Many people want to find alternative medicinal strategies to treat various ailments. Some people rely on holistic remedies such as herbs and essential oils to address everyday aches, pains, and illnesses that come with life. One aspect of our health that can be easy to forget about as we age is our vein health, and finding natural remedies for venous diseases can be challenging. Some people believe that taking multivitamins can solve most of their health problems, but the true answer to this question can be complicated. Here at Suffolk Vein and Vascular, we work hard to provide you with comprehensive treatment strategies to help ease your vascular discomfort. If you’re wondering if taking vitamins can help improve your vein health, here are a few things that play a role in the answer and how our offices can help.
Is Your Diet Healthy?
Your diet can play a crucial role in your vein health. A high salt, fat, and cholesterol diet contributes to many vein issues. If you want to take better care of your veins, it’s essential for you to avoid foods such as:
Processed meats
Fried foods
Refined carbohydrates
Alcohol
Canned goods
Reducing or eliminating these food items can help get you on track toward healthier veins.
Can Multivitamins Do The Trick?
Again, many people believe that multivitamins are the answer to their vein concerns. Although multivitamins can help you access essential minerals your body needs, they aren’t always the answer for treating every condition, especially venous diseases. Research suggests regular consumption of vitamins C, K, and E can help with circulation. However, taking vitamins should not be relied on to treat progressive stages of venous disease.
Treating Poor Vein Health
If you deal with venous issues such as spider veins, varicose veins, and other issues, it’s essential to speak with a professional. Suffolk Vein and Vascular offer patients many minimally-invasive treatments to help you eliminate troublesome and unsightly veins. Also, our professionals can provide the guidance you need to help you make sound lifestyle choices, including diet and exercise to help protect your veins. To learn more about the treatment options at your disposal, please get in touch with us and schedule a consultation at one of our 3 locations by calling us at (631) 476-9100.
As our bodies change with age, many aches and pains come with it. You may experience more pain in your joints, such as your knees, shoulders, and elbows, as well as other areas of the body. Another change we must be mindful of is how our bodies handle our circulation. In some cases, circulation can change to the point where it is no longer as efficient as it once was, which can cause you to experience sensations of pain. If you’ve been dealing with aching veins, there could be several causes for your discomfort, and our office can help you uncover them.
Here are a few reasons you may be experiencing vascular pain and what we can do to help.
Coronary Artery Disease
If you haven’t led a heart-healthy lifestyle, you may be at risk for developing complications such as Coronary Artery Disease. This condition can have far-reaching effects on the body, such as compromised blood flow. When this happens, it’s a sign that your arteries are narrow, making it more challenging for blood to flow to your heart as it should. If left unchecked, coronary artery disease can expose you to various dangerous symptoms, such as shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, and heart attack. If you find yourself experiencing symptoms like these, it’s essential to speak with a professional as soon as possible.
Peripheral Artery Disease
Do your legs hurt when you walk? It could signify that you’re experiencing symptoms of peripheral artery disease. Similar to Coronary Artery Disease, Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) also causes the blood vessels to narrow and constrict the flow to the heart. Discomfort is commonly felt in the calf muscles, but patients can experience pain in other parts of the leg, such as in the thighs and hips. If not treated, PAD can lead to gangrene and make amputation necessary.
Obesity
Your weight is another factor that can contribute to problems with circulation. Being obese can cause your circulation to slow down because of increased pressure in your veins from plaque buildup. If your circulation slows down, it can adversely affect your heart and cause complications like a heart attack or heart disease.
The good news is that you have someone in your corner ready to help your circulation perform at its best. Here at Suffolk Vein and Vascular, we specialize in treating many venous deficiencies and can provide you with innovative and minimally invasive treatments to help restore your quality of life. However, the first step is to schedule a consultation with one of our three offices to see what works best for your situation. Please call us at (631) 476-9100 to schedule your consultation.
Varicose veins can be an unsightly problem for many people. In most instances, varicose veins present themselves on the legs of those who suffer from them. Many treatments help patients deal with varicose veins in their legs, so finding varicose veins in unusual places, such as the pelvis can be unsettling.
While it may seem like pelvic varicose veins are challenging to treat, Suffolk Vein and Vascular has strategies to help address the issue to help you look and feel your best. Here are a few causes for pelvic varicose veins and how we can treat them.
Causes of Pelvic Varicose Veins
Pelvic varicose veins come as a surprise to many people and have several causes. One of the common reasons that pelvic varicose veins present themselves is from being overweight. Rapid weight gain can create additional pressure on the veins that surround the pelvis. The extra stress causes blood to pool in the veins, expanding and weakening the venous walls. After this, the enlarged veins become visible underneath the skin, presenting as pelvic varicose veins.
