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DVT and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in ,

Here’s what you need to know about DVT and pregnancy. A Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which blood clots form in the deep veins of your body. These deep veins are exactly what they sound like: situated deep inside your body, far away from your skin’s surface. Because the veins aren’t visible, a clot could form unnoticed. And if it doesn’t get treated, it could break free from its initial position, traveling through the circulatory system and ending up in other parts of your body. If that happens, you could be facing a life-threatening medical emergency, especially if the clot travels to your lungs (also known as a pulmonary embolism.)

Many factors can elevate your risk of DVT, including long plane flights, surgery and your age.

Today, we also know that COVID-19 increases your risk for blood clots and DVT, even if your initial symptoms were relatively mild.

Still, today, we’re going to look at the connection between pregnancy and your risk for DVT. In that way, you can protect your vein health during this very different time.

Clotting During Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, the blood-clotting factors in your body fluctuate, making clots more likely. Now, new studies reveal that the overall risk of a clot during pregnancy is fairly low. (It is lowest during the first trimester, and gradually increases, reaching the highest level of risk during your post-partum period.)

In spite of that relatively low risk, most pregnant women have a DVT rate that is five-times higher than it is when they are not expecting. Furthermore, women who develop a surface level clot have a very high risk of developing a DVT. And this elevated risk is a very big deal: DVT is one of the leading killers for pregnant women; your DVT risk is highest in your third trimester and for the first week after delivering your baby.

So, now that you understand your DVT risk during pregnancy, let’s examine the ways in which we can protect your health.

Managing Your DVT Risk During Pregnancy

If you already had a history of blood clots before getting pregnant, your doctor may suggest taking blood thinners while you are expecting. But if you are an otherwise-healthy woman, making smart lifestyle choices during pregnancy can help manage your risk for DVT. Following a healthy diet, and preventing gestational diabetes, can help lower your DVT risk, since being overweight can also increase your likelihood for DVT. Sticking to a regular, doctor-approved exercise program can also help lower your risk for DVT.

Of course, there are never guarantees when it comes to clot prevention. So, if you are pregnant and concerned about clotting, we invite you to discuss your DVT risk with one of our Houston-area vein specialists! Concerned about coming to the office for an in-person visit? Don’t worry: we offer Telemedicine appointments for your comfort and safety. But, whether virtually or in our office, we urge you not to wait to address blood clot concerns. If you think you have a DVT, call our office and request an immediate appointment. We’ll see you right away, and decide if you need to head directly to the emergency room!

 

Sources: Journal Radiology,

Eat This: Zinc, Vitamin B, and Food for Vein Health

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in ,

Did you know that your diet should include important nutrients and food for vein health? During this COVID-19 outbreak, we’ve been hearing a lot more about the importance of Zinc in your diet.  This is what we know: zinc is a trace element which your immune systems needs to function properly. In fact, zinc is considered a type 2 nutrient because it’s a necessary part of your body’s general metabolism (other type 2 nutrients include protein and magnesium.) So, if you have a zinc deficiency, you’ll be at a higher risk for infections, diseases and viruses like COVID-19.

But supporting immunity isn’t zinc’s only important job. In fact, this little element plays many roles in your body. And a little of it goes a long way: your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc is 8 milligrams (mg) a day for women and 11 mg a day for men.

It’s entirely possible to get your daily zinc dose from your diet (more on that shortly.) Otherwise, talk to your doctor about starting a zinc supplement.

Still waiting to be sold on zinc? Let’s take a closer look at two of its numerous function: supporting immunity and wound healing.

How Does Zinc Regulate Immunity?

Without zinc, our body can’t activate its T lymphocytes (T cells). And we need those T cells for two jobs: controlling and regulating our body’s immune response, and attacking cells that are infected or even cancerous.

What does that all mean for you? If you don’t get enough zinc, your immune system just won’t work the way it should. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals, “zinc-deficient persons experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens.”

Now, those pathogens range from severe infections to conditions like a common cold. Which is why, according to a study published in the Open Respiratory Medicine Journal, zinc supplementation could shorten your cold experience by as much as 40%. Plus, it could make your symptoms less severe while you’re still under the weather. It’s not so surprising, then, that zinc can also help your body heal leg ulcers, a common symptom of vein disease.

How Zinc Helps Heal Your Wounds

Before we explain why zinc can help heal your leg ulcers, let’s review why you might develop this kind of wound. When you have chronic vein problems, you may develop non-healing ulcers or open sores on your lower legs. Also called venous ulcers, they usually develop around your ankle, varying in size from very small to several inches in diameter.

What’s the connection between these two issues? Chronic vein disease causes a progressive inflammatory reaction in your body, and that damages your capillaries and lymphatic ducts. After that damage, fluid leaks into the tissues of your lower legs, causing swelling and depositing hemoglobin in your lower leg tissue.

But that’s not all—capillary damage also decreases your lower leg’s oxygen levels, which translates to poor wound healing and ulcers.

We treat venous ulcers with compression therapy and wound care, while also treating your underlying vein condition. And now we know that zinc could help speed up your healing. Why?

One of zinc’s jobs is to maintain your skin’s health. In fact, you may be more susceptible to leg ulcers if you have a zinc deficiency.  As such, some studies suggest that applying zinc to your wounds could help speed healing, but further research is required before this becomes our primary treatment protocol.

How Can I Add Zinc to my Diet Naturally?

