A New Jersey Vein Expert Presents Four Important Facts about Venous Reflux Disease

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Your legs contain a vast network of blood vessels that make up an important part of your circulatory system. Blood is conveyed to your lower extremities through your arteries, but it is then sent back to the heart and lungs for renewal through your veins. These two types of blood vessels are different in the ways that they work – arteries contain internal muscles that literally "pump" blood, but veins do not, so they rely on the contraction of the muscles that surround them to provide the pumping action.

What makes this work is that veins contain tiny, one-way valves that open as the blood passes through them on the way to the heart, but then close immediately afterwards so that blood doesn't flow backwards and collect in the veins. When these tiny venous valves become diseased, they become "leaky," which allows the blood to flow "backwards." This is called venous reflux.

What you don't know about venous reflux CAN hurt you

Most people don't know much about venous reflux disease, so in this article a top vein doctor in Bergen County presents a few facts you should be aware of:

1.    Venous reflux is the most common cause of varicose veins. Pressure builds up when faulty venous valves allow blood to flow back into your veins and collect there, so they swell and become enlarged. If these veins are superficial (meaning close to the surface of the skin, as opposed to deeper in your legs), they may become visible on your legs as they take on the bluish-purple color of deoxygenated blood. It is estimated that 30 million people in the US alone develop varicose veins every year because of venous reflux.

2.    Venous reflux is highly correlated to age, gender, and heredity. That is, your risk for developing this disease is higher if you are female, and if you are over 50. As a result, 72% of women and 42% of men will develop venous reflux and varicose veins by the time they are in their 60s. Another factor that makes you more at risk for venous reflux disease is genetics – if one of your parents had varicose veins, you have a 60% chance of getting them if you're female, and a 20% chance if you're male. If both of your parents had varicose veins, you have a 90% chance of getting them yourself, whatever your gender.

3.    Venous reflux disease is progressive. It doesn't go away or "get better on its own" if you don't seek treatment – it gets worse. Left untreated, varicose veins will lead to chronically swollen legs and ankles so painful that it becomes difficult to even walk or stand for more than a few minutes, and can cause your legs to be covered with bleeding sores that won't heal.

4.    Treatment options for venous reflux disease exist. And they're fast, easy, painless, and so safe that you can have your varicose veins removed in about an hour in the comfort of your local vein treatment center in New Jersey.

To find out more about venous reflux disease, varicose veins, and the modern, minimally-invasive treatments offered by Chuback Medical Group, spend some time on our website at http://www.chubackmedical.com/ or give us a call at 201-693-4847 to schedule an appointment with our New Jersey vein expert for a venous health screening.