Staying Put Over the Holidays? Read These 7 Leg Pain Tips!
Author: StrideCare Internal Team
The holidays are almost here! That likely means everyone around you is talking about hosting parties, gathering with extended family or friends, decorating the house, getting their shopping done, and creating a lifetime of memories. Normally, you’d be right there in the thick of the conversation. But these days, all you can think about are your embarrassing varicose veins and ongoing leg pain. At StrideCare, we know how hard it is to live with leg pain year-round. And during the holidays, it’s enough to make you want to skip the parties altogether and avoid dressing up. This is where we can help. All we ask is for you to take a deep breath and think about treating yourself to a holiday without leg pain.
An average of one in every three adults over the age of 45 develops some form of vein disease. But enjoying the holidays without leg pain is possible. We treat women and men every day who are searching for a pain-free life without the life-altering consequences and extended downtime from invasive procedures. As a result, we typically see an influx of patients this time of year who, after talking to us, realize there is an underlying cause to their leg pain that can be treated before Thanksgiving or Christmas if acted upon quickly.
Imagine a Holiday Season Without Leg Pain like This
- Swelling and achiness
- Tired, heavy legs
- Throbbing or stabbing pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Bulging varicose veins
- Burning sensations in the feet
- Open sores and ulcers
- Cramping leg pain
- Itching, prickling, pulling sensations
- Leg pain when active but better at rest
There is hope for you and your holiday plans—if you seek treatment sooner rather than later.
Why You Are Experiencing Leg Pain
It Could Be Venous Related
Your veins are responsible for providing your vital organs with the blood they need to work in an efficient and healthy way. And they typically work on a one-way system using a series of strong valves to ensure the traveling blood doesn’t flow back in the opposite direction with gravity. As we age, our veins can become less efficient at doing this critical job. As a result, vein valves can malfunction, causing blood to flow forward but also backward in the wrong direction into areas it shouldn’t.
It Could Be Arterial Related
Our arteries are a very intricate internal highway that allows blood to flow to and from the heart and throughout our body. When everything is working as it should, there are no problems. But this isn’t always the case for many people, especially as we get older. Over time, our arteries become clogged with dangerous plaque build-up. As a result, critical blood flow is drastically limited or impeded entirely.
Either Needs Treatment
Either of the above can be what is causing the leg pain and discomfort you are feeling right now. Your legs are uncomfortable when you move. They may even cause problems while you are at rest. You certainly can’t do all the things you used to love, even during the holidays, and your life becomes very sedentary. If left unchecked or untreated for too long, occasional, or even manageable leg pain can lead to a host of more concerning conditions, such as:
- Peripheral Arterial Disease — Arteriosclerosis affects 5 million U.S. adults and 113 million people worldwide. It is characterized by plaque buildup on the walls of the major blood vessels, which creates narrower openings for blood and oxygen to pass through. Too much restricted blood flow or a complete blockage can cause leg pain.
- Chronic Venous Insufficiency — This is caused by broken vein valves that no longer hold a proper seal. As a result, poor blood flow from the veins in your legs back up to your heart will cause blood to pool in your legs. This can cause a variety of issues, including leg swelling, varicose veins, leg cramping, skin changes, and leg ulcers.
- Restless Leg Syndrome — RLS happens when blood is not emptying out of the legs properly. It is most commonly associated with lower leg tingling, prickling, tingling, and pulling sensations in the legs. These feelings can vary from a mild annoyance to something that interrupts your ability to sleep and lead a normal lifestyle.
- Deep Vein Thrombosis — This is where blood clots form in one of the veins deep within your body. Leg pain, especially swelling only on one side, is perhaps the most worrisome sign you should seek expert vein care. People with this syndrome may have a swollen leg that feels heavy and hurts.
7 Tips to Get Through the Holidays with Leg Pain
So many people just like you unknowingly suffer from vascular diseases like the ones mentioned above. What started as a cosmetic annoyance with spider veins and ugly, bulging varicose veins is now a situation where they live every day of their lives with leg pain. Beyond the physical pain, there is the emotional burden, too—especially during the holidays when all you want to do is spend time with your family and revel in the holiday spirit.