Beans, animal proteins, nuts, fish and seafood are all good sources of zinc. You can also get zinc from whole grain cereals, and dairy products. Top choices for zinc include fortified cereals, Pacific raw oysters, canned baked beans, cooked green peas, yogurt, pecans, lean ground beef and roasted peanuts.

Luckily, you’ve got lots of tasty ways to get your recommended daily zinc intake from diet alone. If, however, you feel you may have a zinc insufficiency, you may consider supplementation. Zinc supplements come in capsule and tablet form.

Keep in mind, however, that too much zinc can also cause problems in your body. So talk to your doctor before adding any new supplements to your diet. And, if you’re dealing with a leg ulcer right now, don’t delay treatment—regardless of the COVID-19 outbreak, you must stick with your follow up ulcer appointments. Failure to do so could even result in amputation!

Other Nutrients and Food for Vein Health

Now you’ve seen how zinc can help your veins–and COVID 19. But there are other important nutrients you should add to your diet, in order to boost circulation and protect your vascular system. Here are some of the top choices:

Vitamin B

The family of B vitamins can do great things for your vascular health. If you have varicose veins, taking B6 can help them heal. Vitamin B12 improves blood flow, and B3 can lower cholesterol while boosting circulation.

Vitamin B6 can restore vein health, making it a good choice for varicose vein sufferers. Vitamins B6 and B12 promote healthy blood flow. Vitamin B3, or niacin, aids in blood circulation and lowering blood cholesterol.

What to eat: Brown rice, wheat, barley, turkey and tuna.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C can preserve flexibility in your vein walls, and reduce arterial inflammation.

What to eat: berries, broccoli, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, and lemons.

Vitamin K

This nutrient for vein health can help you prevent blood clots! At the same time, deficiencies with this vitamin can lead to excessive bleeding, so it’s important to watch your intake carefully. This vitamin can also keep blood from pooling, which will reduce your risk for varicose veins. (It may even help reduce the appearance of existing varicose veins by improving elasticity in your blood vessels, helping them snap back into shape, even if blood pools in them. Although simply taking this vitamin won’t resolve your vein health concerns once they develop.)  And, you need k2 vitamins to keep elastin from calcifying, which would further increase your varicose vein risk.

What to eat: parsley, mustard seeds, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and pumpkin.

Vitamin D

Your veins and arteries need this nutrient to stay relaxed and keep blood flowing freely. If your Vitamin D levels dip too low, your risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) rises dramatically.

What to eat: oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals.

Foods that Prevent DVT

While the previous nutrients can boost overall vein health, the following suggestions can improve your blood flow and prevent dangerous blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT.)

First, make sure to stay hydrated with plenty of fluids, since dehydration reduces blood flow. To stay safe, the American heart association suggests that women take in 91 oz of fluid daily (fluid from food is included,) And men should aim for 125 oz. (Score bonus points by including some red wine or grape juice in that mix, since research shows the polyphenols they contain can make your blood less prone to clotting.)

Now, try adding more garlic to your diet, since this flavorful staple seems to help break up clusters of blood platelets before they form clots. Finally, add leafy greens and olive oil, and cut back on sugar, saturated fats and highly processed foods, and you’ll be well on your way to preventing DVT!

Need even more help preserving your vein and arterial health? That’s what we’re here for! Schedule an appointment with our Houston area vein specialists today. We can get a better picture of your current risk factors, and help you with diet and lifestyle changes to treat any existing issues.

 

 

 

Sources: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Open Respiratory Medicine Journal

Good and Bad Cholesterol, PAD and Your Veins

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

In recent years, we’ve told healthy eaters  to focus on ‘good cholesterol.’ That good cholesterol is also called HDL. And it’s touted it’s heart health benefits. Popular diet plans, like the Keto diet, focus on high fat intake. These suggest that eating good fats will be good for you!

What’s behind this idea? The thinking is that LDL (bad cholesterol), not HDL,  causes plaque to build up in your arteries. This build-up, called atherosclerosis, then leads to conditions like peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and the fluid retention of edema. And when people have PAD,  blood flow from their heart to the rest of their body slows down. In turn, this can lead to pain, cramping, ulcers and blood clots. Furthermore, it increases the risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

According to old beliefs, HDL moved LDL away from arteries and into the liver. That seemed to prevent the kind of plaque build-up that leads to PAD. Because of that kind of thinking, people were encouraged to eat foods that were rich in HDL, like olive oil, salmon and avocado. But now, research is turning that kind of thinking around, warning us that too much HDL can be just as ‘bad’ for your body as the other kind of cholesterol.

Foods to Lower Bad Cholesterol

We know that lowering cholesterol is only one piece of the puzzle. But if you want to fight bad cholesterol, look for foods with omega-3 fatty acids. These include ALA, or alpha linolenic acid, DHA or docosahexaenoic acid and EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid.

Oils, seeds and nuts are strong sources of ALA. But sourcing DHA is harder, since oily fish are the only food-based source for this omega-3.

But what fish are considered oily? Top choices include:

  • Sardines
  • Salmon
  • Mackerel
  • Anchovies
  • Herring
  • Swordfish
  • Trout

 

To get enough DHA, you’d want to have up to four servings each week of these fish. But, while DHA is important for pregnant women, eating that much fish could raise your mercury levels. So you should limit your weekly fish intake and instead talk to your healthcare provider about DHA or fish oil supplements. You should also avoid swordfish entirely while pregnant or nursing.

