Because Guys Get Vein Problems, Too!

A man's leg with spider veins.

You spend all day on your feet and it might be starting to take its toll. You have some kind of dry itchy skin near your ankles, maybe some pain and swelling in your legs and ankles, perhaps you think your veins are starting to bulge, and maybe twist. You’ve dealt with it this long, but you’re starting to wonder what’s happening beneath the surface.

While there may be many explanations, the professionals at the Vein Clinic of Greater Kansas City can help get to the bottom of things.

A Vein Clinic?

Your symptoms could be an indication of varicose veins or other vein disorders. You may not of have heard much about varicose veins from other men, but factors such as heredity, leg trauma, and spending all day on your feet can lead to vein disorders in anyone.

Related Read: Vein Treatment at Any Age

Do Men Really Get Varicose Veins?

While we do find that vein issues tend to strike women in larger numbers, we still see plenty of men that come into our offices for treatment. There seems to be a stigma out there that vein issues only happen among older women, but really they can strike anyone at anytime.

According to the Society of Interventional Radiology, approximately half of the U.S. population has venous disease—50 to 55 percent of women and 40 to 45 percent of men. Of these, 20 to 25 percent of the women and 10 to 15 percent of men will have visible varicose veins. Men’s risk of developing vein disorders is just slightly lower than women’s.

Why Fewer Men Seek Vein Treatment

Quite often we find that men seek treatment less often than women despite the fact that many of them suffer from the symptoms for long periods of time. It’s not that men experience vein symptoms differently than women, they are relatively the same – leg aching, tingling, tired and heavy legs, swelling of the legs, skin discolorations and ulceration.

We believe that many men either don’t think that what they are experiencing is a vein issue that needs treatment, or they are embarrassed to seek treatment.

When men do come into our clinic for treatment, their disease has often progressed much further than when many women come in. We encourage men to seek help if they find themselves experiencing any of the symptoms listed above.

The sooner you seek help, the sooner you can get the proper treatment for your situation and start feeling better. You’ll often end up with better results when treated earlier and save yourself a lot of suffering.

Related Read: Don’t Avoid Your Vein Issue: 5 Complications of Putting Off Treatment

What Can You Do about Varicose Veins?

An online search will tell you to ditch the heels and start wearing sensible flats. But for most of the men we see, that’s just not helpful. Perhaps the phrase “compression hose” keeps ringing in your ears, and while that’s an options, it’s important to know about all of the choices. Check out a few things you can do to keep veins healthy and avoid varicose veins:

Keep the Blood Flowing

Exercise can make sure the blood is circulating from your legs and feet back up to your heart.

If you have to sit or stand, keep blood from pooling by moving around a little. You can also:

  • Talk short walks after long periods of sitting.
  • Raise those legs (or lie down) to give your legs a break.
  • Watch your sodium intake for vein health.

You can also get some sweet athletic compression shorts. (They sound cooler than “hose.”) We recommend compression garments, both for after treatment and as a preventative measure, and can help with selecting them.

vein doctor treating man with varicose veins in legsTreatment Options

There are a number of procedures to manage problematic veins:

  • Radio Frequency Ablation and Laser Vein Ablation to shrink and seal problem veins.
  • Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical procedure for when an ablation is not an option.
  • Ambulatory Phlebectomy which only takes a few hours and doesn’t require downtime or stitches.

However, sometimes home remedies are simply not enough. Men who choose to put off seeking professional help and treatment risk their condition worsening and other health complications.

Stop putting off treatment, and call us today at (913) 541-3377 for a consultation. Find out what vein treatment options might be right for you.