The good news is that it’s not too late. There are plenty of ways to avoid surgery and get relief from leg pain—just in time for the holidays. Below are a few tips to get through the holidays with leg pain.
- Wear comfortable and supportive shoes — This is definitely true during the holidays, when you and the rest of your family are constantly on your feet. Certain shoes may look good but are either too tight or not very comfortable, which can potentially restrict blood flow and cause other complications.
- Avoid tight clothing — Tight clothing around the waist, upper thighs, and legs can interrupt blood flow through the veins and increase pooling of blood and leg swelling. The good news is that most people try to avoid tight clothing around the holidays anyway because of all the partying, eating, and drinking.
- Wear compression socks — Compression socks support your legs by applying gentle pressure. This helps with circulation, swelling, and reduces leg pain. Wearing them during the holidays can help increase blood flow.
- Elevate your legs — No one is going to fault you for taking lots of breaks during a full day of holiday shopping or entertaining guests at your next gathering. Elevating your feet for 15-20 minutes is a simple way to help blood and other fluids drain back toward your heart rather than pool in your legs.
- Eat healthy — This can be easier said than done during the holidays. But the fact remains that eating better is one of the best ways to improve vein health. Benefits include improved blood circulation, weight loss, and improving cardiovascular health. Options include fruits and vegetables, foods high in Vitamin C and E, and fiber-rich foods.
- Exercise regularly — Exercising regularly helps improve blood flow throughout the body, builds strong muscles and joints, and simply promotes a healthier lifestyle. For adults, the American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and gradually increasing the amount and intensity.
- Consider getting leg treatment — A deductible is the amount of money you are responsible for paying out of pocket before your health insurance company covers remaining bills for surgeries, procedures, etc. The holidays are a great time to consider leg treatment because you may be in a position where you’ve met or almost satisfied your deductible. If that’s the case, now is a great time to meet with a vascular specialist. Many would-be patients determine if they will seek medical help based on whether they think they can afford it and concerns over whether their insurance will consider it medically necessary or just a cosmetic enhancement. Because varicose veins and vein disease go beyond being just a cosmetic issue, insurances can and have shown to cover the cost of treatment. With that said, the cost of your treatment will vary depending on the type of treatment, the extent of treatment needed to achieve your desired results, and your health insurance coverage.
Several minimally invasive treatment options exist to get the leg pain relief you’ve been looking for. This includes microfoam ablation, radiofrequency ablation, sclerotherapy, angioplasty, and atherectomy. Any one of these treatments has little to no downtime and can be performed as an in-and-out, same-day procedure. Before you know it, you’ll be back to celebrating the holidays with your family.
Limit Your Leg Pain and Enjoy Your Holidays with StrideCare
Sadly, many people think that there is no cure for their leg pain. They put holiday plans on hold or severely limit their activity for another time when their leg pain isn’t as excruciating. But the reality is that leg pain, although rarely better with time, is not something you have to live with for the rest of your life. When caught early, artery and vein disease and the uncomfortable resulting symptoms are very much treatable.
StrideCare has long been a leader in performing leading-edge procedures to treat vein disease and eliminate leg pain symptoms ranging from tired and heavy feelings to burning sensations and even open sores in the most complex of cases. These symptoms can be brought on by everything from varicose veins to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), restless leg syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, pelvic congestion syndrome, May-Thurner Syndrome, and more. We are here to help, all the while providing compassionate patient care.
StrideCare physicians are board-certified diagnostic radiologists with additional fellowship training in vascular and interventional radiology. If your veins need treatment—or you have questions on how to avoid the onset of venous disease—the experts at StrideCare will recommend an individualized plan to help you get the best results. Request an appointment for a vein disease evaluation to discuss your options.
Prior to starting any new treatment or questions regarding a medical condition, always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
StrideCare serves the South Texas area including Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Round Rock, Bastrop, Brushy Creek, Cedar Park, Converse, Georgetown, Hutto, Kyle, Leander, Marble Falls, New Braunfels, Pasadena, Pearland, Pflugerville, San Marcos, Schertz, Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Webster, Bay City, Clear Lake, Lake Jackson, The Woodlands, Universal City, Spring, Kingwood, Stafford, Conroe, Texas City, Cypress, League City, Bellaire, and more.