Even with these dietary fixes, you can’t get away with simply lowering bad cholesterol. Because, as it turns out, good cholesterol isn’t a quick fix for everything. So keep reading to find out why.

The Problem with Good Cholesterol

In this Emory University study, researchers followed 6000 people with an average age of 63 to assess their risk of heart attack or death. As we might have expected from previous studies, participants with middling HDL levels (between 41–60 milligrams per decilitre) had the lowest risk of adverse cardiovascular events. People with HDL levels below that range did, in fact, show increased risk of heart attack.

But here’s the shocking part: people with HDL levels ABOVE that range had the highest risk levels. In fact, their risk of cardiovascular events were increased by 50%! Scientists think that this increased risk is because, in high volumes, HDL may change its behavior. Instead of pulling LDL away from the arteries, it may actually transfer the LDL onto the artery walls, increasing people’s risk of vascular diseases like PAD.

While the evidence is clear in suggesting that high HDL levels increase your risk of heart attack, it is not yet proven that too much good cholesterol is the actual cause of this increased risk. At the same time, it is fact that the ‘right’ amount of HDL can protect your heart health. Given these facts, our Houston vein specialists do not yet recommend changing your diet. Instead we suggest eating heart-healthy fats in moderation. That, combined with a sensible diet and exercise, should keep you in the proven ‘safe’ zone for cholesterol.

New Findings on Olive Oil

Even with warnings about good cholesterol, there’s still evidence supporting olive oil benefits. In fact, a new study in Atherosclerosis says that daily olive oil intake protect against PAD. At the same time, it says that olive pomace oil (extracted from olive pulp) could increase your PAD risk.

The findings were part of PREDIMED-Plus, the largest nutrition trial study in Spain. It involved 4,330 participants. Researchers looked at the ankle-brachial index (ABI), considered a PDA marker. And tried to make a connection with patients’ olive oil and olive pomace oil consumption.

What they found was interesting. Participants with the highest olive oil consumption had higher ABI readings. Which meant lower PAD risks.

And, based on those findings, researchers made an important conclusion. Patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease could help prevent PAD by consuming olive oil. And they could raise their risk by taking pomace olive oil. The study appears to confirm the benefits of following a Mediterranean diet. Which is balanced and full of other heart healthy foods. And likely keeps your good cholesterol levels in the right window.

What about the Keto Diet and Cholesterol?

In recent years, many people have turned to a high fat, low carb Keto diet in a quest to lose weight and boost energy. But what will the addition of all that good and bad cholesterol do to your diet in such high volumes? Well, according to new evidence presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 2023 annual scientific session, following a Keto diet is associated with significantly higher levels of LDL or bad cholesterol in your body. As such, they concluded, this diet leaves you with a two-times higher risk for cardiovascular events including PAD.

Early Warnings about High Good and Bad Cholesterol

Here’s what else we’ve learned about cholesterol and PAD. Once, we didn’t worry about high cholesterol levels in young people. We thought they had plenty of time to turn the ship around, and take back control of their heart health. But now, a study from the Journal of American Cardiology has a dire warning. According to these findings, having high cholesterol in your teens and 20s is a major risk factor for PAD and other forms of heart disease.

What’s behind these findings? It goes back to bad cholesterol, or LDL levels. Apparently,. the damage LDL causes to your arteries is irreversible. In other words, even if you bring down your bad cholesterol levels in your 30s, you may not be able to prevent hardening of the arteries. Given these findings, treating high cholesterol is critical at any age. Like vein treatments, delaying cholesterol interventions can lead to worse health conditions. Which means you must seek therapy at the first sign of a good and bad cholesterol problem.

Ready to take control of your cholesterol, vein and arterial health? We’re here to help, and we suggest starting with a diagnostic ultrasound. With this tool, we can detect if cholesterol has caused any problems, and get you started on appropriate health care.

Sources: Atherosclerosis Journal, European Society of Cardiology, Science Daily, Journal of the American College of Cardiology

Move it Monday: Should You Take 10000 Steps a Day?

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in ,

Today let’s look at a lofty goal: taking 10000 steps a day. Now, we all know that exercise is crucial for our health. And, as your Houston vein specialists, we want you to know that movement—especially walking—is great for your veins. In fact, according to an eight-year study from the AARP, moving just 15 minutes a day could add three years to your life.

So, we confirm: exercise is important. But what about walking 10,000 steps a day? Well, according to that AARP study, every additional 15 minutes of activity lowers your mortality risk by another 4%. But do you need to hit a set goal?

It’s a good question, because that number gets floated around a lot right now. It’s the target for every FitBit user out there, and the subject of much debate. So what does that mean for people who can’t get in 10,000 steps. Is more better? Is less worthless? Here’s what you need to know about walking, your overall health and, specifically, your vein health.

7000 Steps a Day: The New Benchmark

Again, doing any amount of daily walking is better than nothing. But if you’re feeling down about not hitting 10,000 steps a day, here’s some good news. According to a new study in JAMA Open Network, getting in 7,000 a steps a day might be just as beneficial.

What’s the story? After tracking participants for about 11 years, researchers noted that taking 7000 steps each day lowered people’s risk for premature death of any kind by between 50 and 70%. Yet, while these results were exciting, researchers noted that upping your daily movement by any amount would yield positive results for your health.

