Does Cold Weather Make Varicose Veins Worse?
Winter weather can really do a number on your body. The colder, drier air can leave your skin feeling parched and the shorter days can leave you feeling worn out and stressed. Cold winter weather can also affect your varicose veins. In some cases, the effect on your veins is directly due to the cold. In others, a combination of factors all having to do with winter can make your vein problems worse. Learn more about how winter can affect your veins.
How the Cold Affects Your Varicose Veins
Increased Pressure
If you live in an area that gets any snow during the winter, you’re no stranger to increasing pressure. Interestingly enough, the increased barometric pressure can cause some problems for your veins. The higher pressure puts more weight on your legs, which can make it even more difficult for your veins to pump blood effectively. One vein treatment that can help with increased pressure in the air is wearing compression stocking, which put gentle, upwards pressure on the legs, helping to counteract the effects of weight and gravity.
Less Exercise
Few people want to go out for a run or head out to the gym when the thermometer is hovering around 40 degrees. It’s fairly common for people to become less active in the winter, and that drop in activity can make vein problems worse. Standing or sitting in one place for long periods of time can make varicose veins worse. If you can’t get to the gym on a regular basis this winter, at least make it a point to get up and take a walk up and down the hallway or around your office every hour or so.
More Fats and Carbs in Your Diet
The foods people eat in the winter tend to be heavier than the foods they eat in the summer. Winter meals are often laden with fats, carbs and calories, potentially leading to weight gain as the season drags on. While eating carbs and fats in moderation is OK, it’s also important to make sure you get plenty of healthy foods — such as fruits and vegetables — in your diet throughout the winter.
Drier Skin
The air in the winter tends to be much drier than in the summer. That combined with the drying effects of many heating systems can leave you with skin that’s parched. Parched skin is often itchy skin. If you scratch it, you risk irritating your veins, making any visible veins even more visible. Adding a humidifier to your home or office and making sure that you slather on the moisturizer will help to protect your skin and your veins.
Las Vegas Vein Treatment Options
Along with protecting your skin and veins from the effects of winter, it can be worthwhile to consider vein treatments to get rid of existing varicose veins. At the Desert Vein Institute in Las Vegas, your options include laser vein treatment, sclerotherapy, ClosureFast, and phlebectomy. To learn more about the different Las Vegas Vein Treatment options available, call 702-726-9709 to schedule an appointment today.