Varicose veins rising among Mumbai’s working professionals — Dr. Bhavesh Arun Popat explains causes, early signs, prevention, and modern treatments.
Varicose veins
Mumbai is a city that never stops. Famous for its work ethic, drive, and ambition, it is fueled by the energy of working professionals, who put in long working hours for meeting the tight deadlines, and spend hours traveling between office and home. But in order to keep up with this pace, more and more people are suffering a silent health issue that is the varicose veins.
Previously believed to be a condition reserved and affecting only the elderly population, varicose veins are today prevalent in young, career-driven individuals as well. The combination of prolonged sitting jobs, lengthy commutes, and lack of physical activity is causing a strain on their legs and overall blood circulation.
Dr. Bhavesh Arun Popat, who provides varicose veins treatment in mumbai says “Varicose veins are swollen, distorted veins that typically occur on the feet and legs. They are blue or dark purple in colour and are commonly found just beneath the skin. The condition arises when small valves within the veins fail to function normally. These valves normally facilitate blood moving towards the heart, but where they weaken or become damaged, blood will move in the backward direction causing pool in the veins. While often not harmful, if left untreated, varicose veins can result in ongoing discomfort or complications such as ulcers and blood clots.”
Why Working Professionals Are at Risk
The factors causing varicose veins are closely associated with lifestyle.
- Sedentary work for long hours: Sitting jobs restrict leg mobility and compromise circulation.
- Standing for long periods of time: Salespersons, teachers, and nursing staff stand for most of the workday, putting pressure on veins.
- Long commutes: Prolonged standing in packed trains or hours of sitting in traffic jams keeps the legs in one position for too long.
- Inadequate exercise: A hectic workday hardly leaves scope for physical exercise or even energy for it.
- Poor habits: Skipping meals, lack of water, and stress all results in poor blood circulation and risks veins impairment.
- The hot and humid climate: The uneven and humid climate of the city also tends to aggravate symptoms by making the legs swell up, particularly during summer.
Recognizing the Early Warning Signs
Majority of individuals ignore the initial signs of varicose veins as mere exhaustion or overexertion. In doing so, however, one sacrifices prevention of long-term complications.
Some of the typical warning signs include:
- Tiredness or heaviness of the legs after work.
- Swollen ankles or calves.
- Mild cramping or throbbing sensations.
- Appearing, bulging veins.
- Dryness or itching of the skin in the area affected.
These warnings should not be ignored, particularly for people who have jobs requiring long sitting or standing periods.
Preventing the Problem Before It Occurs
Prevention is an important aspect of dealing with varicose veins. Small adjustments to daily routines can really help enhance blood flow and lower the chances of developing vein problems.
Get moving: Stand up, stretch, or take a short walk every 60 minutes while working which requires prolonged sitting.
Regular exercise: Walking, yoga, or swimming enhance circulation and tone leg muscles.
Raise your legs: Lying down and elevating your legs above the level of your heart for several minutes allows blood to flow back up.
Drink plenty of water: Good hydration keeps blood thinner and flowing more easily.
Wear comfortable shoes: Steer clear of tight shoes and high heels for long periods.
Keep a healthy weight: Excess weight puts extra pressure on the leg veins.
Even on long trips, flexing and stretching at the ankles or wiggling the toes can keep circulation going.
Treatment Options
If you have mild varicose veins, you can control your symptoms and keep them from getting worse by making lifestyle changes through conservative and home treatments.
Compression stockings: These elastic fitting socks compress your legs, helping your leg muscles and veins move blood toward your heart.
Regular exercise: Activities like walking, cycling, or swimming improve blood circulation in your legs and help maintain a healthy weight, which reduces pressure on your veins.
Elevate your legs: Raising your legs above the level of your heart several times a day for about 15 minutes helps blood flow back toward the heart and reduces swelling.
Don't stand or sit for long periods: If you have to stand at work, take frequent breaks to stretch and move around. While sitting, don't cross your legs and switch positions frequently and take a short walk.
For individuals already experiencing visible or painful varicose veins, safe and accessible medical treatments are easily available than ever before. Due to medical advancement today varicose healing procedures are minimally invasive and less time consuming.
Minimally invasive procedures
If conservative measures fail, a physician might prescribe one of these outpatient procedures to eliminate or close the troublesome veins. These are sometimes used instead of conventional surgery because they allow for faster recovery.
Sclerotherapy: Chemical solution is injected into the affected vein that scars, collapses, and disappears. This is usually applied to smaller varicose veins and spider veins.
Endovenous thermal ablation: This procedure uses a catheter to supply heat through radiofrequency (RF) or laser energy to shut, close the targeted vein. The damaged vein is ultimately reabsorbed by the body, and blood recirculates through healthier veins.
Medical adhesive (VenaSeal): it is a minimum invasive procedure where medical glue is applied to close the affected vein. This is a non-thermal treatment that usually needs a local anaesthetic injection.
Ambulatory phlebectomy: Tiny varicose veins close to the surface of the skin are removed using small incisions by giving local anaesthesia.
Surgical treatments
If your case is severe and doesn't improve with other treatment, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Vein ligation and stripping: This is the old-fashioned procedure where the implicated, diseased vein is tied so that the blood does not flow backward and the vein is removed via small cuts. This is a more invasive procedure with a longer recovery time than the current minimally invasive methods.
Endoscopic vein surgery: A small camera is inserted in the leg through a small cut in order to allow the surgeon to view and close off damaged veins. This is normally reserved for extreme cases, particularly those where leg ulcers are involved.
Factors for selecting treatment
Your doctor will assist in coming up with the most suitable treatment by taking into account the factors like vein size, severity of the symptoms, other health issue etc.
Though we now have better treatments that simplify recovery and minimal invasive procedures are a boon, but prevention is still best.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