Why is Walking so Good for You?

Walking carries so many potential benefits. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Walk your way to weight loss.

Even though it’s low-impact, walking is still a great form of cardiovascular exercise. You burn calories when you walk, helping support your weight goals. And, because it won’t put much pressure on your joints, it’s an accessible exercise option for many people. And you start enjoying the benefits of walking with even a few minutes each day, so you don’t need to hit 10,000 steps a day to get benefits.

2. Walking can reduce the appearance of varicose veins

When you walk, you’re doing important work for your veins. Why is walking so important? Your venous system is made up of the muscles, veins, and valves you find in your calf and foot. When functioning properly, these components work together to push blood from your legs up to your heart. But they need to be strong in order to work properly, since stronger muscle contractions give the push your blood needs to flow against gravity.

Now, walking is a great way to strengthen the muscles in your calves, since it targets those specific muscles. Just the simple activity of walking also helps push blood up and out of your legs. This helps prevent the type of pooling which can cause your veins to bulge. Already have varicose veins? Here’s the good news: walking can help ease some of the swelling and pain you may experience already. Ideally, you’d walk for at least 30 minutes a time, which is likely short of 10,000 steps but is still a great place to start.

Speed Vs Steps: Why Pace Matters

Some research suggests that how fast you walk each day matters far more than how many steps you take. Why is that the case? In a study from the University of Sydney and the University of Southern Denmark, scientists followed close to 80,000 individuals from 2013 to 2015 as they walked regularly while wearing an activity tracker that clocked their step count and speed.

Want to know what they found? After seven years, taking 10,000 steps a day appeared to lower dementia risk by approximately 50%; cancer risk by 30%; and cardiovascular disease risk by about 75%. Now here’s where things get interesting. Borja del Pozo Cruz, one of the lead study authors, noted that walking at a faster pace further decreased dementia risk by another 10 to 15%, suggestion, “How fast you walk is as important, if not more important, than how much you walk. For even more optimal health you would go about doing 10,000 steps and perhaps 30 minutes of those at a faster pace.”

Are there Walking Benefits below 10,000 Steps a Day?

Of course! 10,000 steps a day is a great target number to hit, but it’s not the only way to win your fitness routine. Think of it like your diet: you should try to make good choices all the time, but even eating well one day a week is still a great start toward your health goals.

In fact, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine suggested that taking as few as 4400 steps each day reduced your risk for premature death by 41% when compared to taking 2500 steps a day. And you could get those steps in any way you want—power walking, strolling, or even just walking around your house and cleaning up.

So, what does that suggest to all of us? When it comes to movement and walking, more is likely better. But anything you do is likely to have a positive impact on your general health. So, how can you take more steps each day, especially in this time of limited excursions? Check out our tips for adding steps to your daily counting goals.

 

3 Easy Ways to Take More Steps Each Day

1.       Choose to move

If you’re driving to an appointment, park farther away from the entrance. If you’re going up a few floors in a building, take the stairs instead of the elevator (and score some bonus social distancing points!) Need the kids to come inside now? Call out to them instead of just shouting from your front porch (your neighbors will also be pleased, we’re guessing.) In short, look for opportunities to build movement into your daily routine. And take those opportunities when you find them!

 

2. Ring the alarm

When you’re stuck working from home, or even if you get to go back to your office, it can be easy to stay glued to one spot. Don’t let this happen! Instead, set a reminder on your phone or watch for regular intervals: every 15 minutes, 30 minutes or even every hour. And when that reminder goes off, don’t press snooze: instead, get up and move. Walk to the kitchen for a drink of water, walk the stairs in your building—just do something that keeps your blood pumping in those legs for at least 5 minutes.

3. Don’t get defeated

One final thought on those 10,000 steps: there’s nothing wrong with setting movement goals for yourself. But don’t get defeated if you don’t hit those goals, and give up entirely. Instead, try to set the bar to an attainable goal at first, gradually working your way up to 10,000 steps or beyond. Just be sure to clear any new fitness routine with your doctor before you get started, in order to prevent any complications.

Sources: American Association of Retired Persons, JAMA Internal Medicine

American Heart Month: Show Your Heart Some Love

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

Valentine’s Day may be over, but it’s not too late to give out the most important love of your life. Did you know that the month of love is also American Heart Month, a time devoted to raising awareness about heart disease prevention? Sadly, heart disease is a more prevalent problem than cancer in this country, affecting so many Americans. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in this country. (It kills one out of every three women in this country.)

But why are your Houston area vein specialists talking about heart problems? Shouldn’t we stick to varicose veins (Which, by the way, 20% of all adults will develop at some point in their lives)? Well, as it turns out, protecting your heart can also help protect your veins. Here’s what you need to know.

Heart Month Update: Some Vein Issues are Actually Heart Problems

Your circulatory system is a team that consists of arteries, veins and your heart. Because all three work together, when any one team member is suffering, the entire group may be affected.