Another factor that can cause pelvic varicose veins is pregnancy.
Pelvic varicose veins can present themselves during pregnancy for several reasons. Among the most common are the rapid weight gain and hormonal changes that expected mothers experience while carrying their unborn babies. Also, pregnant women can develop varicose veins from increased blood flow and additional pressure on the body’s most prominent vein, the inferior vena cava (IFC).
Other cases of pelvic varicose veins include genetics, prolonged sitting, and repeated pregnancies.
Treating Pelvic Varicose Veins
Pelvic varicose veins come with many symptoms, some of which can be debilitating enough to disrupt your quality of life. Although pelvic varicose veins are rarely life-threatening, they can be uncomfortable. Symptoms of pelvic varicose veins can include
Mood Swings
Fatigue
Severe pain during menstruation
Back pain
Vaginal discharge
If you suffer from pelvic varicose veins, our office is happy to help. We offer a minimally invasive procedure called embolization to eliminate unhealthy veins. The procedure eliminates the vein by injecting a solution that causes the diseased vein to collapse and be absorbed by the body slowly. Once this happens, healthy veins replace the diseased vein in circulation, restoring healthy blood flow.
An embolization procedure typically takes around 30 minutes to complete, allowing you to resume normal activities quickly. The results of an embolization procedure can vary, but many patients have a positive response to treatment.
If you want to learn more about embolization for your pelvic varicose veins, please reach out to our office. Schedule a consultation at one of our 3 locations by calling us today at (631) 476-9100.
It can be unsettling to experience pain in your veins. Whether the discomfort is mild or severe, it can be worrisome not to know the reason why you’re in pain. Several conditions could be culprits behind your discomfort, and identifying the right one is a crucial first step in your recovery. If you’ve experienced pain in your veins, here are a few possible causes and what you can do to treat them.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
The veins are essential in circulating oxygen-rich blood and nutrients throughout the body. Sometimes, the veins struggle to move blood properly, causing it to flow backward toward the extremities, compromising your body’s ability to receive nutrients. This condition is known as Chronic Venous Insufficiency or CVI. Chronic Venous Insufficiency can cause pressure to build in your veins, making them ache, burn, or itch.
CVI requires many lifestyle changes combined with therapy and medications to help restore normal blood flow.
Peripheral Artery Disease
Another condition that can cause trouble is peripheral artery disease. Several factors can contribute to developing peripheral artery disease, which can include
Age
Injury to the arms or legs
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
Atherosclerosis
PAD can compromise blood flow, causing your organs to miss out on oxygen and essential nutrients. Those who suffer from PAD site pain as one of the significant symptoms that they experience. Typical methods for diagnosing PAD begin with a physical exam from your doctor to assess your symptoms. Next, your doctor may use a doppler flow, angiogram, or other tools to determine if your symptoms are consistent with PAD.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Have you had sudden severe headaches and aches in your arms and legs? It could indicate a severe underlying issue called Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT. Deep vein thrombosis symptoms require immediate attention to keep dangerous complications at bay. If left untreated, DVT can lead to
Seizures
Abdominal pain
Enlarged veins
Discolored skin
Many cases of DVT present themselves in patients who have a family history of the condition, and your doctor can perform a series of tests to confirm a diagnosis and design a treatment plan that fits your needs, such as medications and compression therapy.
Do you have questions about your vein health? We would love to help! Please schedule a consultation at any of our three locations by calling us today at (631) 476-9100.
People who visit us for vein treatment often come to their appointments complaining of varicose veins or spider veins. Often, where there is one, there is the other. The reason is simple, both varicose veins and spider veins are symptoms of venous insufficiency. This underlying condition is one in which a vein or veins get weak. The vein may widen with excessive internal pressure or one or more of the valves in a vein no longer closes properly. Like other parts of the body, the venous valves can wear out somewhat due to a lifetime spent working 24/7. When a valve does not close all the way, blood that should be moving up and out of the leg instead moves backward. This may only be a little bit of blood at a time but, over months or years, the volume becomes enough to make the vein swollen and twisted. Once the valve has stopped closing efficiently, the pooling of blood becomes a chronic problem. If you know you are at risk of venous insufficiency and its spider and varicose veins, you need to know what to do to manage your condition well. If you do, you might be able to avoid needing periodic treatment to remove problem veins.
Do you have venous insufficiency?
