Learn about venous reflux disease (VRD), including what it is, what causes it, what the symptoms are, treatments, and prevention.
What is Venous Reflux Disease?
Sometimes referred to as venous insufficiency, venous reflux disease (VRD) is a disease where a person’s veins fail to return blood to the heart properly. This causes blood to pool in the legs, which can lead to pain, swelling, and other symptoms.
There are two main types of VRD: primary and secondary. Primary VRD is a condition where the valves in the veins do not work properly from birth. Secondary VRD is a condition that develops later in life due to damage to the valves or the walls of the veins.
What are the causes of Venous Reflux Disease?
Conditions that can lead to VRD include abnormal vein structure, fluid buildup and edema, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), vein wall weakness, a congenital (from birth) absence of vein valves, tumors, growths, and other blockages in the veins.
Factors that may put you at risk of developing venous reflux disease include:
- obesity
- pregnancy, especially multiple pregnancies
- constipation
- heavy lifting
- prolonged standing
- being female
- high blood pressure
- lack of physical activity
Symptoms of Venous Reflux Disease
Possible symptoms of venous reflux disease are:
- Swollen and/or painful veins: This is one of the most common symptoms associated with venous reflux disease, as it often manifests as pain in the affected veins. The pain can be both throbbing and sharp, and it is not uncommon for the affected person to experience a stabbing pain anytime the affected veins are stretched or touched. Your veins can also become easily visible or raised.
- Thinning skin: While the skin is usually not as thin as a paper-thin person with scleroderma, it is not uncommon for the affected person’s skin to be dry, rough, and/or itchy.
- Changes in the nails: Dry, brittle, and/or peeling nails can be another symptom of venous reflux disease. The nails may also become thickened, ridged, and/or discolored.
- Open sores or wounds: Because of the poor circulation caused by VRD, it is not uncommon for open sores or wounds to develop on the skin. These wounds are often slow to heal and can easily become infected.
Treatment for Venous Reflux Disease
A person with venous reflux disease can be helped with the right treatment plan, which will address the underlying cause of the condition. The best treatment option could be something as simple as dietary changes or as complicated as surgery. There are a few options for treating venous reflux disease:
- Dietary changes: Replacing salt and water retention with fluids will often lead to less swelling and less painful veins. Diet can also include sodium restriction, which will help reduce fluid buildup in the body. This is often one of the first treatment options for people with venous reflux disease.
- Compression stockings: Wearing compression stockings is often recommended as the first line of defense against VRD, as they can help to improve circulation and reduce swelling. They are available in a variety of styles and sizes, so it is important to find the right fit for you.
- Medications: There are a few different types of medications that can be used to treat VRD, including diuretics, anticoagulants, and vasoconstrictors. Diuretics help to reduce fluid retention, while anticoagulants help to prevent blood clots. Vasoconstrictors help to constrict the veins and improve circulation.
- Vein ablation: This is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat or lasers to destroy the affected veins. This helps to redirect blood flow to healthier veins and can often improve symptoms.
- Surgical options: In some cases, surgery may be necessary to treat VRD. This could include stripping the affected veins or placing a device in the veins to keep them open. Surgery is often the last resort, as it can be very invasive and carries a risk of complications.
Prevention of Venous Reflux Disease
While living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthily, exercising, moving often, raising your legs when you rest, and possibly wearing compression stockings can all help to prevent venous reflux disease, you may still end up getting it due to factors like age, gender, genetics, if you are pregnant, or have other factors.
The only way to prevent venous reflux disease is by catching it early. This can be difficult, as many of the symptoms of venous reflux disease are also symptoms of other health conditions, such as swollen and painful veins. The earlier a person catches venous reflux disease, the easier it is to treat.
San Diego Vein Specialists
If you are concerned about your vein health, it’s worth seeing a vein specialist for a consultation.
If you suffer from varicose veins or spider veins, we typically will recommend considering having a procedure done to cure the problem altogether by getting rid of the veins. If you are considering such a procedure, contact Kafri Wellness Clinic to schedule an evaluation and get more information.
At Kafri Wellness Clinic, we have over 25+ years of experience working with patients to address vein issues. We also take into consideration a cardiovascular approach to your treatment to give you as much insight into your health as possible.
If you’d like to schedule a consultation to learn how we can help you, please contact us today!