Venous insufficiency

When you have VI, not enough blood reaches your organs and extremities. And when that condition sets in, blood can collect or “pool”, in your veins. This pooling can lead to a domino effect—arteries may lose their ability to efficiently carry blood away from your heart, and the already struggling veins won’t be able to bring it back! And when blood stays stuck in places it doesn’t belong, you may start to develop…

Varicose and spider veins

Those bulging veins, most often seen along your leg, are unsightly, but they can often be a sign of a much bigger issue. In addition to being uncomfortable or even painful, the elevated vein pressure inside of those varicose veins has been linked to right-sided heart failure. Scary, we know…but the story doesn’t stop there! Circulatory problems can also lead to an elevated risk of:

Blood clots

Blood clots can cause kill you, plain and simple. The body naturally forms blood clots when you get a cut or other form of injury, but when they form inside your veins or arteries, the resulting decrease in blood flow can cause a stroke or heart attack. When you develop a clot in the deep veins of your legs, (Deep Vein Thrombosis, a condition for which you are at risk if you have varicose veins), the clot may break free without your knowledge, traveling to your lungs (pulmonary embolism) where it becomes a potentially fatal condition.

So, if you want to show yourself some love beyond this year’s V-day, make some moves to protect your veins, your heart and your entire circulatory system. Here are some important steps you can take to protect your heart health:

Heart Month (and Vein) Saving Lifestyle Changes

We know that some of these changes may be more difficult than others, but here’s the good news: it’s not an all or nothing game! Even shooting for one simple lifestyle change can help you make important health gains. And who knows? Once you start feeling better, you may be inspired to keep on making positive changes! Or to consider scheduling a diagnostic ultrasound with our team of Houston area vein and PAD specialists.

 

What’s the Best Winter Moisturizer? Not THIS One!

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

Looking for the best winter moisturizer? Even as residents of balmy Houston and its surroundings, we can still think about cold weather, especially with vacation looming and many of you will be heading off to ski vacations and, in some cases, sub-zero temperatures. For that reason, we wanted to share this very important winter weather warning. When the thermometer drops, the moisturizer you use could actually cause you to develop spider veins. Here’s what you need to know in order to stay safe.

The Danger of Cold Weather and Water-Based Moisturizer

When you go out in super-cold temperatures, your skin gets even more dry, red and flaky than it would on your typical winter day. So, your natural response would be to heap on more moisturizer. Sounds like a good idea, in theory, but only if you choose the right type of product.

According to celebrity facialist Joanna Czech, who shared her tips with In Style magazine, you can’t use a water-based moisturizer when temperatures dip below freezing. Why? Thanks to its water content, the cream could actually freeze in your pores once you step outdoors. And that could lead to a whole lot of problems.

As Czech explained, “Water freezes on the skin in sub-zero temperatures the same way it does in the freezer and it expands. And the same way that placing a glass filled with water in the freezer will break from expansion, in the skin, the expansion squeezes and breaks capillaries causing, permanent broken blood vessels (also referred to as spider veins).”

Choosing the Best Winter Moisturizer

So, what’s a better option when your skin is screaming for moisture but the temperatures just won’t rise? Opt for a thick, rich, oil-based moisturizer. This kind of formula has the added bonus of boosting your skin’s lipidic layer, so its existing moisture gets locked in and barred from escaping.

Of course, this freezing-action will only happen if the temperature falls below zero degrees AND you stay outside long enough for your core body temperature to drop (at which point, you’ll likely be facing bigger issues than spider veins.)

Still, oil-based formulas are more protective forms of hydration during the dry winter months. So, to help your skin hold on to its moisture, check for ingredients or seek out creams (oil-based) instead of ointments (water-based.) And here’s to our mild, humid Houston climate, where we rarely need to worry about dried out skin!

Additional Vein Care Tips

Even if you use the best winter moisturizer, other lifestyle factors can increase your risk for spider veins. If you sit or stand all day, or if you take a lot of long plane or road trips, the strain could increase your odds of developing vein disease. Furthermore, smoking, your diet and weight, or even just living sedentary can increase your risk.

Want to stay hydrated and keep your veins happy? Stay active, follow a vein-healthy diet, and schedule a consultation with our Houston vein care specialists to learn your risk for vein disease and take early, preventative measures to protect your long term health!

 

 

 

Do High Heels Cause Spider Veins?

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in ,

If you’re looking at your shoe closet wondering, do high heels cause spider veins, you’re no alone! So many women have closets packed with high heels. Let’s face it, stilettos can be great–they make your legs look longer, they give you extra inches, and they add a stylish finish to almost any outfit.

That’s the good news about high heels…but here’s the not-so-good news. While wearing high heels won’t directly cause you to develop varicose veins, they can contribute to this problem by affecting blood flow in your veins. And, not surprisingly, the higher the heels, the bigger the negative impact on your vein health.

What Are Varicose Veins?

To understand the connection between high heels and varicose veins, we must first understand this problem and why it happens.

Over 25 million Americans have varicose veins. Some people will recognize the problem right away, thanks to visible symptoms like bulging veins or brightly colored veins that are visible on the skin’s surface.

Some symptoms of varicose veins are less obvious:  heaviness, aching, swelling, tiredness, burning, stinging, and leg cramps are all signs that you may have a problem. Other symptoms, like swollen legs, changes in your skin and even ulcers are also symptoms of spider veins, but they can often be mistaken for other conditions.

Varicose veins are a faulty part of the venous system, which is just a group of pipes, pumps, and valves in your body. Veins are ‘pipes’ for blood. Valves are like stop signs that keep the blood flowing in the right direction–either up to your heart or away from your heart to your other body parts.

When any part of your venous system stops doing its job properly, blood can begin to pool in your veins, causing them to stretch and bulge. That’s when you may notice symptoms of varicose veins.