If you see webs of tiny, squiggly purple, blue, and red veins on your legs, you may immediately recognize them as spider veins. This is relatively easy. Varicose veins, however, may go unnoticed for a time. Most people, when asked about the symptoms of varicose veins, answer that the veins bulge visibly. This is true, but visibility is not the only sign of varicose veins. In fact, other symptoms may occur before you ever see a bump on your skin from the swollen vein. These symptoms include:
Leg cramps or aching
Tingling or itching above the varicose vein
Unexplained skin discoloration that does not go away
Pain when standing that improves when the legs are elevated
Restless legs syndrome
A feeling of fatigue or heaviness in the legs
Venous insufficiency can become a chronic and frustrating problem if not managed well. At the first indication that a vein may not be functioning properly, it is highly beneficial to implement a few lifestyle habits.
Move Your Body More
You don’t have to be an avid fitness enthusiast to reap the rewards of daily movement. Many people find the idea of hours in a gym unthinkable and entirely unpleasant. Fortunately, the kind of exercise that is good for varicose veins is not the kind of exercise fitness gurus rave about. If you have varicose veins, what your doctor would like for you to do is walk. That’s it. Walking can do wonders for the efficient flow of blood through the legs. When you walk, your calf muscles contract and press on the veins as needed to pump blood upwards. To make the most of this lifestyle habit, walk for at least 30 minutes, at least five days a week. To increase the beneficial effects of walking, add some incline to the mix. Walking up and down even mild hills can change the way that the leg muscles contract.
Now, there are specific exercises that can be done to improve venous insufficiency. These target the calf muscles and can be done standing up, in a seated position, or lying down. They can be done in just a few minutes a day and, in some instances, even throughout the day while you’re sitting at a desk. Some examples include sitting with the feet flat on the floor and raising and lowering the heels to engage the calf muscles. Additional exercises for varicose veins can be found online.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Bodyweight is supported primarily by the legs. When there is too much weight to be supported, the veins may weaken under excessive pressure. The good news about this recommendation to manage weight is that it can be done in part by increasing physical activity. The walking that is recommended for vein health can also help you lose or maintain the best weight for your body frame. Additional tactics to manage weight may need to include some dietary changes. This can be made easier by joining a subscription-based diet program or by using a convenient smartphone app that tracks calories and other nutrients. One of the simplest ways to start losing weight is to trade take-out food for homecooked meals that consist primarily of lean meat or other healthy protein and fresh vegetables.
Limit Salt Intake
Like weight management is supported by increasing physical activity, limiting salt intake can be supported by making healthier food choices. The tricky thing about salt intake is that people who don’t add salt to their meals might think they don’t consume too much. These same people may eat packaged and processed foods every day, though, and these might contain significant amounts of sodium, which is the same thing as salt. Sodium is an ingredient used in crackers and cookies and chips. It may be found in cereals and is a component of soda, too. By changing dietary habits to include primarily fresh, whole foods, the issue of salt becomes easier to manage.
Elevate the Legs
Elevation is your legs’ best friend if you have venous insufficiency. When you lie down and rest your legs up on a wall or resting on the seat of a sofa or chair, the blood that has pooled is helped out. Elevation with the feet above the level of the heart removes the gravitational force that blood must work against to get back to the heart. Depending on your situation, you may want to elevate your legs at least once a day.
Vein health is a vital aspect of daily comfort. To consult with a vascular specialist about various vein treatments, contact Suffolk Vascular & Vein. We have offices in Port Jefferson Station, Hauppauge, and Riverhead, NY.
For the vast majority of women, aching and cramping in the pelvic area are typically associated with menstruation. However, for some women, these symptoms persist day after day, sometimes for decades. The cause could be hiding in plain sight. From our perspective, we often see chronic pelvic pain as a sign of pelvic congestion syndrome. This condition usually affects women of childbearing age, and it may present a host of unpleasant symptoms aside from pain. These include:
Heavy menstrual bleeding
Pain in the low back and legs
Painful intercourse
Frequent urination
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
The symptoms of pelvic congestion syndrome occur because one or more pelvic veins have narrowed. This inhibits venous blood flow through the pelvic area to the lower extremities. Blood pressure increases in the pelvic venous system, resulting in discomfort. The most common underlying cause for pelvic congestion syndrome is the patient’s anatomy. The internal structure of the body, specifically the pelvic area, can make some people more susceptible to what is commonly referred to as pelvic varicose veins. The iliac vein and iliac artery cross in the pelvis. The artery is thicker and more muscular so can compress against the vein. Surgical procedures to the hip or pelvic area could also be a factor in the development of this condition.
