AGE AND CVI: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Experiencing leg pain in Portland? If this pain has been going on for quite a while, consider consulting with a specialist. You may be experiencing chronic venous insufficiency or CVI.

CVI can afflict anyone. However, age and genetics are huge contributing factors that may increase your risk of having it. Women aged 50 and older are more likely to develop CVI and if you have family members who suffer from CVI, there is a greater chance of you developing CVI as well.

Aside from persistent leg pain, CVI symptoms include:

–       Varicose veins

–       Swelling in ankles or legs

–       Tight calves

–       Itchy legs

–       Leg pain while walking that goes away after resting

–       Brownish skin near the ankles

–       Persistent leg ulcers

Properly diagnosing CVI is very important. A vein specialist will perform various tests to confirm this condition and it’s important not to resort to self diagnosis. Leg pain could be caused by a myriad of conditions, from sciatica, peripheral vascular disease, a simple sprain, to a more serious disease like multiple sclerosis. Make sure to consult a experienced medical professional to be sure.

CVI Treatment

In recent years, minimally invasive treatments have made it possible to relieve CVI symptoms, such as Venefit.

Venefit

Venefit is a state of the art, minimally invasive procedure which applies radiofrequency energy to precisely treat CVI symptoms. With Venefit, the vein doctor inserts a catheter to collapse then close dysfunctional leg veins, which causes blood to re-route to healthy veins. Venefit is considered less painful than other treatments, minimizing bruising as well. The Venefit procedure is quick: it’s done in the doctor’s office within an hour and patients can immediately go back after a few days.

As we age, it feels like the risk of more and more problems gets higher and higher. Fortunately, solutions are being developed all the time. If you have leg discomfort, talk to a vein doctor about options.