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Travel Tips For Varicose Veins | Protect Your Legs This Year
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How Traveling Can Affect Your Legs
Even for the most healthy individuals, long rides on an airplane, a train, or in the car can take a toll on your circulatory system. Being seated for hours at a time can cause circulation to slow and blood to pool up in our legs. This can create severe leg pain for those of us dealing with varicose and spider veins. If there is an existing vein issue, traveling can exacerbate the problem.
Travel can also put us at risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) which can be a serious health risk. DVT occurs when blood cells pile up and form a clot. They usually occur in the legs and occasionally cause severe pain and swelling, but sometimes show no symptoms.
Traveling can affect your vein health in the following ways:
- Agitate any existing varicose or spider veins
- Leg pain
- Swelling
- Risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis
What You Can Do To Protect Your Veins During Travel:
Here are some things you can do to minimize the stress put on your circulatory system as you travel:
Move
- When flying, try to walk up and down the aisle every hour.
- If driving, stop the car when possible to get out and walk for a short time.
- Recline your seat and elevate your legs. This will help increase circulation.
- Try to bend your legs and then extend them to help keep them moving.
- Move your feet and toes frequently.
- Keep big bags clear of your foot area so you can stretch out.
- Wear compression socks - an easy and effective solution.
Hydrate
Make sure that you intake plenty of water. This allows your skin to retain its elasticity even when the moisture level inside the airplane cabin runs low. When your body is dehydrated, the skin becomes tight and loses its pliability. This puts added stress on the circulatory system and can make it harder for your veins to do their job properly.
Drinking water also helps keep the vein walls from narrowing. So it's important to remember to avoid caffeine and alcohol during your flight. They have a tendency to dehydrate our bodies and make the problem worse.
Things To Avoid Before Traveling:
- Sleeping pills
- Illegal drugs
- Alcohol
- Tight clothing - especially around the waistline
- Wearing high heel shoes
Anything that slows down your heart rate, or interferes with your circulatory system needs to be avoided. Before we travel, we want to do everything possible to reduce our risk of vein issues and DVT.
What Are The Risks Associated With DVT?
As mentioned, DVT is when a blood clot forms in the deep veins of our body; usually in the legs. They are common among people who have been confined to a bed for a long period of time. People who have been recovering from a surgery or an accident may find themselves at a higher risk for DVT.
While Deep Vein Thrombosis can occur without symptoms, here is a list of signs to look for:
- Warmth in the leg
- Red or discolored skin
- Cramping pain in the leg that starts near the calf
One of the biggest risks with DVT is the threat of Pulmonary Embolism. This is when the clot breaks free and finds its way in to the lungs. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you need to seek medical care immediately:
- Heightened pulse
- Shortness of breath that occurs suddenly
- Chest pains that increase with deep breath or coughing
- Coughing up blood
- Fainting
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
Speak With Your Doctor Before Leaving
Your doctor can help you determine if you are at a higher risk for DVT or other vein issues. They may choose to prescribe blood thinning medication, anti-inflammatory drugs, or medication to help dissolve clots.
Contact Us
If you need to speak with a vein specialist before traveling, give us a call at 9073343347. Or click below.
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