We’ve all seen varicose veins before – also known as “spider veins,” varicose veins are large, unsightly veins that most frequently manifest in the legs. They typically appear to be dark blue or purple in color and sometimes rise to the surface of the body, leaving them directly under the skin; spider veins that meet this description are far more noticeable than their counterparts that don’t seem as ready to leave the body.
How do veins become varicose?
While human bones are stiff and rigid, most other body parts are fairly elastic, meaning they can stretch – even for extended periods of time – and reliably revert back to their original shape. Veins are, in fact, quite elastic; further, they typically don’t enlarge whenever blood has a difficult time pushing against gravity, for example – rather, blood keeps on pushing as it’s supposed to thanks to the joint rigidity and elasticity of veins.
Before we go any further, defining what veins are is important to understanding varicose veins – pay attention! The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, veins, and arteries. The heart pumps blood throughout the body, traveling outwards from the chest through arteries. On the return trip, blood comes back to the heart in veins. Veins, in other words, carry deoxygenated blood.
When people get older, their risks of developing varicose veins increases substantially. The human heart weakens, giving blood a harder path back to the heart. Since blood almost always has to travel upwardsthrough the legs, it can – and it often does act as such – pool in veins; this causes veins – remember that they’ve typically lost their elasticity and rigidity at this point – to swell, making them easier to see through the skin.
Can these pesky, unattractive, health problems be treated?
Yes.Varicose vein treatments – trusted clinics like Michigan’s very own Metro Vein Center provide such medical assistance – include:
- General health and wellness promotion – exercise, diet, etc.
- Compression sleeves and garments.
- Kicking one’s legs up so they’re pointed downward towards the heart.
- Invasive surgeries.
The most effective, reliable treatment is taking care of one’s body before varicose veins rear their ugly heads. Some of modern medicine’s most popular preventative varicose vein treatment practices include cutting out as much salt as possible in one’s diet and loading up on fiber, refraining from wearing pantyhose and high-heeled shoes, and not sitting or standing in the same position for too long.
About Metro Vein Center
In 2006, Detroit native and licensed medical doctor Ali Meslemani founded Metro Vein Center. Currently, Dr. Meslemani is the chief medical officer of Metro Vein Center; over the past 12 years, the specialty medical facility has grown from being located in only Michigan to having centers spread across New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Currently, Metro Vein Center is proud to say that it owns and operates 12 facilities across the four aforementioned states – the majority of its offices are located in Dr. Ali Meslemani’s home state of Michigan, though each of the other three states has multiple locations within their boundaries.
Ali Meslemani hires no physicians other than those with previous experience in treating varicose veins to make sure all of Metro Vein Center’s patients – around each and every one of its 12 locations, not just Dr. Meslemani’s five locations in his home state of Michigan – have the best experiences possible and see top-tier-quality results.