How Pregnancy is Connected with Varicose Veins
Pregnancy is the most wonderful time of your life, as you plan on welcoming a new member of your family. However, every mother knows that the nine months aren’t all sunshine and rainbows – you can develop side effects such as nausea, frequent back pains and the development of varicose veins.
Some moms are more fortunate, as the varicose veins tend to withdraw after the baby arrives, but some are not so lucky. With the help of Ivan Brooks M.D. at the vein center Los Angeles patients trust, you can rest easy even if those swollen blood vessels stick around after childbirth – they can be easily removed.
Pregnancy and Varicose Veins: Why do they develop?
Experts contend that there are several reasons for varicose veins to develop during pregnancy. For example, it might be that your veins are taking increased pressure due to your expanding uterus. Increased blood flow can be one of the leading reasons as well, as it adds more pressure to the veins as well. Slower blood flow during pregnancy also increases the risk of damage to the veins in your lower legs. Another huge reason is that hormonal fluctuations can weaken your vein walls, which makes them more susceptible to varicosity.
As if pregnancy alone isn’t a significant enough risk factor, watch out for the symptoms if you have a family history of varicose veins or blood clot disorders. This risk increases further if you lead an inactive lifestyle and spend most of your time in a sitting or standing position.
What Can You Do to Prevent Varicose Veins?
Although pregnant women are at a higher risk of developing varicose veins, do not despair. There are several things you can do to prevent varicose veins symptoms from developing and keep them away during your pregnancy.
Let’s take a look.
Introducing daily walks into your routine will help your lower leg veins circulate blood and push it back to the heart. Another good way to prevent varicose veins from developing when you are at home is lifting your legs for a period of time before going to sleep, which will help release some of that pressure to your lower leg veins. Los Angeles vein center experts might also recommend using compression stockings. These help regulate blood flow in the lower legs and significantly improve your chances of keeping varicose veins and all their symptoms at bay.
Seeking Treatment after Delivery
If all of this does not help, there’s still hope for you to get rid of the nasty varicose veins easily. Practicing the same methods of prevention will help stop the condition from worsening and helps relieve the symptoms. If the varicose veins do not disappear after a few months after childbirth it might be best to book an appointment with the leading vein center in Los Angeles so that our experts can recommend the best course of action. There are a few minimally invasive treatments we offer our patients that will help eliminate the condition for good:
Endovenous Laser Therapy: Also known as EVLT, this treatment is minimally invasive and presents fewer risks compared to conventional surgery. It is much quicker to perform and is usually done in an hour. With ELVT there’s no scaring and the treatment has a high success rate.
Sclerotherapy: This method involves a solution injected into the varicose veins, which isolates them from other veins in your legs. The vein is closed and absorbed over time. The treatment leaves no scars, recovery is instant and walking is encouraged.
Microphlebectomy: The varicose veins are removed through tiny incisions on your legs. Since these incisions are small they do not require stitches and do not leave scars. Your blood flow will improve as the blood is rerouted to the healthier veins. This method can be combined with EVLT for maximum effect.