Navigating Healthcare: A Guide to Modern Medicine and Wellness

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vein specialist Repair Damaged Veins

How to Repair Damaged Veins

Many people suffer for years with damaged veins, when the answer to their problem is as simple as a consultation with a vein care specialist.  That consultation, along with a few tests could yield valuable information about your painful condition, and how to resolve it.  Often a patient waits, thinking the pain or the symptoms will abate, but they do not.  You should consider a consult with a vein care specialist when:

  • You have increased swelling in your leg(s);
  • The skin on your leg and/or ankle has become dark or thickened;
  • One of your veins has become red, painful and warm to the touch;
  • You have developed a sore or rash near your ankle;
  • Your leg veins have become more pronounced; and,
  • Your leg symptoms have begun to interfere with your daily activities,
Benefits of Yoga

Health Benefits of Yoga

This guest post was written by Shari Duddy

Shari Duddy is a Yoga teacher and educator in New Jersey. Shari has many years of experience teaching Yoga

Yoga has been around for a very long time. It dates back to ancient times, more than 5,000 years ago, with many yoga and health experts saying even longer. Though many of the earliest recorded yoga practices have been lost or destroyed, there is still enough of that early information in existence and available today to see where current yoga practices and poses come from, regardless of the changes that have occurred over the centuries. So why is it still around? And why is it even more popular today than ever before? The answers are simple. Yoga has many health benefits. Today, yoga is widely practiced in the United States and throughout the world because of those benefits to mind and body. Experienced and knowledgeable yoga teachers recommend it for the many number of advantages it gives to mental and physical well-being. And, though many folks consider yoga’s benefits to be intangible, the truth is that yoga can bring many tangible health benefits as well.

Painful varicose and spider veins on female legs. Woman massaging tired leg

Most Common Vein Conditions

There are many types of vein conditions that people develop over the course of their lifetimes.  Many people are genetically predisposed to develop venous issues and suffer with longstanding vein disease, where others breeze through life with just minor vein issues in later years.  Anyone who has had vein disease for many years is at increased risk for developing Chronic Venous Insufficiency (often abbreviated as “CVI”).  CVI is an umbrella term for the more advanced stages of venous disease.  This would include swelling of the ankle and leg, or edema, stasis dermatitis and venous ulcer.  Probably the most-common vein condition, and the one most people are familiar with, is the malady of varicose veins.  A brief synopsis of each of these vein conditions is discussed below:

Dry Brushing

Dry Brushing and Other Treatments for Spider Veins

Venous disease is common to both men and women (20% of men and 40% of women get Venous disease).  Why do women suffer more than men with vein problems?  For women pregnancy and hormonal fluctuations (namely progesterone) are the biggest culprits.  Swelling of the legs, a/k/a edema is more prevalent in men, with superficial thrombophlebitis more likely to affect women.

If you’re lucky enough to have remained unscathed by any type of venous disease thus far in your life, just wait a little longer.  People in their 70s are twice as likely to have venous disease as those in their 40s.  A lifetime of activities like heavy lifting, coughing, even straining to have a bowel movement, all contribute to pressure on leg veins.  A sedentary life style, obesity and a diet high in fat are all contributing factors to venous issues, because a fatty diet and lack of exercise decrease the efficiency of blood flow through large leg veins, thus increasing the likelihood of developing varicose veins or spider veins.

scoliosis

Is Back Pain a Normal Sign of Aging?

We’ve all seen the pictures of the hunched-over elderly person who has to walk with a cane. It’s one of the first things that come to mind when we think of older folks’ ailments… back problems. But is back pain a normal sign of aging? Does it really have to be this way? Must we suffer with back problems, medical conditions of the spine, and back pain, just because we’re headed toward our senior years? The answer is an unequivocal ‘Absolutely not! Back pain is not an inevitable, unavoidable part of getting older. In fact, many people throughout the country find that ‘aging gracefully’ includes aging without having to suffer with back pain. Here are some tips from joint specialists in South Orange about aging and back pain, and how to avoid it heading into middle age and beyond.

Things You Did Not Know About Sunburn

How Do I Choose Sun Block?

SPF and Skin
SPF Bottle

The sun is instrumental in our bodies ability to create vitamin D. Skincare experts suggest that we spend about 15 minutes a day in the sun but overexposure or unprotected exposure can lead to unpleasant skin conditions that include sunburn, unsightly wrinkles, skin degeneration or skin cancer. In order to protect our skin it is highly recommended that sun block be used, especially if an individual is aware that they will be exposed to the sun’s harmful rays for a long period of time. But like choosing many dermatology products, choosing a sun block can be confusing with all the varieties that are available. Sun blocks are categorized by various features such as ingredients, resistance to water, sun protection factor (SPF) and whether or not they block UVB or UVA rays. Some are also categorized by the age group they are specified for such as those which should be used for children, teens or adults. In order to maintain proper skin health, it is important to select the right sun block. Here are a few things to think about in making a selection.

What are the Risk Factors for Spider Veins?

Spider veins are one of the most common conditions that affect people. While typically not dangerous, spider veins can be unsightly and cause embarrassment for those who have them. Some studies have shown that up to half of adult women in the United States and many men will develop them at some point. Luckily, there are many safe and effective treatment methods that can be used to eliminate them. However, like many conditions, the best strategy is to avoid developing them in the first place by understanding the risk factors and taking steps to prevent them. A vein center will be able to give specific advice for each individual situation if you notice spider veins developing or are worried that you might be at risk.