Jul 29, 2019 Help for Tired, Achy legs

new treatment for tired, achy legs

New treatments for vein disease can restore your legs' energy and appearance.

Many adults complain that their legs feel heavy and tired, preventing them from spending more time on their feet. Others are embarrassed by the appearance of bulging varicose veins or smaller spider veins on the legs. Surprisingly, the cause for both of these complaints is usually the same: venous insufficiency, a failure of the veins in the legs to properly circulate blood. “Venous insufficiency is the overarching reason for pain, discomfort, swollen legs or varicose veins,” says Robert Kamieniecki, MD, an interventional radiologist who specializes in treating vein conditions at The Vein Center at Clara Maass Medical Center (CMMC).

Hundreds of patients visit CMMC each year because of venous insufficiency, and the warmer weather brings an increase of patients with cosmetic concerns and tired, achy legs. “The veins dilate to help distribute heat and cool our bodies,” explains Dr. Kamieniecki. “So when those veins dilate in warmer weather, the legs may get more swollen.”

Causes and cures

With venous insufficiency, the valves in the veins of the leg no longer work properly and cannot effectively transport blood from the legs back to the heart. As a result, blood pools in these veins, which— depending on which veins are affected—can make them more visible, or can make the legs swell or feel achy and tired. “The cause of venous insufficiency is a combination of genetics, weight, gender—females are more prone to the condition—hormones, childbirth history, history of blood clots, hypertension and other medical conditions,” says Dr. Kamieniecki.

“Both men and women may experience varicose veins after an injury, such as from an automobile accident or being hit in the leg with a softball,” he adds. One popular myth about their cause is wrong, he says: “Crossing your legs doesn’t increase the risk of varicose veins.” Fortunately, venous insufficiency can be treated fairly easily, usually without hospitalization. “For varicose veins or spider veins that are just a cosmetic concern, the simplest procedure is sclerotherapy. The veins are injected with saline solution or an anesthetic medication that makes them shrink and disappear,” explains Dr. Kamienecki.

Another procedure, called thermal ablation, employs heat to destroy damaged veins. “For this procedure, which is also done in the Radiology Department without hospitalization, the patient is lightly sedated. Thermal energy is then used to close a dominant vein in the leg, rerouting blood to other veins that will carry blood back to the heart,” explains Dr. Kamieniecki. In addition to treating varicose veins, this procedure is used to treat symptoms of leg swelling, achiness and fatigue. “Also, some varicose veins can be removed quickly with a tiny nick in the skin,” he says.

Venous insufficiency can also lead to more serious problems, such as affecting the circulation in the legs enough that the skin turns dark or thickened, indicating a need for medical attention. In these cases, it may be necessary to insert stents to open up veins that have closed, improving the blood flow, a procedure that may require an overnight hospital stay.

Learn more about The Vein Center at Clara Maass Medical Center, or call 888.724.7123.