your heart level.
-
Daily exercises such as walking, stair climbing, bicycling and swimming are all excellent exercises that also keep the blood in your calf muscle going. This can reduce pooling of your blood in the calf, and takes some pressure off the veins.
-
Keep your legs in motion as much as possible. If you periodically flex your ankles, the blood will be pumped out of your legs. When sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time, your ankles should be flexed 10 times at every ten minute interval. Crossing your legs for a long period of time should be avoided.
-
Compression stockings can be used to aid blood flow by exerting counter pressure on the veins in your legs, ensuring the blood is flowing back to the heart properly. They're also useful in preventing deep blood clots from forming. Compression stockings are the most common conservative treatment. We recommend wearing them during long car rides or plane rides.
-
Find out what your ideal body weight is for your height and body type, and maintain that weight to reduce the extra stress on your legs.
-
Try to avoid situations which require long periods of sitting and standing. Situations where this is necessary, such as car trips or plane flights, flex your legs to get the blood circulating. If possible, take short walks every few hours.
-
Try to avoid situations where excessive heat is being applied to your legs, such as saunas, baths, and hot tubs. The heat may lead to increased vein distention, allowing for the blood to pool in your veins more easily.
-
Follow a low-salt, high-fiber diet to prevent any additional pressure on your veins that may result from water retention and constipation.
Back to Top
 While there is no medically accepted specific cause for varicose and spider veins, there are a few factors that contribute to the development of these vascular conditions. These include:
- Heredity
-
People with a family history of varicose and spider veins are significantly more prone to these conditions.
-
- Pregnancy
-
Pregnancy is one of the most common factors that lead to the formation of varicose and spider veins. The biggest factor is the hormones released in a woman's body during pregnancy. These hormones can weaken vein walls, which, when coupled with the added amount of blood in your system, can lead to valve dysfunction and blood pooling. In the later stages of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus compresses many blood vessels, adding extra pressure to your vascular system.
-
- Age
-
Varicose veins and spider veins can occur at any point in a person's lifetime, however, they are more common between 18 and 35 years of age. The chances are at their highest between ages 50 and 60.
- Lifestyle
-
People who sit or stand for a prolonged period of time due to their daily activities are more susceptible to varicose veins. The pressure from the blood forces close valves open, which leads to valve failure and blood pooling.
-
There are other factors of a person's lifestyle that may contribute to the development of varicose and spider veins. These include:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Clothes that bind or otherwise impede proper circulation
- Chronic constipation
- Birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy
- High-heeled shoes
- Menstrual cycle
- Obesity
- Heat
- Number of pregnancies
Back to Top |
