Chronic Venous Insufficiency and Lymphedema
Chronic Venous Insufficiency is a disease in which the veins stop functioning properly resulting in blood ‘pooling’ in the veins. This is due to blood clots in the lower extremities due to Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in which the valves in the veins become insufficient.
If Chronic Vein Insufficiency is left untreated, it can lead to many serious problems, one being– Lymphedema.
Lymphedema is a serious condition which needs to be addressed immediately to avoid further complications.
If you are experiencing–
- Swelling in your ankles
- New varicose veins
- Weeping wounds
- Skin becoming hard or changing texture
I’ve always had bigger than normal legs how do I know if I it’s lymphoderma? In a recent trip up north my legs became very swelled and even painful. This is not the first time everytime I travel I get this way.
The best way to be sure if you have Lymphedema would be to visit your doctor or a Lymphedema specialist. One way that people can check for Lymphedema is with a “pitting test”– This is basically applying light pressure to the affected area and if you are suffering from edema, a “pit” or indentation will remain. Based on your comment, it is definitely possible that you may have Lymphedema and recommendable to be seen by a professional.