Tips for Varicose Vein Care in the Winter
From atmospheric pressure changes to the fact that people tend to exercise less during the frigid cold New York winters, managing the symptoms of varicose veins in cold weather can be more challenging. Here’s what you can do.
How the Wintertime Affects Varicose Veins
When the cold weather of a New York winter arrives, your muscles and blood vessels constrict, sending blood back to your heart at a faster rate. This is how your circulatory system operates to keep you warm. For some people, the faster return of blood to the heart causes an increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. Your heart then needs to work harder, which places additional pressure on your veins. When you have varicose veins, any added pressure on them can make symptoms worse.
The endless treats from holiday parties at this time of year can be hard to resist and lead to weight gain. New Yorkers also tend to stay indoors more during winter due to the bitter cold temperatures and windchill outside. On the worst days of winter, staying inside a warm home seems like a better choice than going out to exercise.
Unfortunately, a sedentary lifestyle will cause you to gain weight. An unhealthy body weight is the biggest risk factor for developing varicose veins and greatest challenge to managing their symptoms after receiving a diagnosis.
Steps You Can Take to Ensure Your Comfort
If you find it difficult to stop eating sweet treats once you start, refraining from them altogether is going to be your best bet. As for exercise, you do not necessarily need to leave home to get the physical activity your body needs. Exercise videos work just as well, and you could try getting in more activity during the workday too. Be sure to take the time to stretch before completing any strenuous physical activity to avoid injury later.
Drinking water throughout the day is important all year long, but it can be especially beneficial during the winter to stay hydrated. People often feel less thirsty in the winter season than they do when the weather is hot and humid. This can make them forget to drink water, which increases the risk of dehydration that can be harmful to veins. Keeping an eye on your diet to make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables while reducing sugar intake at the same time is also a good idea.
Treatments for Varicose Veins
Scheduling vein treatment in Manhattan is another way to improve vein health and get through the blustery winter without too much struggle. Schulman Vein and Laser Center offers these vein treatment options:
- Foam sclerotherapy: Sclerotherapy introduces medication into your veins. The foam mixture helps the medication travel quickly to the affected veins and provide relief.
- Injections: This vein treatment is similar to foam sclerotherapy except for that a chemical mixture of medication goes directly into your veins. The medication causes veins to close and scar, which should eliminate many symptoms.
- Laser treatment: Laser therapy has completely replaced vein stripping over the past 10 years. With guidance from an ultrasound machine, we attach a laser fiber to a needle that goes directly into the vein.
- Micro-surgery: During micro-surgery, Dr. Schulman makes tiny incisions along your varicose veins. He then removes the veins and closes the incisions.
Finding Vein Treatment in Manhattan, New York
Veins are all we do here at Schulman Vein and Laser Center. We are also proud to say that Dr. Schulman himself completes most therapies and follow-up with patients. Please contact our vein center in Long Island – Manhattan to learn more or request an appointment.