September is Vascular Awareness Month, which serves as an important reminder to pay attention to our venous and vascular health. In honor of the month, we spoke with Steffanie Durkin, PA-C to discuss the importance of venous disease management.
Venous disease is any disease that affects veins in the body. This includes the presence of varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency and deep vein thrombosis.
Symptoms of venous diseases
Symptoms of venous diseases may include leg swelling, bulging veins, leg discomfort and heaviness or fatigue-like feelings in the legs. “The legs may feel tired, especially after a long day of standing on your feet or activity,” explains Steffanie Durkin, PA-C, MS, who treats patients with venous diseases at CU Medicine Vascular Surgery – Aurora.
How venous diseases progress over time
Venous diseases are highly prevalent, with around 30 million American adults suffering from some form of the disease. However, according to the Society for Vascular Surgery, only about 10% of that population receives treatment. Durkin wants patients to understand the risks of letting venous diseases progress. “Venous disease only gets worse over time. It doesn’t get better on its own or heal itself,” shares Durkin.
While symptoms can be kept at bay with conservative measures, venous diseases will continue to progress over time and can lead to skin staining and venous wounds or ulcers. Additionally, untreated venous diseases can result in decreased mobility, pain, bleeding and infections.
Risk factors for developing venous diseases are:
- Hereditary factors
- Being overweight
- Pregnancy
- Being female
- Sitting or standing for long periods of time
- Smoking
- Taking hormones
Treating venous diseases
Venous disease management has been recorded since the fourth century, with Greek illustrations of varicose veins on an ancient tablet at the base of Acropolis in Athens. The good news is that modern medicine, such as the technology at CU Medicine Vascular Surgery – Aurora, can provide relief with expert surgeries and minimally invasive treatments.
One minimally invasive treatment Durkin uses is called endovenous radiofrequency ablation. This same-day procedure allows her to access a diseased vein through a small site and treat the vein from the inside. “It takes about an hour or so depending on the specifics of the procedure, and patients can walk out of the office after treatment,” explains Durkin.
While venous disease and varicose veins are often benign, providers like Durkin have great options for treatments when symptoms are present, such as discomfort and pain. Learn more about CU Medicine Vascular Surgery – Aurora here.