Chronic Venous Insufficiency Treatments to Reduce Swelling in Legs, Ankles and Calves that Helps Health Leg Ulcers at Healthy Being Wellness Center in St. Petersburg Fl 33702

Many of our lymphedema cases at Healthy Being Wellness Center involve Chronice Venous Insufficiency (CVI). We often see immediate and long lasting effects from our lymphedema treatments for these cases as the therapy reduces the burden on the vascular system.

What is Chronic Venous Insufficieny?

In Chronic Venous Insufficieny, the venous system fails to return sufficient blood to the lower extremities. This is often due to insufficiency of the valves of the veins.  The blood will tend to pool up in the ankles and lower legs. Individuals who suffer from CVI often tell us that their legs looks great when they wake up in the morning, but as the day progresses, they get heavier and painful and extremely more swollen.

Chronic venous insufficiency does not pose a serious health threat, but the condition can be disabling and cause pain. The condition affects about 5 percent of the US population. It usually occurs in men between the ages of 70 to 79 and in women between the ages of 40 to 49. Estimates are that about 500,000 persons in the US have ulcers of the lower legs that are a result of this condition.

What are the symptoms of Chronic Venous Insufficiency?

Symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency may include:

• swelling in legs and/or ankles
• tight feeling calves or itchy painful legs
• pain during walking that stops with rest
• brown-colored skin, particularly near the ankles
• varicose veins
• leg ulcers

What causes Chronic Venous Insufficiency?

It has been found that chronic venous insufficiency is more common among those who are obese, pregnant, or who have a family history of the problem. Individuals who have had trauma to the leg through injury, surgery, or previous blood clots are also more likely to develop the condition.

Other causes of chronic venous insufficiency include, but are not limited to, the following:

• high blood pressure in the leg veins over a long time, due to sitting or standing for prolonged periods
• lack of exercise
• smoking
• deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the calf or thigh)
• phlebitis (swelling and inflammation of a superficial vein, usually in the legs)

What does Chronic Venous Insuffiency look like?

Initially,  the lower legs will be reddish and ry.  Over time these blood cells will fall apart and release their hemoglobin, which will oxidize in the tissues and become the typical hemosiderin depostis, which are visible as a brownish discoloration around the ankles. 

In the later stages, the individual will start showing structural tissue changes such as cauliflower skin, loss of hair and even venous ulcers.  This however is often the point when many patients start looking for medical attention.

How to treat Chronic Venous Insufficieny?

The treatment in the early states of CVI is qiote simple and consists of daily/weekly lymphatic drainage therapy and wearing compression garments on the lower legs.  This will significantly support the function of the valaves and will prevent extensive suffering in the later stages.  

If you live in the Tampa Bay area (St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Tampa, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor,  Pinellas Park or any area in the three counties- Pinellas, Hillsborough or Pasco county) please call our office if you have Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI).  Our therapy can help alleviate and manage the pain, swelling, soreness and redness of your legs.  We also have amazing therapies to help heal any leg ulcers you may be experiencing.

Healthy Being Wellness Center

7005 4th St N. Suite 3

St. Petersburg, Fl 33702

www.healthybeingllc.com

727-502-3464