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Prevention

  • How to prevent the formation of varicose veins?
  • Varicosity and pregnancy
  • Business class syndrome

    • The forming of varicose veins is advanced by a number of factors characteristic of civilization such as activities in the sitting or standing, malnutrition, smoking. Yet, whereas complete reorganization of our way of life is possible in rare cases only, minor changes might do!

    Physical activity (Moving)

    Moving causes activation of the muscle pumps in the legs and consequent flow of the blood to the heart.

    In the sitting:

  • Activation of the ankle joint pump, by frequent lifting of the back of the foot.
  • Elevate legs from time to time.
  • Get up frequently and walk for some minutes.

    In the standing:

  • Frequent walking a few meters yards?
  • Staircase instead of elevator
  • Sports and moving

    Compression stockings

    Modern and stylish

    Modern fibres combine high wearing comfort and pretentious appeal. Surgical compression? stockings can often almost not be distinguished from regular stockings.
    According to studies, stockings reaching to the knee provide as much as 80% of the effects of stockings reaching up as far as to the thigh or waist. Feel yourself the difference of working a whole day long with or without supportive effect respectively!

    Contrast bathing

    Warm an cold alternately for your veins

    Extreme temperatures (full bath, sauna) leads to increased filling of the veins. Recommended in such cases is a cold shower afterwards, reaching at least up to the knee or, better, groin.

    Prolonged, periodic taking of preventive drugs brings about protective effects in the vein walls and decreases thereby an inclination to swelling (intumescence). Recommended especially in the care for heavy legs due to chronic venous insufficiency.

    Healthy way of life

  • Avoidance of overweight
  • Wholesome nutrition, rich of vitamins and dietary fibers
  • Skip or reduce smoking

    Varicose veins and pregnancy

    During pregnancy, hormonal changes, increasing weight and pressure in the womb tend to increase the formation of varicose veins. Compression stockings or special pantyhose should therefore regularly be worn during pregnancy. Besides the avoidance of varicose veins, they serve also the prevention of thrombosis in the deep veins of the leg. During pregnancy, therapy of varicose veins should not be performed. Of the varicose veins, 80% disappear after pregnancy.

    Traveller’s thrombosis (“business class syndrome”)


    What is traveller’s thrombosis?

    Thrombosis is defined as the coagulation of blood in our blood vessels. Possible causes:.
  • Genetic factors
  • Taking of hormonal preparation (contraceptive pills)
  • Lack of moving
  • Blood thickening due to fluid volume deficit
  • Varicose veins

    Coagulation of blood in our veins causes strong pain in the leg region (calf, hollow of the knee, inner side of the thigh), redness (rubescence), swelling. In the absence of proper treatment, coagulated blood clots (thrombus) might slip off and drift into vessels of the lungs causing pulmonary infarct thereby. That may lead to acute respiratory distress or even cause death, if larger vessels are clogged.

    Why Business Class Syndrome?

    Reduced space between airplane seats causes exceptional bending of the legs, strangulation o f blood vessels and consequently increases risk of thrombosis. Such risk may however also come up during travels by car, train or bus.

    How to avoid traveller’s thrombosis?

  • Provide for sufficient space for your feetlegs!
  • Bob up and down each foot, via the ankle joints, for 3-6 minutes each hour
  • Walk a few minutes as often as possible
  • Drink large quantities of liquids
  • Drink no or only little alcohol
  • Wear compression stockings if necessary
  • Have a blood thinner shot if a risk person
  • Have any vein affection treated