Important! Guidelines To Reduce The Discomfort Of Your Varicose Veins In Summer

If you suffer from varicose veins or chronic venous insufficiency you will know without a doubt that,  with high temperatures, the discomfort is greater. Increases pressure, pain and fatigue.

From the Spanish Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (SEACV) they offer us some simple and important guidelines that can help us improve our quality of life and enjoy a more relaxed summer if we suffer from varicose veins.

We are sure that this information will be useful to you.

Varicose veins in summer, a daily sentence for your legs

From the Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid (Spain) they tell us that, despite the fact that the origin of varicose veins has a very clear genetic component, sometimes factors such as obesity or a sedentary life can also favor its appearance.

However, with the arrival of summer and the rise in temperatures, any person suffering from venous insufficiency can experience  a series of changes  that are worth taking into account to take precautions:

• The veins dilate.
• Increases fluid retention.
• Increases pressure and pain.
• There is an increased risk of thrombi.
• Increased foot pain and ankle swelling.

We must be very clear that on the subject of varicose veins there are no miracles. We can improve our well-being through exercises and specific guidelines, but the problem is usually not easily solved unless we undergo surgery.

Remember also that varicose veins are not just an aesthetic problem: they  are the result of a malfunction of the valves in the veins of the legs. They dilate, lengthen, and blood flow slows down.

So, always supervise the state of your varicose veins with your doctor, take the medication that they prescribe and, come summer, put into practice these simple guidelines that are sure to be very useful.

How to take care of your varicose veins in summer

From the medical journal “Doctors and patients” they offer us some interesting strategies written through the Spanish Chapter of Phlebology (CEF) and the Spanish Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery, mentioned above.

So, take good note of these simple tips :

1. Avoid direct sources of heat

We know that when summer arrives you love to lie on the beach or in the pool and let the sun tan your legs a bit.

We must be very careful, since  high temperatures favor the dilation of varicose veins and the problem worsens. Keep these dimensions in mind:

• Sunbathe in the less hot hours (before 10 in the morning and in the last hours of the day).

• If you expose yourself to the sun in the central hours (which would not be advisable in these cases), apply a protector on your legs and bathe with fresh water  every 15 or 20 minutes.

• Doctors advise us that it is best to avoid all sources of heat if we have varicose veins, so keep in mind that,  for example,  waxing would not be suitable.

2. Move your legs in summer

• Walk on the sand in the less sunny hours. The sand reactivates our circulation and is very healthy.

• If you are going to make a long trip by car, train or plane, you should know that these immobility situations aggravate venous insufficiency.
• An advice? Move whenever possible, wear compression stockings, massage upward from calf to knee, and move ankles in circles.

• She walks barefoot along the seashore: the water exerts a very adequate venous contraction.

• Practice swimming, you will find great relief whenever you do any exercise in the water and it also favors venous return.

3. Comfortable shoes and clothing

• No very tight pants.  The best are sarongs, long cotton dresses that are fresh and can also protect you from the sun.

Also take care of the shoes you wear: if they have a heel greater than 4 centimeters , the support surface of the foot is reduced and, therefore, prevents adequate venous return.

• Avoid socks that squeeze your ankles or calves and, if you need to, use therapeutic stockings:  at any given moment they can offer you a lot of relief.

4. Avoid constipation

• In summer it is very common for us to suffer from constipation. Due to trips, outings, those excursions and, in general, because we change habits, our body stops “being regular” and we suffer some other problems when going to the bathroom.

• As doctors explain to us, all this causes us to end up accumulating fluids and toxins, and in turn affects our varicose veins.

• Remember to drink plenty of water and juices and eat fiber and fresh fruit. Summer is this “dangerous” season in which we end up picking up a few extra pounds. Avoid it.

Follow a balanced diet and do not overindulge. Your general health will appreciate it.

In conclusion, to forget a little about our varicose veins in summer it is essential that you avoid heat sources and that you take advantage, above all,  of the sea or pool water to exercise in it. You will find great relief!