ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Varicose veins: Seeking relief when resilience fails
Varicose veins are a common problem in the U.S. affecting nearly 20% of the population as of 2022. With such a rise, we need to look at what causes it, and what we need to do to help.
First of all, your blood vessels are like a rubber band or an elastic band. After a time, they can lose their integrity, or their resilience, becoming like a band that has lost its elasticity. It can also be likened to an old road with bumps and potholes that affect the smooth flow of traffic (or blood). Blood vessels, or the valves in the blood vessels, get weakened, and blood pools or collects in the enlarged areas that have lost their elasticity. Other than age, genetics and gender, there are several factors that increase the risk of varicosities: pregnancy and obesity (increased pressure on veins in legs), lack of exercise or sedentary lifestyle that diminishes good blood flow, health-related conditions — heart or liver disease, hormonal conditions, hormone medications (HRT or birth control pills), previous trauma or injury, poor diet, tight clothing, standing for long periods, smoking and dehydration.
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