High Heels and Blood Flow: Do High Heels Cause Spider Veins?

When you walk, blood starts pumping in your foot and calf. Blood starts moving up the veins in your legs. Valves help that blood fight gravity and keep flowing up towards your heart.

Of course, that’s the case when your’re walking normally.  When you stride wearing basic, supportive shoes, your foot and calf work together. Veins in your foot fill it with blood as it lifts off the floor. When your heel and arch land back on the floor, that blood starts flowing into the relaxed veins in your calf. Once there, your calf muscles get to work, pushing blood into the deep veins in your legs.

High heels are a game changer in this system because of the way they affect your stride. When you’re rocking those three-inch stilettos, your heel never touches the ground. All your weight stays in your toes and the balls of your feet. Plus, because of the angle of your body, your calf muscles never get the chance to relax when you’re in heels.

The result of these stride changes is fairly significant. Your foot gets less filled with blood; your calf muscles are less effective when they try to pump blood up to your heart. The decreased pump strength can leave some blood behind in your legs, allowing it to build up and pool in your veins. When this happens, your vein health may suffer.

Preventing Spider Veins 

While no one expects you to give up high heels completely, there are steps you can take to limit the damage to your veins:

  1. Save those stilettos for short events and special occasions.
  2. Stick to heels that are no more than three inches (and shorter is even better).
  3. If you’re going to be in heels for a while, consider throwing on a pair of compression stockings.
  4. Strengthen your calf muscles once the heels come off by sneaking in a few sets of heel raises.
  5. Check in with your Houston vein specialist if you start noticing any of the spider vein symptoms we discussed above.

 

While high heels don’t directly cause spider veins, they may create an environment that compromises your overall vein health. If you already have spider veins, or have a family history of vein disease, keeping a close watch on your shoe closet is a very good idea. You should also consider scheduling a consultation with our team of Houston area vein specialists. Using diagnostic ultrasound, we can get a better picture of your current state of vein health, letting you know if you need any help preventing or treating faulty veins!

 

Sources: New York Times

Check Out These 3 Minimally Invasive Vein Treatments

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

The doctors in our practice offer minimally invasive vein treatments. But, so often, we get asked about our medical specialty: what is an interventional radiologist? At the most basic level, it means we treat medical conditions such as spider veins  and peripheral arterial disease with minimally invasive techniques.

Now, that doesn’t mean we don’t know how to perform more invasive procedures. After all, the doctors at our Houston area vein clinics attended four years of medical school. Next, they completed four-year diagnostic radiology residencies and Interventional Radiology fellowships.

So, what’s the difference between our specialty and those of other doctors? Our goal as interventional radiologists is to offer less expensive, less invasive alternatives to surgery. And our procedures come with shorter recovery periods, less pain and lower risks of complications.

But what does an interventional radiology procedure look like? We’ll take a closer look in a moment. But first, we must explain the difference between spider and varicose veins.

Spider veins vs varicose veins: What’s the difference?

People use the terms spider veins and varicose veins interchangeably. But that’s a problem, since these similar concerns have important differences. (And they impact your ultimate treatment options!)

Here’s the story: both spider and varicose veins are enlarged because of pooling blood. They develop when something goes wrong in your body, causing your valves to fail and blood to pool. But here’s the difference. Varicose veins typically develop in larger veins that sit deeper within your legs. They won’t just change color, but they’ll likely bulge under your skin, possibly looking like they’re tangled or twisted. In contrast, spider veins usually impact your legs’ smaller, superficial veins (close to the skin’s surface.) And, rather than bulging, they simply change color, their darker shade becoming the reason they’re visible on your skin.

Also, spider veins usually don’t hurt. But varicose veins are often very painful. And, while minimally invasive vein treatments can work for both conditions, they’re really best suited for spider veins. Because varicose veins may need different interventions.

What is a minimally invasive vein treatment? minimally invasive vein treatments

During an IR procedure, your interventional radiologist is guided by an image, such as that from an ultrasound. This gives us a live picture of less accessible parts of your body. Making just a small incision, we guide that image to  the remote location in your body using a catheter. And that’s why your treatments don’t require major surgical incisions!

Interventional radiology procedures include:

  • Spider vein ablation

    This out-patient procedure sends heat to your malfunctioning veins, using a small catheter that we insert to your vein. The high, controlled temperature permanently closes up the problem vein or veins. And it eliminates the appearance on your skin, while preventing vein disease progression.

  • Uterine fibroid embolization

    This is a, out-patient, in-hospital, non-surgical procedure that effectively kills these tumors without an overnight hospital stay! First, we gain access to your uterine artery through the radial artery in your wrist. (We can also begin with the femoral artery in your thigh.) Then, as with vein ablation, we insert a catheter to your artery, working towards the uterine artery and your fibroid. Finally, we insert embolic material to block blood flow to the tumor, causing it to shrink and, eventually, disappear.

  • Sclerotherapy:

    This is a great option for varicose veins that don’t look great, but aren’t showing signs that you’ve got serious vein disease. Essentially, this is a great cosmetic treatment. With liquid sclerotherapy, we inject your veins with an FDA-approved solution. It’s designed to irritate the inside lumen of your spider veins. And that irritation causes spider veins to gradually collapse and shrink, so your body reabsorbs them. You’ll need between three or four 30-minute treatments, spaced at least three weeks apart. But if you have multiple varicose veins, you may require even more injections.