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome Diagnosis and Treatment
Any person who experiences chronic pelvic pain, which lasts six months or more, should consult with their primary care physician. If pelvic pain coincides with other signs of venous insufficiency, such as varicose veins in the lower extremities, a vascular specialist should be consulted. A specialist conducts a comprehensive consultation, review of symptoms, and medical history. Diagnostic imaging may be ordered or performed in the office. This usually involves non-invasive ultrasound or venous scans, which present a clear observation of blood moving through the pelvic venous system.
If venous stenosis (narrowing) is found, treatment focuses on widening the pathway for venous circulation through the pelvis to the lower extremities to relieve hypertension and uncomfortable symptoms. Pelvic congestion syndrome may be treated with medication or a minimally invasive procedure. The specialist may first prescribe hormone therapy to control blood flow more efficiently. Surgical intervention, if needed, may include angioplasty, with or without stenting. Angioplasty is a very common vascular procedure that dilates (widens) a circulatory pathway. If the affected vein is too weak, the vascular surgeon places a mesh tube into the vein to hold it open. Stents are considered permanent and necessary in some cases.
Suffolk Vascular & Vein Center is proud to serve the areas of Port Jefferson Station, Hauppauge, and Riverhead, NY. Contact us today for more information or to schedule your consultation.
It is estimated that 1 out of every 58 American adults has atherosclerosis. This vascular condition occurs when fatty plaques adhere to the walls of coronary arteries. Buildup of arterial plaques causes the arteries to narrow and, over time, harden. Thus, atherosclerosis is aptly referred to as “hardening or narrowing of the arteries.” Atherosclerosis not only impedes blood flow to certain areas of the body, such as the heart, it also increases the risk of stroke via a blood clot dislodging from an artery. For these reasons, it is essential that patients diagnosed with this condition seek proper management care. Here, we discuss a few.
Lifestyle Changes for Atherosclerosis
One of the very best things a person can do to manage their atherosclerosis is to take a good, hard look at their lifestyle habits. Multiple studies have shown that lifestyle modifications can slow or even reverse some of the plaque formation that has occurred. Suggestions include:
Eat a heart-healthy diet. The risk factors associated with atherosclerosis can be brought under control by eating for a healthy heart and regulated blood sugar. A heart-healthy diet generally includes whole grains and soluble fiber, fresh fruits, and vegetables. It is low in sodium, trans fats and saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates.
Make movement a priority. A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other potentially serious conditions. Daily exercise, even if only a 30 to 45 minute walk, helps the body receive and utilize oxygen more efficiently. Ideally, exercise will increase breathing and heart rate for at least 30 minutes at one time.
Avoid smoking and tobacco use. The chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco products have been shown to damage the arteries and inhibit oxygen use.
Learn to manage stress. The average American lifestyle is relatively stressful. We are a productive bunch, and most people have a difficult time slowing down and caring for health and wellness, especially when it involves sleep and rest. To manage heart health, though, it is essential to manage stress well. Techniques like yoga, meditation, walking in nature, and deep breathing can help.
Lifestyle changes are often the first recommendation given to patients diagnosed with atherosclerosis. A doctor may also prescribe medication to slow or reverse this condition. If lifestyle and medications do not improve cholesterol and arterial health, surgery such as angioplasty or endocardectomy may be necessary. Minor surgical procedures work by removing the blockages that have developed.
Suffolk Vascular & Vein Center provides treatment for the full spectrum of arterial disease. Contact us to schedule an appointment at our Hauppauge, Port Jefferson Station, or Riverhead location.
Peripheral artery disease, called PAD for short, can be a chronic condition that leads to debilitation if not properly managed. Statistics tell us that about 9 million Americans have peripheral artery disease, making it an important topic of discussion for all adults. At Suffolk Vascular and Vein Center, we provide the most conservative care possible to patients living with peripheral artery disease and also discuss how they may manage their condition on their own when appropriate.
Understanding Peripheral Artery Disease
PAD is a disease that involves the circulatory system. It occurs when the extremities farthest from the heart, the feet and legs, don’t receive the nutrients and oxygenation needed for adequate function. While we usually see peripheral artery disease in these lower extremities, symptoms may occur elsewhere. One reason that PAD may develop is that the heart does not pump the blood forcefully enough to reach the distal extremities. Another is that the arteries that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body are coated with arterial plaque. This plaque is formed of cholesterol, fatty deposits, and calcium.
Factors that can contribute to the onset of peripheral artery disease include:
Age. PAD is usually diagnosed in adults over age 50.
