Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)
get a leg up on your swelling
Time marches on for everyone. And with it come changes to leg health like CVI. Venous disease is fairly common, with up to 17% of men and 40% of women experiencing it to some degree. It happens for various reasons:
- overweight or obesity places strain on circulatory and lymphatic systems
- DVT (deep vein thrombosis or blood clot) leaves scarring
- congenital malformations or family history
- aging (usually 50s + or sooner if other factors present)
- a leg injury or cellulitis infection
- lifestyle habits like inactivity, smoking
- health concerns like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes
CVI is very responsive to therapy which calms swelling and other symptoms, and slows disease progression. Compression garments are considered a first-line therapy along with lymphatic massage. Based on the level of swelling, combined decongestive therapy may be recommended before compression garments. In some cases, your doctor may look to medications and vein surgery to complement compression therapy.
There are many benefits of care for CVI including:
- increased circulation
- swelling reduction and control
- less pain and inflammation
- improved look and feel of skin
- faster ulcer healing (and less risk of new ulcers)
- lower risk of skin infections like cellulitis
- a return to pain-free movement
when does swelling turn into 'problem' swelling?
Early clues are easy to miss and even dismiss. But as they build, maybe not.
Assessing you FOR CVI
In healthy leg veins one-way valves move blood toward the heart. Weakened and damaged valves let blood flow backwards and pool causing discomfort and swelling. Lymph moving along these now-overloaded veins also backs up, further congesting surrounding tissues. Swelling builds. Symptoms mount.
When deep leg veins struggle with proper circulation they divert blood to perforator and surface veins. The varicose veins you notice and feel are not the onset of CVI, rather a sentinel of deeper issues already underway. Most advanced stages of CVI include a lymphedema component, meaning tissues become increasingly fibrotic and no longer self-repair or spontaneously clear lymph.
We assess venous disease with a health history and physical exam which informs our clinical impressions and guides treatment recommendations. Common symptoms of CVI are:
- Swelling – In foot, ankle, lower leg. Fluctuating in early stages, constant and building later on. Sitting or standing for extended time makes it worse. Elevating your legs brings temporary relief.
- Pain – Heaviness, aching, throbbing, pins and needles, itchiness, tight skin, and leg cramps are frequently experienced.
- Varicose veins
- Skin changes – Skin may be increasingly leathery, flaky, dry. Often with patches and areas that are reddish-brown.
- Ulcers – As CVI advances, venous ulcers form near the ankles that can take 4+ months to heal.
Benefits of MLD therapy for Venous insufficiency