    We love this treatment option for a few reasons. You don’t feel any pain with the injections. It’s safe and effective. (While your veins may look worse right after treatment, you should notice fading and improvements between 4-6 weeks after your injections.)

    Plus, your only post-procedure restrictions will be avoiding sun exposure for several days.

    With sclerotherapy, most people can get right back to walking after treatment. (You’ll typically wait two days before getting cleared for strenuous activities.)

    Now, there are some downsides to this treatment option. Some patients need multiple sessions before seeing complete results. In rare cases, you may develop skin discoloration after treatment. Also, if your visible veins are large, painful or break down the overlying skin, sclerotherapy may not be your best choice. Instead, you may need to combine treatments with leaky valve repairs. Plus, you may want to remove your troubled veins with treatments like phlebectomy, highlighted below.

  • Phlebectomy

    This is a surgical procedure, but it’s still minimally invasive. Basically, when your bulging veins are located right under your skin, we can use local anesthetic, then make several tiny incisions in your leg. Through those incisions, we remove your bulging vein and, because the slits were so small, you won’t need stitches and any scarring will be minimal. Plus, six months after your procedure, any marks should disappear entirely!

There are so many more ways we can address your vein health challenges without invasive surgery.  But we want you to understand why that’s such a big deal for your overall health. So please keep reading to find out why you should explore minimally invasive vein treatments.

Interventional Radiology vs. Surgery: What’s the Benefit?

As we mentioned, IR procedures hurt less than surgeries. They are less likely to leave a scar and, thanks to image guidance, are often more precise than surgical procedures.

Many times, they can be performed with no overnight hospital stays. And no hospital stay means less out-of-pocket expenses for most patients!

So, does less pain, less cost, less risk and more accuracy sounds like what you’re looking for in a vein treatment? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Simply schedule a consultation with one of our highly trained Interventional Radiologists to learn if you are a good candidate for our treatment protocols.

Sources: Radiology Info

Fight Effects of Sitting all Day with These Easy Tips

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

So many of us have to worry about the effects of sitting all day, at a desk, staring at our computers.  Especially now that many of us have moved to a work-from-home model. The longest we’re walking is from the couch to the kitchen for a snack! This sedentary lifestyle takes a toll on so many parts of our lives. Posture suffers. Our waistlines start to expand. And our veins don’t work as well as they should. Basically, sitting all day is slowly killing us.

Side Effects of Sitting All Dayall-day sitting hurts your veins

We know that sitting all day can lead to weight gain. But that’s not the only problem with sitting all day long. When you sit for too long, you may face challenges such as:

Heart Trouble

Think sitting all day is no big deal? This study says differently. According to findings from Loughborough University and the University of Leicester, people whose jobs keep them sitting for too long are 90% more likely to die due to heart disease.

Shorter Life

The Cancer Prevention Study II showed that sitting more than six hours a day, vs. less than three hours per day, resulted in a higher risk of death. If you spend more time sitting, you are more likely to die from cardiac disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and suicide.

Blood Clots

If you sit in one spot for more than four hours, you raise your risk for all forms of blood clots, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). That risk goes even higher if you are over the age of 40, obese, or recently had surgery. Even taking estrogen-based contraceptives, or hormone-replacement therapy drugs can raise your risk further. Also, being pregnant or being in the three-month post-partum window, being a cancer patient or recent cancer survivor, having varicose veins or a family history of blood clots will also worsen the risks of extended sitting.

And, more dangerously, sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When you don’t move enough, your blood flow slows down. That’s when clots can form, break off, and move to other parts of your body. And if one of those clots reaches your lungs, you could develop a life-threatening pulmonary embolism .

Varicose Veins

These large, swollen veins can be a result of all-day sitting… or standing! Doing either activity for too long can cause blood to pool in your legs. And that collected blood puts more pressure on your veins, which can then stretch. When stretched, your vein walls weaken, and the valves that help your blood flow properly, can become damaged.

Gaining Weight

When you’re sitting for too long, your muscles stop releasing molecules that help you process sugar and fat. As such, you may find it harder to lose weight, and you could even gain weight without changing anything about your diet.

Reversing Effects of Sitting All Day

Now, we know that sounds scary…and it is. All-day sitting is no joke for your health.  But, don’t fear: hope is here! According to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, just 30 minutes of physical activity in a day can fight those awful side effects of sitting.

Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center studied 7999 healthy people above the age of 45. Each participant had previously joined a study that monitored their activities for a minimum of 4 days a week.

Participants were followed for five years. Researchers collected data on the amount and intensity of their physical activity during that time. What they found was very exciting: any physical activity that lasted 30 minutes lowered your risk of a shortened life by a whopping 17 %! And, if you stepped up your activity game to at least a moderate intensity, that risk was cut by 35%.

Now, this study refers to moderate exercise levels. And, if you stick with moderate exercise, that 30 minutes a day is what you’ll need. Because, according to the World Health Organization, you need 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise each week to avoid the side effects of sitting. (Although this man from Wisconsin claims he can balance the effects of sitting all day with 10 pushups and a walk around the block. And his doctor says his labs actually agree with him!)

Don’t have the patience for lots of low-intensity workouts? Here’s some good news for all our HIIT lovers out there. If you engage in high-intensity exercise, you only need 75 to 100 minutes of exercise each week to fight the effects of all-day sitting! So get ready to sweat hard–as long as your doctor has cleared you for more intense exercise!

