Be aware of DVT and travel safely this summer

Summer may be BBQ season, but it’s also the time when people travel long distances in planes, trains, and automobiles. For us in vein healthcare, that means increased risks of Deep Vein Thombosis, or DVT.

The deep vein system carries about 80% of blood from the feet back up to the heart. Deep veins are located under the muscle and connective tissue layers in the legs. A blood clot in a deep vein can be dangerous because the high pressure in the system could cause the clot to break free from the vein wall and enter the blood stream. The DVT could then travel up through the legs into another part of the body such as the lungs, where it would become a pulmonary embolism (PE).

DVT or PE symptoms are often misinterpreted as something less serious. A blood clot in the leg may feel like a “charley horse,” shin splints, or a twisted ankle. Symptoms from PE are often attributed to a pulled muscle in the chest, costochondritis (inflammation of the joint between ribs and breast bone), asthma, or a “touch of pneumonia.”

So what are some of the signs to look for? For DVT, the leg may be warm to the touch; swelling in the leg (can also occur in the arm); leg (or arm) pain or tenderness; reddish or bluish skin discoloration.

For PE, be aware of a sudden shortness of breath; sharp, stabbing chest pain (may get worse with deep breath); rapid heart rate or breathing; feeling lightheaded or fainting; unexplained coughing, sometimes with bloody mucus.

In half of DVT and PE cases, no symptoms present at all—but both conditions are medical emergencies. Any of these symptoms should be regarded as a DVT or PE until proven otherwise, especially if someone is in a risk category (including whether there is a history of blood clots in your family).

Awareness is key-- and so is prevention. When traveling long distances, stay well hydrated, stretch legs your legs and pump your feet periodically, avoid or moderate alcohol and caffeine, and consider wearing graduated compression stockings on your trip.

To find out more about DVT and other vein issues, contact us at the Vein Healthcare Center. We will evaluate your vein health — including spider veins, varicose veins, and leg ulcers.

Meet Dr. V!

Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen and the staff are proud to welcome Dr. Satish Vayuvegula to the Vein Healthcare Center team!

Dr. Vayuvegula (pronounced vye-VAY-gla), MD, MS, FAVLS, DABVLM has been a close colleague of Dr. Asbjornsen’s for almost 15 years. He is Board certified in both Phlebology and Emergency Medicine and has 20 years of experience diagnosing and treating venous disease. 

Dr. Vayuvegula earned his medical degree from The Chicago Medical School in 1999 and completed his residency at Emory University School of Medicine and Affiliated Hospitals of Atlanta, Georgia. 

After residency, Dr. Vayuvegula was invited to train in venous techniques. His interest in vein disease began during his residency when he learned that he had varicose vein disease. He underwent a thermal ablation and immediately experienced a dramatic improvement in his quality of life.

Since becoming certified by the American Venous &  Lymphatic Society, Dr. Vayuvegula has performed thousands of thermal ablations and vein procedures. He has been an active member of the American Vein & Lymphatic Society and the American Medical Association since 2005. He became an AVLS Board member in 2018, Secretary in 2020, Treasurer in 2021, and was named President-Elect in 2022 and he most recently was a co-author on two multi-society national guidelines publications on the treatment of venous disorders.

When not helping patients, Dr. Vayuvegula loves spending time with his family and traveling. He also enjoys playing golf, tennis, and pickleball.
 

Meet Robin Dobrinick, Nurse Practitioner

We're excited to introduce the newest member of the care team at the Vein Healthcare Center, Robin Dobrinick, FNP-C. 

Robin studied at the University of Southern Maine where she received her Master’s of Science in Nursing. Before joining the team at VHC, she was a Primary Care Provider at a large group family practice in Maine.

Robin meets new patients to review their medical history, perform physical exams, and discuss their concerns and goals particularly as they relate to venous health. She also meets with patients for post-operative visits as well as performing sclerotherapy procedures.

First and foremost, Robin always strives to listen to our patients. She believes that biological, social, and psychological histories are all interconnected and essential to understanding patients so that she and the care team can address patients’ concerns and recommend treatments that align with their goals of care.

Click here to meet the all of our providers!

Dr. Asbjornsen presents at the 2022 Maine Osteopathic Association conference

Earlier this summer, Dr. Asbjornsen presented a seminar called "Aging & Vein Health" to doctors at the Maine Osteopathic Association's annual conference. There's so much useful information in the presentation, that we wanted to share it more widely!

Here are just a few of the things you'll learn:

• How vein disease presents differently depending on a person's age
• There are different categories of older adults in the general term "seniors"
• Several modern, non-invasive treatments can help decrease the leg pain and discomfort associated with vein disease
• Get to know more about Dr. Asbjornsen and her passion for vein health

Click here to watch the full video, or visit the Vein Healthcare Center YouTube channel.

March is Blood Clot Awareness Month

Have you heard of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) or Pulmonary Embolism (PE)? Maybe you're more familiar with the term blood clots. 

Thousands of lives are lost each year to preventable blood clots, so during Blood Clot Awareness Month -- and throughout the year -- many in the medical community, including Dr. Cindy Asbjornsen, help to spread the word about this common condition. 

