How Can Having Varicose Veins Affect My Work?
Varicose veins are not just unsightly, they are an obstacle to healthy blood circulation and they can cause deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and a decrease in mental and physical performance during the day.
• Do you spend a lot of time sitting at work?
Sitting more than three hours at a desk means that you aren’t using your calf muscles which push the venous blood back to the heart. This is the main mechanism in venous blood flow.
Reduced blood flow means a considerable decrease in blood velocity. Slow moving blood is prone to clotting.
You may have heard that people who fly often or undergo long haul flights may be at risk of thrombosis. This occurs because of decreased blood flow, and not just on planes – anytime of prolonged sitting can cause this. The blood clots that form when blood pools, can break away and become lodged in the lung or brain, thereby causing an embolism.
So, regular movement from your desk can help promote venous blood flow.
• If someone faints, we would normally lay them on their back and lift their legs. This allows venous blood to flow back to the heart and to the brain (the organ that needs most of the oxygen in the whole human body), by providing more blood volume.
So, if you suffer from varicose veins, a considerable volume of blood will pool during the day in the lower legs. This pooled blood is now missing in the circulatory system and therefore missing in your brain, making you feel tired and lacking in concentration.
Many patients who undergo varicose vein treatment report feeling “fit and fresh”, especially in the afternoon, and are better able to concentrate, which can help at work and mean a happier, more productive working day.
You can carry out a simple test – wear medical compressive stockings for a day during work and you will see the effect – the same as after vein treatment.
Book your consultation with Dr Florian Netzer today to remove your varicose veins and risk of embolism and to regain energy and vitality.