How Can Physical Activity Fight Sitting Side Effects?

Getting active boosts your cardiovascular health. It helps keep your weight in check, lowers your cholesterol, builds bone and muscle strength and even improves your mental well-being. And exercise doesn’t have to happen at the gym. Try walking or jogging outside. Hop in the pool and cool off while boosting your heart rate. Even skipping the elevator in favor of the stairs can help up your activity levels and drop your risk of vein disease, diabetes, heart attacks and more.

Compression Socks and All-Day Sitting compression socks fight all-day sitting effects

If you’re sitting at home or at a desk all day, compression socks can help prevent problems. You don’t have to wear them all the time. But even keeping them on for a few hours while you sit could help.

Why is that the case? Compression socks can stop your legs and feet from feeling tired and achy. They can stop achy muscles, as well as swelling and pain. Plus they lower your risk for varicose veins and blood clots.

How can socks make such a difference? These socks put pressure on your leg, and that increases blood flow. Because the pressure relaxes your arteries while constricting your veins, so blood gets pushed back to your heart. This also means there’s more oxygen in your leg muscles, which reduces swelling. And the amount of blood that pools in your feet.

Now wearing these socks doesn’t mean you can avoid activity. But they can certainly help you avoid complications while you must be seated. Which can take the pressure off your veins when you’re stuck on Zoom all day.

Need more help managing your vein health? That’s what we’re here for! Schedule your vein health consultation today to prevent further damage from all-day sitting!

 

Sources: British Journal of Sports Medicine, American Journal of Epidemiology, Cancer.Org

 

Veganuary and Other Vein Health Diet Tips

Posted on by Texas Endovascular in

Have you hear about Veganuary? And do you need to work on your vein health diet? We know that stress eating is a real problem, especially during and after the holidays, but it’s not too late to start a diet that will protect your veins–and the rest of you! And that’s the idea that drives a new movement to go vegan in the month of January!

What is Veganuary?

Veganuary is the dietary-world’s answer to dry January. The idea? To start the year off right by following a fully vegan diet for the full first month. Proponents say that rising to this challenge can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. It can also help you lose weight and decrease your risk for future forms of cardiac disease, including Peripheral Arterial Diease (PAD.)

Now, while that all sounds simple enough, Veganuary will be too challenging for some of us. But that doesn’t mean you have to go for an all-or-nothing attitude. In fact, even small changes can make a major difference in your overall health.

Want to hear the best part: it’s not so hard to make these changes. In fact, with just a few careful food decisions, you can keep your veins performing optimally as we ride out the rest of the year and welcome 2023 with open arms! First step: let’s limit our intake of all those salty snack.

Sodium Intake in your Vein Health Dietsodium hurts vein health

Salty foods make your body hold onto fluid. Excess fluid puts pressure on your veins. By limiting your sodium intake, you can help your body flush out excess fluids and give your veins a bit of a break.

Some of the worst offenders to avoid? Steer clear of canned foods, deli meats, bacon, packaged meats like carne asada, pizza, soy sauce, olives, pickles, condiments, and other highly processed foods.

Fried Food

Fried treats like our favorite bucket of KFC are delicious, but also a problem. Not only are they high in sodium (see above) they also have high fat contents. Combine that with little to no fiber content, and those french fries can trigger fatty build-ups in your arteries. This may pave the way for Peripheral Arterial Disease. But, more immediately, they can also trigger constipation. Now, this may not seem like a vein heath problem, but here’s the deal: when you’re constipated, you have to strain in the bathroom. And that puts a strain on the veins in your rectum, as well as others in your lower body.  So limit fried treats to keep your blood (and everything else) flowing smoothly through your body. And stay away from dairy, red meat and starchy foods or white breads. These, too can all be constipating, contributing to strain-related varicose veins. 

Skip the Booze

We’ve already talked about the danger of retaining water. Which is why you should avoid sodium. But now let’s talk about flushing water out of your body too quickly. When you eat or drink something with diuretic properties (like alcohol) it makes you pee more often. And this can contribute to dehydration, which can impact blood flow, forcing your body to work harder at circulation. This, in turn, ups the pressure on your veins, potentially causing or worsening existing varicose veins. So, now that you now some foods to avoid, let’s get done with the bad news and focus on the good: food that help support your vein health!

Eat the Rainbow and Drink Up that Water

Colorful fruits like these berries can help support vein health at the holidays and all year round!

Whatever else you put in your body this holiday season, work to sneak in those colorful fruits and veggies–the brighter, the better! Not only do they contain plenty of antioxidants that will help stimulate blood flow, they also have lots of fiber, which will help you feel fuller, eat less and avoid weight gain (another factor that can contribute to vein health issues.)

Just as sodium makes your body hold on to fluid, drinking lots of water will help flush liquids out of your system. And, once again, it will make you feel more full, which means you’ll eat less of what’s going to harm your health.

Supporting Vein Health in Houston, TX

Whether or not you take on the Veganuary challenge, it’s a great idea to start the New Year with a renewed focus on your vein health. And we’re here to help you with those efforts. For that reason, we invite you to schedule a year-end visit with our Houston area vein specialists. Or make us part of your New Year’s resolutions, and come see our team in 2023!

 

Sources: San Diego Vein Institute

 

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