Similar questions asked everyday that may help you understand more about what ails you.
What are the symptoms of CVI (Chronic Venous Insufficiency)?
Symptoms include pain, cramping, heaviness, itching, and tingling in the legs. Pain may worsen when standing and improve when legs are raised. You don’t have to have all the symptoms to have CVI.
What Causes CVI?
Venous insufficiency can be caused by medcal diseases, genetics, work environment, lifestyle, behaviors and activities that cause veins valves to become damaged.
Who is at risk for CVI?
Risk factors include: Being female, Tall, Overweight, Family history, Medical issues that increase venous pressure (Heart/Lung/Liver/Kidney failure, DVT), Middle age or older, Pregnancy, Standing or sitting for long periods of time.
How is CVI diagnosed?
By a vein specialist by physical examination and ultrasound imaging to verify the presence of CVI. With ultrasound the disease process can be verified the day of your visit as the disease can be seen in real time.
What is CVI?
Simply put, CVI is when your veins are allowing blood to run in the opposite direction of their original intent. Veins bring blood back to the heart. Veins diseased with CVI are allowing blood to run away from your heart. As you can imaging this causes problems with circulation and therefore perfusion.
How is CVI treated?
There are many treatments for CVI. The disease process has been usually taking years to develop when diagnosed so the disease has the power of pressure and time behind it. Repairing CVI is a drawn out process and for the most beneficial treatment requires a change in lifestyle. Conservative management combined with preventative strategies are best after surgical intervention in advanced cases. Please refer to our vein procedure listing above for treatment options.
What is the recovery time like after treatment?
Recovery time depends on the procedure, but it can range from a few hours to a few days. After treatment, you will need to continue conservative management regularly and will likely need to continue prevention strategies for the rest your life. Usually this means compression non stop for 48 hours after a procedure, 12 hours a day or longer for the 2 weeks after the procedure and then during situations that would promote recurrence during your lifetime.