insideKENT Magazine Issue 67 - October 2017 | Page 116

HEALTH+WELLNESS “I’M NOT OVERWEIGHT SO WHY DO I HAVE VARICOSE VEINS?” ONE OF THE MOST COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT VARICOSE VEINS IS THAT SLIM PEOPLE DON’T GET THEM. THE DOCTORS AT COODEN MEDICAL GROUP’S CANTERBURY CLINIC EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Dr Mo Faris We normally associate varicose veins with older, overweight people. But being young, slim and fit doesn’t mean you are exempt – even Olympic athletes have been affected! Varicose veins are caused by faulty valves. As you are probably aware, arteries take fresh, oxygenated blood around the body, while veins bring it back to the heart. Each vein has a series of one-way valves which allow blood to flow through them towards the heart, but not backwards away from the heart. Sometimes however, these valves don’t close as well as they should and blood leaks back down the veins. Over a period of time, the vein wall loses its elasticity and becomes distorted, often bulging through the skin. We don’t really know what causes the valves in some people’s veins to leak, but family history seems to be one of the biggest risk factors. If one of your parents has varicose veins t hen don’t be too surprised if you develop them yourself and if both your parents have them, you should be even more surprised if you don’t get them! Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do to prevent them – if you are destined to get varicose veins, then you will. You then have a choice between putting up with them or having them treated. Varicose veins don’t usually cause problems so if you 116 are unconcerned by their appearance you may choose to live with them. However some people experience discomfort, swelling and itching, particularly at night, which can make life a bit miserable. The good news is that modern treatment for varicose veins is quick and very effective. Gone are the days when you had to go into hospital for a full-blown operation only for them to “reappear” at a later date. These days we use cutting edge technology such as lasers which can pinpoint the offending vein and destroy it from the inside, never to be seen again. This procedure, known as Endovenous Laser Ablation or EVLA for short, takes minutes and there’s no need for a general anaesthetic so you don’t have to go into hospital. EVLA and other minimally invasive treatments are carried out in clinics by specialist doctors – usually Venous Surgeons and Interventional Radiologists. They will recommend the best treatment for you and make sure you know what to expect. Finally, although we said that being slim and fit doesn’t stop varicose veins developing, being a healthy weight plays a big part in your recovery. In fact, part of the recommended recovery plan is walking as much as you can, so after treatment you may find that not only have your varicose veins gone, but you are fitter and slimmer too. For more information take a look at www.coodenmedicalgroup.com The Cooden Medical Group Canterbury Clinic All Health Matters Orchard Close Mews Orchard Street Canterbury CT2 8AP 01227 903038 [email protected] coodenmedicalgroup.com/clinics/canterbury CoodenMedical coodenmedicalgroup