It doesn’t seem like too long ago. I was 14 years old, standing in front of a full-length mirror, inspecting myself like many teenagers do. Summer was going on full blast outside, a sweltering 101 degrees in the hot Texas sun. Wearing a white skirt, I turned in the mirror to inspect my back side. It was then I noticed, in the crease of my right knee, something suspicious. Purple and bulging, like an earthworm breaking through the soil after a long rain, there it was–a varicose vein. My heart sank, and immediately my thoughts turned to my mother. For years, I had seen my mother deal with the pain and social negativity associated with varicose veins, and now here it was my turn. Why was this happening to me? I felt I was too young for this. Needless to say, I wore jeans in public for the rest of that summer. My vanity got in the way of my comfort.
I am now 35 years old and have been in the health care industry for 15 years. Let me tell you, the job of being a nurse is stressful in itself, but the floors are a killer on the legs and feet. The unforgiving concrete floors have no mercy on the body. If you work in a place similar to this type, such as a factory, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Innovations in footwear have made it a little more tolerable on the soles and the soul, but in the end, you can still have aches and pains. The knees ache, your hips creak, and the feet look like they’ve been beaten with an ugly stick. There is also my cute little friends, the varicose veins. I had started research on them when that little bump on the back of my knee started to itch and grow uncontrollably. Through my years of being a nurse and being raised in a family of nurses, I’ve learned that varicose veins are more sinister than just by upsetting your appearance. Varicose veins are bulging vessels usually effecting the legs and feet. The vein walls become weak and bulge outward. In worst case scenarios, the valves in your veins that prevent back flow of blood and push blood to the heart and lungs for re-oxygenation, become damaged in varicose veins, causing stasis(slowing or stopping of blood) and possibly a blood clot. If the blood clot eventually breaks free, it can travel to vital organs and can result in death. I have seen many people die from these complications. Most of these people have been women, and all have had some form of varicose veins and a long history of circulatory problems.
Of course, any good nurse will tell you prevention is the key. Some of us have been dealt the wrong hand. Genetics do play some role in inheriting varicose veins, as do a lot of other diseases and attributes. However, you can help yourself by doing the following:
1. Keep a diet low in salt and high in fiber-salt is damaging to vein walls and causes them to become fragile and bulge. Fiber prevents plaque from building up in the blood. Plaque causes narrowing in the vessels and decreases circulation.
2. Keep your weight under control. Keeping extra weight at bay means that your legs will have less pressure on them, as well as your circulatory system.
3. Keep it moving. Sitting or standing in one position for a long period of time contributes to stasis in the legs, so move around often, and for Petey’s sakes, don’t cross your legs or wear binding undergarments, such as tight girdle panties. Both cut off circulation and contribute to stasis.
I have tried to wear support hose and with unfavorable results. Support and compression hose work by supporting the external bulging vein walls and thus improving circulation. Anything resembling pantyhose is not my cup of tea. They are itchy and hot, and bind in all the wrong places. For people who develop phlebitis(inflammation of the vein due to a blood clot), compression hose are a necessity. Compression hose are tighter and require a person be measured for size. Getting the wrong size can only make the problem worse. I’ve tried on compression hose, and they are even more uncomfortable and difficult to put on than support hose. It’s no surprise people often refuse to wear them. Even with the irritation they cause, the benefits outweigh the risks of wearing hose.
The vein in the back of my knee by now has grown, and I get the pain and itching that is associated with varicose veins. The veins on the tops of my feet are also varicose. There are all kinds of treatment options. The Mayo Clinic website is wonderful at giving a more detailed description of treatment options. Depending on the severity of the varicose veins, these treatment solutions are available according to their site.
1. Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution (a saline based solution so that it’s safe for the body) into the vein, causing it to scar inside and close. This method is usually reserved for less severe varicose veins.
2. Then there’s microsclerotherapy. It’s the same premise meant for varicose veins evil little sister, spider veins.
3. Laser removal involves heat from a beam pointed through the skin to a vein to cause it to collapse, but side effects like bruising and discoloration to the skin from the laser are a drawback. This technique is also meant for less severe cases.
4. Then there are the big guns: vein stripping and ablation. The first involves removing the vein by surgical means with use of a scalpel. The latter means inserting a catheter into the vein and passing heat to its tip to make the vein collapse. The last two options are for more serious varicose veins. Often this is done when the presence of varicose veins is life threatening. The recovery time can last for a few weeks.
Please keep in mind that vein stripping and ablation may involve a hospital stay. Also, not every health care provider may not be able to provide these services, but they can give you a referal. I think in my case, sclerotherapy is most likely the best option. Sclerotherapy, microsclerotherapy, and laser treatment have little to no recovery time. Most patients can resume their normal activities that same day of treatment. Plus, for me, sclerotherapy is more cost efficient. Like so many Americans, I do not have health insurance. Isn’t that ironic–a nurse without health insurance?
Summer soon approaches, and I will wear my shorts no matter how much my varicose veins stick out! As for my mother, she has let go of her vanity, as far as her varicose veins are concerned. She wears shorts when it’s hot with no regrets. I look at her legs and wonder what mine will look like at her age. I stopped wearing high heels since they cause stress to the feet and legs. Gone are the days of sexy platforms and miniskirts. My husband doesn’t seem to mind or notice my veins, but I cringe when he touches my legs, knowing that their presence can be felt with the fingertips. I wonder how my six year old daughter and my teenage niece will fare in their battle against varicose veins. They both love salty foods and wearing less than appropriate footwear. Will they develop these veins as well? Society places such importance on appearance, and varicose veins are viewed negatively. Some of you see them on a woman and think she is aged or doesn’t care for herself, but for someone like me, it is inevitable. It is unfortunate how quick we are to judge others just based on appearance. I first got mine through genes, and I worsened the situation with poor lifestyle choices. I hope that my daughter and niece will be spared, but if they do what I have done and not do more prevention, they most certainly will not.
For now, until I actively seek treatment, I will keep my varicose veins, wear support hose and treat my body better. I will try to embrace them as signs of long hours on hard floors, of genetics, and poor footwear choices in my younger years. I know time is running out, and I don’t want to reach the point where I need stripping or ablation. I hope anyone dealing with varicose veins seeks treatment or cares for their legs and feet before they get older because time flies too quickly. There is no time like today, so take care of yourself now. The result can be fatal in some cases. I wished I would have told my fourteen year old self that and stayed away from the salty french fries.
For more information, visit the Mayo Clinic at www.mayoclinic.com/health/varicose-veins/DS00256 . Their website is easy to navigate and no-nonsense. They have provided me with informed condition and treatment options throughout my years of nursing practice. You may also want to visit Jobst stocking at www.jobst-usa.com/en/products/page.html for details on their support and compression hose. They are widely used in hospitals and other health care facilities by both patients and health care professionals alike.
