Is your Foot Swelling?

Do you suffer from swelling in your feet, ankles or legs? This may be due to venous insufficiency. Circulation through your body is controlled much like a pump system. As blood travels from your upper body down to your toes it is assisted by gravity. However, once it gets down to your toes, how on Earth is it going to get back? Well, this is where your pump system comes in. As you walk throughout the day, your muscles help to push the blood back up to your heart. While the blood is moving up, there are little valves inside your veins that open and close to prevent the blood from slipping back down to your toes. Now, in an ideal situation, this system works pretty flawlessly. But, as we get older, our veins may stretch leading to insufficiency of these valves because they aren’t able to get the tight seal they once could. So, as a result we can end up with varicose veins that are dilated and aren’t as efficient as the veins we once had.

So, what can cause varicose veins? Well, there are a whole slew of things. Obesity, pregnancy, prolonged standing and just plain aging can all lead to these larger veins. So, here’s the better question, what do we do about them? There are a few simple everyday things that you can do that will greatly reduce the swelling in your legs. The first thing you can do is very easy, just elevate your legs. By putting your legs up higher, you are allowing gravity to assist your valves and return the blood back to your heart. Compression stockings will also help, because they will provide more pressure evenly on your legs to assist the blood. As far as lifestyle changes, losing weight will help reduce the pressure on your veins and walking will assist your muscles.

Now, here’s the trouble with swelling, it can be a result of many different things, including infection, heart failure and blockage. So, it is very important that when you notice swelling in either or both of your feet, ankles or legs that you visit your doctor immediately. It is important that your condition be assessed so that the proper steps can be taken to take care of your condition. If you experience any of the above symptoms, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Dr. Wachtel serves the Middleton, Stoneham, Chelmsford and Lowell, Massachusetts areas.