Sedentary lifestyle.
An unhealthy diet that is high in fatty foods.
Diabetes.
Obesity.
Smoking.
Symptoms of PAD
The symptoms of PAD may look slightly different in every case. The following may range from mild to severe:
Leg pain, usually in the calf area
Discoloration of the skin in the leg or foot
Leg cramps while sitting or standing
Slower toenail or hair growth
Constant coldness, only one leg or foot
Open leg sores that fail to heal
Treating Peripheral Artery Disease
Regardless of how mild the symptoms of peripheral artery disease are, they should not be ignored. When an appropriate diagnosis is made, the condition may respond well to conservative care, such as lifestyle modifications. Even if medical intervention is necessary, patients may support optimal results by increasing their physical activity. A 45-minute walk each day is sufficient to boost circulation and potentially ease PAD symptoms. Additionally, patients are encouraged to reduce their intake of fatty foods, sugar, and processed foods and increase the consumption of fresh vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein. Smoking should be strictly avoided.
We are proud to serve the Hauppauge, Port Jefferson, and Riverhead NY areas. Contact us today to schedule your consultation to discuss treatment options for peripheral artery disease.
The signs of a blood clot depend on the type of clot and where it forms in your body. Deep vein thrombosis is indicated by clots that are located deep within the veins of your body, and they do not move from that location. An embolism is a clot that has broken free and travels elsewhere in your body, often to the brain or lungs.
The initial signs of a clot are not always obvious:
Swelling
Skin is warm to the touch
Pain and tenderness
Redness
The symptoms above would most commonly appear in the legs, thigh, pelvis, and abdomen. If you have a clot in your leg, the calf of that leg may appear red and swollen when you compare it to your other leg. The skin may feel warm to the touch.
These symptoms could very well be linked to another health issue, so it is important to talk to your doctor if you are concerned. You know your body the best. Seek diagnosis for anything that is concerning or unusual.
More severe symptoms of blood clot are often what set off alarms for the people experiencing them:
Chest pain
Pain when taking a deep breath
Coughing up blood
Rapid heartbeat
Weakness in your limbs or face
Difficulty speaking
Sudden, crushing headache
These symptoms could indicate an embolism or another life-threatening health problem. You should seek emergency medical treatment if you experience them.
Symptoms can be highly variable, and sometimes the person experiencing the symptoms mistakes what they are feeling for something else. It’s important to contact your doctor – or the emergency room, if necessary – if something feels wrong to you. Diagnosing and treating a blood clot early is an important part of avoiding the most severe repercussions.
If you are searching for experienced vascular doctors and vascular surgeons in Riverhead, Port Jefferson, or Hauppauge, NY, please contact Suffolk Vascular & Vein Center to arrange a consultation. For people with blood clots that need to be treated, our experienced doctors utilize effective techniques for the given situation. Treatment may include blood thinners, drugs to remove clots, or surgery to remove clots.
Peripheral arterial disease makes walking and physical activity downright painful. You may find that you’ve become far less mobile as the aches and pains of PAD strike every time you walk. Fortunately, treatments exist for your stage of PAD, even if it has progressed to a severe stage. Consult our experienced vascular doctors to find out what your options are for restoring your quality of life and preventing further complications.
Atherosclerosis – the buildup of plaque in the artery walls – cannot necessarily be reversed. There is a little evidence showing that some people are able to reduce a minimal amount of existing plaque with lifestyle changes and medication, but treatment instead focuses on preventing the condition from worsening and restoring your ability to lead an active lifestyle.
Especially in the early stages of PAD, some combination of the following may alleviate symptoms and improve blood circulation to the abdomen and legs:
Quitting smoking and any other tobacco use
Increasing physical activity
Adopting a regular exercise routine
Improving your diet
Taking prescribed medications
Losing weight
Improving diabetes management
Surgical treatment may be the best route if PAD has progressed. You may be living with daily pain, cramping, and aching in your legs, even after you’ve sat down or are resting. The condition may be increasing your risk for heart attack, stroke, loss of the affected limb, and poor wound healing. Our vascular specialists perform modern surgical PAD interventions, including balloon angioplasty and stent placement. We will make sure you know all of the options available to you given the circumstances of your diagnosis.
If you are searching for experienced vascular specialists in Riverhead, Port Jefferson, Hauppauge, or the nearby areas of New York, please contact Suffolk Vascular & Vein Center to arrange a consultation with one of our experienced vascular doctors. We are here to discuss all of your options for treating and slowing the progression of peripheral artery disease.
