Varicose veins develop in people for many reasons. A sedentary lifestyle and long hours of sitting and standing could be a prominent reason. Movement in muscles is needed to foster blood circulation in the body. When there is no movement for a longer period, blood circulation tends to slow down in the legs and raises the chances of developing varicose veins. The current job style needs the professionals to sit or stand for a longer period. Though there is a higher risk of developing varicose veins, you can reduce the chances of being prone to varicose veins when you take some preventive measures. The current article discusses why long hours of sitting make you prone to varicose veins and why frequent travellers are at a greater risk of developing the medical condition.
The interlinking between travel and varicose veins
Travelling may be inevitable for people who tend to work across multiple job locations or love to explore new destinations frequently. You may have to sit for longer hours in a plane or car. Prolonged sitting affects the leg veins. These leg veins function to return blood to the heart. The one-way valves in the legs open and close to push blood upwards, but they may fail to function effectively with long hours of sitting, and the blood starts pooling in veins and stretches them outward, leading to varicose veins.
When you are sitting for long hours, there will be no movement in the muscles, and the veins in the legs lack the support to move blood back to the heart. Due to stagnant blood flow in the veins, they suffer extra pressure, leading to varicose veins in the legs. Poor blood circulation in the legs also leads to many other health complications like blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, and even life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE) if clots break and travel to the lungs.
Signs and symptoms of varicose veins
The early and mild stage of varicose veins does not pose any health threat but shows many symptoms, making your life uncomfortable. If you are a frequent traveller or involved in long hours of sitting during the day, you should check for the signs of varicose veins in your legs. Early detection helps in getting the right treatments to rule out the underlying cause.
Bulging
As the blood tends to pool in the affected vein, it protrudes under the skin and appears ropy and twisted. These varicose veins are a cosmetic nuisance for many in the early stages.
Pain
The bulging of veins puts excess pressure on and weakens the vein valves, and the person may experience severe pain in their legs.
Swelling in legs
Lack of blood circulation in veins increases fluid retention in the legs, and you may see noticeable swelling in the legs and ankles.
Skin changes
Your skin near varicose veins may be discoloured, tender to touch, and itchy.
Suppose you are a frequent traveller and spend a day sitting for a long period. In that case, any of these varicose vein symptoms in your legs should be evaluated by a professional for further diagnosis.
How to reduce the chances of getting varicose veins when you travel?
Move as much as possible
If you are travelling for a longer distance on a flight, you can take short breaks in between by standing or walking in the flight to foster blood circulation. You should avoid sitting in one position for long hours. You can also massage your calf muscles periodically to keep the blood moving in your legs.
Stay hydrated
It is very important to keep your body hydrated when you have poor blood circulation in your veins. High altitudes and pressurised cabins are a very bad combination when you are suffering from varicose veins. The combination may aggravate varicose veins symptoms. Keep your body well hydrated to stabilise blood circulation in veins and avoid fluid retention in the legs.
Avoid drinking alcohol and consuming sleeping tablets
Many travellers have the habit of drinking alcohol and taking pills to have a comfortable sleep during long journeys. Both items hinder blood circulation in veins and increase your risk of developing varicose veins.
Wear compression stockings
When you have issues with blood circulation, it is important to wear compression stockings for healthy blood flow in your veins. Compression stockings apply gentle pressure on the legs and improve blood circulation in the legs, reducing the chances of developing varicose veins. They make you feel comfortable during the flight journey and promote blood circulation in the legs.
Wear comfortable clothing
Tight clothing restricts veins, making less room for blood to flow through. Wearing loose garments reduces the risk of blood clusters and clots in veins, reducing the chances of developing varicose veins.
Delay the flight journey if you have undergone surgery
Injuries after surgery will improve the chances of clotting and cut down the healing response. You may be prone to varicose veins if you are a frequent traveller who sits for long hours. Avoid flight journeys up to 3 months after surgery to reduce the chances of developing varicose veins.
Home treatments for varicose veins
If you spend long hours of your day sitting, you are at risk of developing varicose veins. Though the right treatments for varicose veins are inevitable to rule out the underlying cause, some effective home treatments can help you manage the varicose vein symptoms, especially when you develop a medical condition due to long hours of sitting during the day.
Correct your sitting position
Most professions today require individuals to sit and spend long hours at the desk to complete their daily job responsibilities. If you are one among them, learn to sit correctly to reduce the chances of developing varicose veins even after sitting for long hours in a day.
