I’ve written several articles on the American health-care system and attempts to reform it, but I hadn’t written many articles on medicine until recently.
Then, I was assigned an article on medicine from a client. Then another. And another. I’m not a doctor, but I decided to post some of what I have learned from my research for these articles on Storeboard. The first article was on male infertility. Part II of the series -- an article on leg swelling and pain -- is posted below.
By the way, a college friend regularly called me Dr. Z. I never figured out why, but I am appropriating the nickname for this series.
What Does Leg Pain & Swelling Mean?
Your legs might be swelling or painful because you have exercised too much, stood in the same position for too long, or sat in the same position for too long.
Unfortunately, your legs also might be swelling or painful because you have a serious medical condition such as problems with your liver, kidney or heart.
Learning the cause of your leg pain and swelling -- also known as edema -- is important.
"If left untreated and swelling doesn't go away, edema may cause complications, including increasingly painful swelling, difficulty walking, stiffness, increased risk of infection, stretched skin, scarring within the tissue, and decreased blood circulation," according to Columbia Health, a division of Columbia (N.Y.) University.
Varicose veins, spider veins, arthritis, blood clots, and gout are among the most common causes of leg swelling and pain and swelling. Varicose veins are twisted clusters of purple or blue or veins that can be seen easily because they are close to your skin’s surface. Spider veins are smaller than varicose veins, are closer to your skin’s surface, and are blue or red.
You should not panic if you notice that you have spider veins and/or varicose veins. The Cleveland Clinic, in fact, reports that 30 to 50 percent of adults in the United States have varicose veins or spider veins. They are more common in women and older people.
The Cleveland Clinic’s recommendations for preventing varicose veins include:
* Regular exercise. * Clothing that isn’t tight fitting. * Uncrossed legs while sitting.
Should you go the doctor’s office if you have spider or varicose veins? Not necessarily. Wearing elastic support hose and periodically raising your legs when you’re resting can solve the problem, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
However, you should consult a doctor if common solutions to treating varicose veins have no effect or the problem becomes worse. For example, increased swelling or a large lump near the veins means the problem has become worse. So does continued pain while walking or standing and bleeding in the skin above the vein. Surgery might be required if the varicose veins cause skin sores.
Consulting your regular doctor if your varicose veins become a major problem is crucial, but you should seek the recommendations of specialists, including dermatologists, phlebologists, vascular surgeons, and vascular medicine doctors. Your doctor can help you find qualified specialists.
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