What is a vein disorder?
A vein disorder, or vascular disease, means damage within the veins that convey blood through your body. Normally, blood travels down to your feet, delivering oxygen and nutrients before returning to the heart. If you have a vein disorder, there's a problem somewhere in that process.
Some types of vein disorders affecting the feet include:
- Peripheral arterial disease — leg artery narrowing
- May-Thurner Syndrome — iliac artery compression
- Chronic venous insufficiency — vein valve malfunction
- Deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot in a deep vein
Because your feet are the most distant point from your heart, they're often the first area where symptoms of vein disorders appear.
The skilled podiatry team at Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, PA, often sees the signs of vein disorders before you might notice them or even before your medical doctor does.
What are the symptoms of vein disorders?
Vein disorder symptoms can vary by individual, but common issues include:
- Leg, foot, or toe pain
- Leg tiredness
- Leg cramping
- Cold feet
- Skin darkening or discoloration around ankles or feet
- Slow-healing wounds on your feet
- Nonhealing ulcers on your ankles
- Hair loss on your legs and feet
The symptoms of vein disorders can be subtle at first. Over time, however, the problems might worsen significantly.
How can my podiatrist treat vein disorders?
The Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, PA, team skillfully assesses vein problems within your feet using ankle-brachial index tests (ABI).
The ABI test checks your ankle blood pressure compared to your arm blood pressure, so it can determine whether you have a vein disorder. The team may also do other testing to determine how advanced your vein damage is.
After diagnosing your vein disorder, the team works with you to find the right approach. Often, treatment of vein disorders includes lifestyle interventions like stopping smoking, changing your diet, and exercising more.
If you have foot and ankle problems like slow-healing wounds or ulcers related to vein disorders, the team also uses advanced wound care treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy to heal you.
For vein disorder care from the best podiatrists in the greater Fort Lauderdale area, call Advanced Foot, Ankle, & Wound Specialists, PA, or schedule an appointment online today.