Know your risk

The first and most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to learn if you are at risk. 

People being treated for cancer, hospitalized with COVID-19, or getting hip or knee replacements are all at greater risk for developing blood clots. But did you know that even athletes may have increased risk factors too?

Read this risk checklist to learn more.

Signs and symptoms

Common symptoms of a blood clot in the leg or arm (also known as Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT) include swelling, pain or tenderness (not caused by injury), redness or discoloration of the skin, or skin that is warm to the touch.

Symptoms of a blood clot in the lungs (also known as a Pulmonary Embolism or PE) include difficulty breathing, chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deep or lie down, coughing or coughing up blood, or a heartbeat that's irregular or faster than normal. 

If you experience any signs or symptoms of blood clots, don't ignore them! Let your doctor know, or seek medical attention right away.

Prevention

The good news about blood clots is that they are preventable. Once you consider your risk factors and learn the signs and symptoms, then take a look at your family history. If you learn that there is a history of blood clots in your family, tell your doctor and let other family members know. 

One important way to prevent blood clots is to not be immobile for too long. If you're confined to a bed either in a hospital or at home (especially following hip or knee surgery), talk to your doctor about your options for blood clot prevention. And if you've been sitting for a long time, including in a car or plane seat, get up and move! Stand up, stretch your legs, and try to take a brief walk every couple of hours. Try this simple exercise to keep the blood flowing.

Treatment

If you do develop blood clots, your physician can help you navigate the best treatment choices for your specific situation. Anticoagulants, or so-called "blood thinners," are commonly prescribed. (Note that these medications don't actually "thin" the blood; what they do is slow the body's ability to form new clots and stop existing clots from getting bigger.

Other treatment options can include compression stockings, thrombolytic therapy, and vena cava filters. You can learn more about blood clot treatment here. 

A lot of living to do - Happy Senior Citizens Day!

August 21 is Senior Citizens Day, a U.S. observance established in honor of older adults who have made positive contributions in their communities. The day is also a time to bring awareness of social and health issues that affect senior citizens – like veins!

Paying attention to venous health is an important aspect of successful aging – and one that has historically gone untreated. Many seniors have been told that heavy, aching legs are a normal part of aging, but that’s often not the case. There are solutions for venous insufficiency that make people feel better, no matter what their age.

Venous insufficiency occurs when healthy veins become damaged and allow the backward flow of blood into the lower extremities. This pooling of blood can lead to a feeling of heaviness, aching, and can cause skin changes, such as spider veins or a brown, woody appearance of the lower legs.

Seniors’ veins respond differently to everyday stress compared to that of a younger person’s because vein walls are primarily made of collagen. As the body ages, a decrease in the production of collagen causes the veins to become more brittle and the valves more likely to fail, especially in the superficial veins. Thus, there is a higher incidence of varicose veins in the elderly population.

Additionally, the skin begins to lose its elasticity and doesn’t respond to stress the way it once did. And because skin is the “end organ” of venous disease, ulcers can occur as a result of damaged veins.

Some seniors might think that “vein stripping” is the only option. While it was the go-to procedure for many years, treatment of venous disease today is vastly different. Breakthroughs in phlebology and new approaches to treatment involve less time and less pain, and they are overwhelmingly successful over the long term when performed by an experienced specialist.

The risk-benefit ratio makes treatment an ideal option for seniors. Although seniors have a 50% greater chance of suffering from vein disease, they have the same success with modern treatment options as anyone else.

June is Men's Health Month

Men don’t get varicose veins, right? Of course they do! Men are just as likely to suffer from vein issues than women.

Every June is Men's Health Month. This year, June 14-20 is Men’s Health Week, a chance for men to take stock of their health and habits – including varicose veins and other vein problems often associated with women.

Here are the facts: Anatomically, men’s leg veins are no different from women’s veins. Looking at a leg ultrasound, one would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a man’s and a woman’s legs.

Everyone’s veins carry blood from the legs and arms back to the heart. The blood in the legs travels up against gravity, so when the valves in the veins become damaged, blood “leaks” back into the legs and creates a “pooling” effect.

           

Who has the highest risk of getting varicose veins? Heredity plays a strong role, so look at your family history for clues. Lifestyle is also a significant risk factor: does your job require you to stand for long periods of time, or do you sit at your desk all day? Advanced age or previous leg trauma can also affect your venous health.

Even men who are athletic are susceptible to venous (vein) disease. Sometimes men with vein problems misinterpret their symptoms, mistaking the pains of venous disease for a strained or pulled muscle.

Like any chronic medical condition, varicose veins get worse with time, and the longer one waits, the more extensive the condition could become. Many men go to their doctors for the first time when they get venous ulcers, a problem too painful to ignore.

Treatment can stop the progression of venous disease and its complications for those in all stages of disease, however, early intervention is best and provides the most improved quality of life. But for those men (or women) struggling with late-stage symptoms it is still possible to restore health. Today's vein treatments are minimally invasive, cause very little pain, and can be accomplished quickly right in a physician’s office.

           

The key for men is to get evaluated as soon as the symptoms become apparent or they suspect there’s a problem.

Schedule your evaluation and learn how treatment could improve your health and quality of life.