"The Know" is an informational resource concerning vein treatment options. It contains valuable information for prospective patients, physicians as well as those in the vein treatment industry. We will be regularly posting educational articles, video logs and other pertinent information. We encourage your feedback and welcome any suggestions that you feel may improve the blog.
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Monday, August 24, 2009
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Education With Shoes
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A local doctor in Boca Raton, Florida, is judging a "sexy shoe contest" as publicity for a local shoe store. The winner gets a free pair of shoes! It may seem strange to have a doctor be a judge for a shoe contest. However, part of the event will be a question and answer forum for concerns about spider and varicose veins.
Wearing "sexy shoes" may make you look good, but it could be dangerous for your vein health. Wearing a heel higher than 1.5 inches may restrict proper circulation in the leg. Spider or varicose veins can develop and could even progress into Deep Vein Thrombosis.
The contest is lighthearted and meant to be fun for contestants. Any forum to distribute information to the public on vein health is beneficial. For many it is a win-win situation. Girls get to learn about their veins and check out some sexy shoes.
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Friday, August 21, 2009
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Homeopathic Vein Treatment
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The formation of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) can lead to painful symptoms including swelling, redness, and pain of the leg. Medicine can be prescribed for those with DVT to attempt to reduce the symptoms. For some, homeopathic remedies are a different option to cute their disease.
According to Newswire, one DVT patient was placed on an allopathic medication regiment but had no dramatic results. He then turned to homeopathic medicines. A homeopathic physician prescribed him Arnica, an herbal medication used in ointment form. The man claims that the pain and swelling in his legs diminished within months and the DVT disappeared.
Homeopathic medicine can be used at any stage of DVT development. It is important for those interested in homeopathic medicine to utilize an expert in the field. Homeopathic medicine should not be used in conjunction with allopathic medication in order to decrease the risk of side effects.
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Thursday, August 20, 2009
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Healthy Leg Day
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A clinic in Michigan is promoted Healthy Leg Day on August 26th. The clinic is offering a variety of free services on this day to patients, including a leg vein screening. Healthy Leg Day will check for circulatory problems that may cause pain or swelling in the legs.
"During the Healthy Leg Day event, we will also be offering other free services such as, blood pressure checks, balance testing, hearing aide cleaning, and ear check for wax build up" explains the clinic.
This is one fun way to get potential patients to the clinic for screening. Patients who can have their vein issues diagnosed early may save themselves from painful and expensive procedures in later years.
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009
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Safe Birth Control
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Birth control pills can be very effective at preventing pregnancy. However, the hormones in some birth control pills may increase the risk of blood clots. Women using certain types of pills may also be putting themselves at risk for venous thrombosis, dangerous blood clots in the veins.
"Currently available oral contraceptives still have a major impact on thrombosis occurrence and many women do not use the safest brands with regard to risk of venous thrombosis," explains BBC News.
Birth control pills using the combination of hormones oestrogen and progestogen seem to carry the highest risk. Other hormones noted were desogestrel, gestodene or drospirenone. Blood clots while on the birth control pill are rare. If a patient is very concerned about venous thrombosis, she should discontinue use and consult a physician.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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Grape Seed Extract
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Grape Seed Extract may be a useful tool in keeping up the health of your body. The antioxidant qualities in grade seed extracts help with anti-aging, joint health, and skin care. It may even help with prevention of varicose veins.
"Grape seed extract is antioxidant and prevents the body from problems associated with oxidative damage. Studies indicate that phenolic compounds such as resveratrol from Grape seed also exhibits potent antioxidative properties for scavenging free radicals and also regulate inflammatory reactions" explains Biz News.
The extract helps prevent hardening of the blood vessels, the body from bruising, and the fragility of capillaries. The use of this extract may help the body fight against varicose veins as well. Grape seed extracts may be taken orally or as liquid drops to be added to beverages.
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Monday, August 17, 2009
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Skinny Jeans Bad for your Health?
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Fashion trends don't always correlate with healthy trends. Those who are worried about development of spider or varicose veins are suggested to wear loose fitting clothing. Skinny jeans do not fall into that category. This type of jean may be very fashionable, but is not necessarily very healthy. Tighter fabrics can constrict the legs down to the ankle and prevent proper blood flow.
In addition to cutting off proper circulation, skinny jeans may also lead to meralgia paresthetica or "tingling thigh syndrome." Continuous pressure cuts off the nerve in the thigh leading to a numbing sensation through the leg. Once these tight jeans are removed, the condition is relieved.
This numbing feeling could be a sign of improper blood flow in the legs. A combination of high heels and skinny jeans can lead to the highest risk of meralgia paresthetica and the development of varicose veins. This is due to the extra pressure put on the legs. Women should be aware that skinny jeans could have these side effects and be cautious if they start to feel numbing in the lower extremities.
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Friday, August 14, 2009
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Washing Your Bad Veins
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Foam sclerotherapy is a new technique used to treat varicose veins. A carbon dioxide foam detergent is injected directly into the veins and tracked by an ultrasound scanner. The foam pushes blood out of the varicose vein and causes the vein to close.
"It is a chemical, toxic agent to the wall of the vein, so basically what you're doing is you're irritating the inner lining of the vein" explains Dr. Rajagopalan Ravi to CBS News.
This is a much less invasive procedure and has a very quick recovery time. The foam washes all the blood from the problem vein and seals the vein shut. The entirety of the procedure takes about 15 to 20 minutes. This is a newer form of sclerotherapy which is still being tested by physicians across the nation.
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Thursday, August 13, 2009
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Taking A Walk After Surgery
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Recent reports from a Sydney hospital show that the rate of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) in patients recovering from total knee replacement surgery dramatically drops if patients are mobile early. The risk of post-operative DVT dropped from 32 percent to 14 percent in the study.
"Early mobilization in the first 24 hours after total knee replacement is a cheap and effective way to reduce the incidence of DVT" reports the author of the study to 6 Minutes.
The greatest reduction in risk occurred in patients who walked more than 16 feet soon after surgery. DVT occurs when blood clots form in the leg veins. Joint surgery has a high risk of patients developing DVT. Walking helps increase the blood flow through the veins and assures that blood clots have a low risk of formation.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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Removing Hemorrhoids
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Hemorrhoids, swollen and painful veins around the anus, are often relieved with a change in diet and lifestyle. These veins can be formed externally or internally. External veins are easier to remove without invasive surgery. A surgery called hemorrhoidalectomy is used to remove the internal hemorrhoids, but can be a painful procedure.
A transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) is a new minimally invasive procedure for internal hemorrhoids. A suture is used to tie off the blood flow to the anal veins. Recovery time is quick and patients can leave for home the same day.
"The stitch is run from inside toward the outside and then tied back inside and that kind of pulls also those external hemorrhoids a little bit inside, so it does help them a little bit as well," says one doctor to WFTV. Patients dealing with recurring hemorrhoids should investigate the procedure as an option for permanent removal.
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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Hand Veins
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Veins in the hands tend to develop as a person ages. Although some are born with noticeable veins on their hands, the majority of the population develops these veins as the elasticity in their skin decreases with age. These veins are typically not varicose veins and can be treated as a cosmetic issue.
Removing these veins will not affect the body's ability to pump blood to the hands. These veins are superficial and can be treated. In a sclerotherapy procedure, an injection is used into the veins. The injection solution is said to have a higher concentration than the injection used in leg veins. Recovery is very quick and there is little bruising after the procedure.
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