Phlebological centre Antwerp
Tips and recommendations
Tips and recommendations
Tips
Prevention is better than cure, and with incipient varicose veins, you naturally want to make sure they don't spread. Further down, you can read some recommendations regarding the relationship between (getting) varicose veins on the one hand and sports, the birth control pill, diet, footwear, tanning beds, bathing and showering on the other.
Varicose veins and sports
Exercise is generally good, but when you have varicose veins, however, you should pay attention to a few things. In order not to impede venous blood flow, sports in which you put a lot of force on the abdominal muscles (increasing the pressure in the abdominal cavity) are not recommended. Examples include weightlifting, uphill cycling, as well as rowing, canoeing and (eg.mountain) climbing.
Varicose veins and the contaceptive pill
Normally, especially in young people under 30, there is no reason to stop taking the birth control pill. A warning really applies to those who smoke and/or are obese. This is because the risk of thrombus formation and possibly a pulmonary embolism is greater if you smoke moderately to heavily, if you are obese or if you have been taking the pill for over 10 years. Your family physician or gynecologist can advise you properly in this regard.
Varicose veins and nutrition
A special diet to strengthen the vessel wall is not necessary and, moreover, is not effective. Again, venous disorders are mainly a matter of predisposition and diet has no effect on them.
Varicose veins and footwear
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A point that is quite often overlooked is that shoes with high heels or ‘stilettos’ hinder venous blood flow. It is wise to wear good supportive footwear that does not impede the movement of the ankles.
Tanning, bathing and showering
Heat has an adverse effect in people with varicose veins because it causes the blood vessels to expand even more. So hot baths and prolonged immobile exposure to the sun, as well as sauna and steam rooms, should be avoided. When you are at the beach in warm weather, walking with your legs in the cold seawater is recommended. The cold water makes the veins rather shrink, and because you are walking, you stimulate the venous blood flow in the legs.
So heat around and on the legs is best to be avoided. But, for example, showering with cold water is highly recommended: gliding down with the spray head along the outside of the lower leg slowly up to the hip and repeat the same treatment on the inside of the leg. Always start from the feet.
Exercises
The blood flow in the veins is stimulated primarily by the rhythmic contraction of the muscles of the lower leg: the pumping action of the calf and foot muscles pushes the venous blood up towards the heart.
Hence, the symptoms generally diminish with movement and become most bothersome when you have been standing or sitting for long periods of time.
To contain and reduce these complaints, you will find in this website some simple exercises to improve your venous blood circulation.
General recommendations
It is desirable that your family doctor is aware that you are undergoing treatment with us. If you are referred to us, we will inform your GP in writing of our findings.
Do not use any cream or lotion on your legs on the day of treatment. If the skin is oily, the plasters we use will not adhere sufficiently and will also wear out your stocking prematurely. It is helpful to shave any leg hair as this makes removing the plasters less painful.
It is very uncommon but some people may feel unwell shortly after the injections. This may be accompanied by headaches or vision disturbances, and possibly shortness of breath. This may mean that you are to some extent hypersensitive to the liquid used. Should this occur, you should notify us immediately. Also very infrequently, a slight brown discoloration may occur as a result of the injections. This discoloration usually disappears spontaneously after a few months.
Once the treatment is complete, your leg will fully recover over the next 6 to 12 months. A follow-up visit is important because in this way early recurring symptoms (relapse) can be detected and treated immediately. We will then advise you further on the basis of our findings. In general, an annual check-up is the rule.