Swollen Ankles
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Swollen Ankles |
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VEINS ST. PETERSBURG, LARGO, ISLA DEL SOL, PALM HARBOR, & SUN CITY CENTER SEE OUR LEARNING VIDEOS CONTACT OUR OFFICES HOW TO GET HERE BLUE FEET CORONA PHLEBECTASIA MYTHS DANGERS OF DOING NOTHING ABOUT YOUR VEINS! PRESENTATION: VEINS VALVES: THE CAUSE OF LEG VEIN PROBLEMS VEINS ST. PETERSBURG INVESTIGATIONS TREATMENTS ACHING, TIRED, HEAVY LEGS NOCTURNAL CRAMPING NIGHT CRAMPS & 'CHARLEY HORSES' SWOLLEN ANKLES VARICOSE VEINS SPIDER VEINS "SECONDARY" RESTLESS LEG SYMPTOMS SKIN CHANGES OF VENOUS DISEASE FEAR & IGNORANCE LINKS TO INFORMATION & SPANISH SITE |
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Swollen
Ankles:
The systems
of veins are like upside-down trees. The valves in the 'trunk' act as
scaffolds, little platforms that hold up the weight of the column of blood above
when you are upright. When these valves fail (genetics, age, standing
occupation, pregnancy, injury), all the vessels below are under
pressure...holding up the column of blood. The 'branches' of this upside-down
tree dilate and become varicose veins inside (9 of 10) the leg and sometimes on
the surface of the leg causing aching, tired and painful legs. The 'twigs' of
this upside-down tree are the capillaries. These are fragile vessels and they
are not designed for this increased venous pressure. On the surface of the leg
they can dilate to form spider veins and purple discoloration at the ankles and
inside arch of the foot. Inside the leg, these 'twigs', capillaries, leak
fluid, protein and blood cells all day while you are upright. This causes
swollen
ankles (edema), sickened skin (red/brown discoloration, itching, burning,
scaling and even ulceration) and, at night as this fluid returns, patients often
have cramps/'Charley Horses'). In our office, we fix this condition by gently
closing the malfunctioning 'trunk' with laser.....the blood goes naturally
through the 'perforators' and other alternate pathways to the deep system,
improving its flow and lessening the chance of deep clots, and the surface is
relieved of this pressure....varicosities shrink (pain relief) and the
capillaries stop leaking fluid (relief of swelling, skin conditions and cramps).
