Venous disease affects millions of Americans. It is one of the most common conditions because it stems from a number of causes directly linked with the average person’s lifestyle and habits. The problem is that venous disease can manifest in uncomfortable ways that can dramatically impact a person’s life. It can create symptoms that range in intensity from minor discomfort to leg pain that makes it impossible to perform daily tasks.
The reason for this involves the way that venous disease affects the cardiovascular system. The unique nature of this disease leads it to cause anatomical deformations in the blood vessels while creating hazardous clots that can act as another source of pain. It is important to take a look at what venous disease is to better understand why it is frequently one of the greatest sources of leg pain.
What is Venous Disease?
Venous disease is a condition that has multiple aspects. Everything from the hardening of the veins to the appearance of high blood pressure can cause deformations in the veins to occur. These deformations lead to blood being distributed in uncommon ways that often result in undesirable symptoms. The appearance of conditions like spider veins and varicose veins tend to be benign but very visible in their early stages.
Why is Venous Disease Painful?
The reason for the leg pain tends to exist as venous disease advances. In the blood vessels, venous disease may cause the valves to become deformed. This leads to an excess of blood pressure in the affected veins, which in turn can make the surrounding tissue feel the pressure being forced upon it. This leads to discomfort and pain.
Another cause of the leg pain associated with venous disease pertains to the clots that tend to persist within these expanded blood vessels. Clotting tends to increase as the same factors responsible for the development of venous disease, like obesity and a poor diet, become more prevalent. The clots are larger, which in turn makes them more dangerous. They may partially occlude a vein, which in turn can lead that blood vessel to stretching in ways that cause pain within the nearby tissues.
The last major source of leg pain with venous disease revolves around the way it can impair the body’s ability to carry blood through the veins. This results in waste, water and other things accumulating in the extremities, which includes the legs. These agents would normally be carried away by the blood, but they are allowed to persist until they cause dramatic changes that are often painful.
Treat Your Venous Disease
Venous disease is a condition that tends to worsen as time progresses. This results in symptoms that become increasingly uncomfortable and painful, which in turn means that it can affect your life in greater ways. The best way to prevent venous disease from becoming a focal point of your life is to get it under control as soon as possible. During a consultation at the Advanced Vein Center in South Portland, we can evaluate your needs while working with you to create an effective plan for treating the factors underlying your venous disease and any symptoms that this disease may have caused, including leg pain. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.