- Adjust your seat height to the desired level so that you will be able to place your feet on the floor comfortably.
- Make sure your working chair has a forward-tilting feature to be able to set your pelvis in position and also improve blood circulation in your legs.
- Maintain a distance of two to three fingers between the knees and seat edge when you rest on the chair.
Exercises
When it is inevitable to spend long hours of the day sitting in a chair, stretch your legs and rotate your feet in between. Take breaks and try to move around to foster blood circulation in the legs.
- Make time to do some low-impact exercises like cycling and swimming to improve blood circulation.
- Elevating your legs above heart level is the best approach to push the blood back to the heart. It also fosters good blood circulation in the body.
- Take the support of a footrest if you are sitting or standing for a long time to reduce pressure on the veins.
Wear compression stockings
You should consider wearing compression stockings while sitting, whether you suspect the risk of developing varicose veins or are already suffering from the medical condition. The compression stockings that are worn during the long hours of sitting help to improve the blood flow in the affected veins. The stockings apply low graduated pressure on the veins to push the pooled blood back to the heart. Make sure you choose the right fit and type of compression stockings to cover the damaged area for the effective functioning of the compression stockings. These compression stockings help in alleviating many varicose vein symptoms like pain, swelling, and inflammation in the legs.
Treatment options for varicose veins
Though home remedies for varicose veins seem to reduce the symptoms, they are not a long-term cure for varicose veins. A few non-invasive treatments for varicose veins that treat the underlying cause of varicose veins are listed below.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is another minimal invasive procedure for varicose veins that involves injecting a sclerosing agent to close the damaged veins. The treatment is effective for small and medium varicose veins. A special liquid is passed into the damaged veins to irritate and collapse them, which eventually gets absorbed into the body. The blood now flows only through healthy veins, minimising the symptoms of varicose veins.
Endovenous Laser Treatment
Endovenous laser treatment is a laser technique used to treat varicose veins. The invasive procedure is often suggested by experts for large and bulging veins. The ELVT procedure involves using laser energy to collapse the damaged veins that get absorbed into the body over time. You may expect a little discomfort during the procedure, which is well-tolerated. The process is known for providing long-lasting results for patients who suffer from varicose veins.
Radiofrequency ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is also one of the popular invasive procedures for varicose veins. During the procedure, the experts use heat energy to collapse the damaged vein and route the blood flow through healthy veins. The discomfort caused during the procedure is minimal, but the results are quite effective and long-lasting.
Conclusion
Varicose veins are benign but can cause great discomfort, like pain and swelling, and hamper your lifestyle. Frequent travellers or people who sit for long hours in a day are at risk of developing varicose veins. Though preventive home remedies like correct sitting posture and exercises can reduce the chances of developing varicose veins, you need to undergo optimal treatments if you see the symptoms of varicose veins in your legs. There are many minimal invasive treatments to rule out the underlying cause of varicose veins. Expert consultation will let you know about the optimal therapies based on the severity of your varicose veins.
Avis Hospitals, the best vein hospital with the most advanced treatment procedures like Endovenous Laser Treatments to treat your varicose veins without pain and discomfort. The invasive treatments conducted by the experts give you long-lasting and effective results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Why are frequent travellers at risk of developing varicose veins?
Travellers tend to sit for longer hours during journeys. Long hours of sitting will restrict blood circulation in veins, leading to the pooling of blood in veins, putting you at risk of developing varicose veins.
- How to recognise early signs of varicose veins?
Varicose veins are a progressive and symptomatic disease; you will see a few early signs like bulging of veins, swelling in legs, heaviness in legs, or skin discolouration.
- Can I prevent varicose veins while travelling?
If you cannot avoid frequent travel in life, some precautionary tips can reduce the chances of developing varicose veins. A few of them include taking short walks, leg stretching, hydration, wearing compression stockings, and wearing comfortable clothing.
- Can varicose veins go away without treatment?
The symptoms of varicose veins can be managed with some home remedies, but it is a progressive disease that worsens over time, so optimal treatments are inevitable to treat the underlying cause.
- Can I travel again after undergoing varicose vein treatment?
It is recommended to avoid journeys for a few weeks after you have undergone treatments. Consult the vein doctor for specific travel guidelines after varicose vein treatment.