Consider these strategies to prevent nocturnal leg cramps. It’s almost Halloween, and something spooky may be waking you up at night. Is it a ghost? A monster? No, worse … it’s leg cramps! Waking up with a cramp can be extremely painful and shocking. Patients often come to Fitzgibbons Vein Center for help with this issue. Medical reasons for leg cramps can include spinal stenosis, arthritis, arterial disease and venous disease. Treating any of these should help to alleviate your cramps. However some patients still have severe leg cramps for no apparent medical reason. Very little research has been done on leg cramps since they aren’t life-threatening, but here are a…
Healthy Living Before and After Vein Treatment
Staying mobile after vein treatment is essential for preventing complications like deep vein thrombosis. Obesity also exacerbates symptoms. For some patients, it may be necessary to lose weight before undergoing vein treatment. Starting a diet and exercise plan can be complicated, and you should consult your primary physician, but here are a few simple healthy living tips that you may not know about. Plates > Pyramid Did you know that the food pyramid we learned about as kids is no longer the most recommended way to divide up your meals? The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched “MyPlate” to help educate people about the proper portion sizes for healthy eating….
Men May Need Vein Treatment Too
Billboards and advertisements for vein treatment commonly show a pair of smooth female legs—but men are also at risk for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), the condition that causes varicose and spider veins, particularly as they age. Men may be living with unnecessary pain just because of a cultural misconception that vein problems are a strictly female issue. After exercising or working all day, men may feel leg pain but chalk it up to sore muscles or the unavoidable effects of aging. In some cases it could be a venous issue, and getting it treated could greatly improve their lives. There is a lack of awareness for men on venous issues….
Restless Legs Syndrome and Its Relationship to Chronic Venous Disease
Nightly pain and discomfort in the legs is a common symptom of: A) Chronic Venous Disease (CVD, the disease that causes varicose veins B) Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) C) Both If you picked C, both, you’re correct. Often, the symptoms of chronic venous disease and RLS can be so similar that patients aren’t sure which one they might have. And in some cases, they may have both conditions. According to the National Institutes of Health, Restless Legs Syndrome “is a neurological disorder characterized by throbbing, pulling, creeping, or other unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable, and sometimes overwhelming, urge to move them.” The symptoms usually occur or become…
Will Insurance Cover My Vein Treatment?
Many patients assume that vein treatments are considered cosmetic and thus not covered by health insurance, but that is not true. Consultation and Ultrasound The first step is to go for a consultation with the doctor. During the visit, he examines you and evaluates your venous disease and general health. At the same visit, he measures vein sizes and reflux times (the amount of time it takes for valves in the veins to close) using an ultrasound. When the valves don’t close correctly, the blood pools in your legs—causing swelling, pain, and varicose veins. The results of the consultation and ultrasound will be sent to your health insurance provider to…